Oilfield 360 Podcast

Disrupting drilling starts with rethinking the model.

Recorded remotely at the Piper Sandler Energy Conference in Las Vegas, this episode features Cam Hewell, President and CEO of Premium Oilfield Holdings.

He breaks down how Premium is reshaping managed pressure drilling (MPD) through a rig-centered, vertically integrated approach—now scaled across 160 U.S. land rigs.

The conversation also covers rising power demand, new drilling technologies, and where the industry is headed next.

00:00 Why Oil And Gas Matters
00:36 Podcast And Sponsors
01:59 Live From Energy Conference
02:15 Conference Themes Power Demand
04:03 Meet Cam Hill
05:18 Cam Background Consulting Tech
07:56 First Oilfield Company Growth
10:26 Founding Premium Rig Focus
15:08 Premium Shift To MPD
17:03 MPD Explained Benefits
19:49 Disrupting MPD Cost Tech
22:19 Building The Dream Team
25:12 Urethane Elements Cloud Software
28:54 Beyond MPD Top Drives Tools
31:19 New Rig Equipment Roadmap
32:30 Remote Bleed Off Valve Win
34:36 Chasing Incremental Efficiency
36:06 Rapid Prototyping Culture
38:00 Expanding Into Production
39:44 Growth Strategy And Capital Returns
41:56 Downhole Tools And Per Well Focus
44:37 Hiring For Innovation
48:10 Duke Basketball Detour
50:10 Career Advice For Young Pros
52:34 Consulting After Running Companies
55:34 From Scrappy Startup To Scale
57:09 Closing Thanks And Sign Off

Recorded live at the Daniel Energy Partners Thrive Conference, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with Jackson Wise, CEO of Signal Peak Silica, and world-class pit master, to unpack the realities of the modern sand business and what it takes to lead through cycles. Wise shares his unconventional path from Enron and investment banking with the infamous Simmons & Company to operating one of the largest regional frac sand platforms in the U.S., along with the hard lessons learned during Signal Peak’s 2019 turnaround.

The conversation dives into how regionalization has reshaped the sand market, why delivered cost and logistics matter more than brand, and how consolidation and capital discipline are defining the future of the sector. Wise also reflects on leadership, mentorship, building high‑trust teams, and why barbecue, community, and culture still play an outsized role in oil & gas today.

00:00 Why Oil And Gas Matters
00:36 Podcast And Sponsors
01:59 Live From Thrive Conference
03:14 Meet Jackson Wise
03:40 Early Career And Enron
05:52 BP MBA And Simmons
07:17 Simmons Culture Lessons
09:34 Leaving Banking To Operate
11:38 Mentorship And Leadership
13:16 Signal Peak In 30 Seconds
15:49 Turnaround And Team Building
17:24 Sand Consolidation Strategy
20:06 How The Sand Market Changed
22:47 Plant Costs Then And Now
24:17 Wet Versus Dry Sand
25:36 Wet Sand Reality Check
26:15 How Heavy Is Sand
27:14 Logistics And Truck Staging
28:59 Pitching SPS Value
30:57 Five To Ten Year Vision
32:48 Barbecue And Oilfield Culture
34:53 Winning At Pebble Beach
38:21 Cookoff Community And Team
42:27 Career Wisdom And Wrap

AI Power Surge: Can Natural Gas Keep Up with Demand?

AI is driving a new wave of power demand. But where will the energy come from?

At the Daniel Energy Partners Thrive Conference, Oilfield 360 Podcast hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard-Queen sit down with Jason Downie, Managing Partner of Tailwater Capital.

Jason shares his perspective as an energy private equity investor and why natural gas and midstream infrastructure will be critical as AI, LNG exports, and reshoring drive the next phase of energy demand.

00:00 Why Oil Still Matters
00:54 Podcast Sponsors
01:59 Live From Thrive Conference
02:30 Nuclear Plus Gas Takeaways
03:39 Meet Jason Downey
04:10 Why Tailwater Name
05:09 Fly Fishing Banter
05:45 Jason Energy Origin Story
07:49 DLJ To Hicks Muse Path
10:54 Energy Thesis And 2003 Shift
12:05 Private Equity Explained
13:07 Tailwater Strategy Three Legs
14:35 Portfolio And Midstream Model
18:18 Bullish Themes E&P LNG AI
26:21 Texas Power Demand Surge
30:36 Structural Demand Pull Wrap
31:27 Replacement Depletion Math
32:21 Raising a PE Fund
33:39 Treat Investors as Partners
35:30 Giving Young Talent Rope
38:21 Service and Salesmanship Club
41:02 Solo Africa Hunt Reflections
46:03 Tailwater White Space
47:35 Water and Infrastructure Opportunities
51:51 Career Advice for Your 20s
54:59 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

From humble beginnings fixing pumps to building a water giant, how did Schmitz do it?

On the Oilfield 360 Podcast, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with industry legend, John Schmitz, CEO at Select Water Solutions.

John shares how buying distressed or forgotten assets during downturns shaped his growth, and why water is becoming one of the most strategic parts of the oilfield, among many other great stories and shared insights from his years in the energy industry - Upstream, Midstream and Downstream.

00:54 Podcast Sponsors
01:59 Welcome And Upcoming Events
02:59 Meet John Schmitz
04:25 Early Career And First Company
06:35 Surviving The 80s Crash
08:02 Buying Companies In Downcycles
13:51 Midstream And Upstream Expansion
15:27 Private Equity And Going Public
24:17 Life After Complete Energy
26:55 Family Support And Marriage
28:33 Giving Back In Cook County
32:36 Meeting Harold Hamm
32:54 Save Domestic Oil Fight
33:53 Partners In Complete
34:46 Why Harold Matters
35:25 What DEPA Does
36:59 US Energy Advantage
38:23 Industry Turnaround Story
40:55 More With Less
42:45 Family Office And Kids
43:16 Select Origin Story
46:17 Water To Recycling Shift
48:39 Pipelines And Networks
51:42 Efficiency By The Numbers
53:25 Ranch Life And Longhorns
55:01 Stark Ranch History
01:00:19 Mentors And Advice
01:03:02 Romania And Global Expansion

How do you turn a startup launched during a downturn into a major oilfield technology success story?

On this episode of The Oilfield 360 podcast, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with Neal Lux, CEO of Forum Energy Technologies (and TV Star - Landman appearance), to discuss his path from co-founding Global Tubing to leading FET today.

Lux shares insights on scaling a coil tubing startup, the Smart Taper innovation that improved weld fatigue life, and how technologies like subsea robotics and remote ROV operations are shaping the future of oilfield services. 

00:00 Why Oil and Gas Matters
00:36 Podcast and Sponsors
03:48 Meet Neal Lux
04:54 From Consulting to Maverick
07:55 Joining a Risky Startup
11:30 Global Tubing Early Struggles
13:37 Culture and Innovation
15:29 Coil Tubing Explained
17:54 Smart Taper Breakthrough
19:13 Designing for Long Wells
21:16 Beyond Intervention Use Cases
23:22 Partnering with Operators
25:33 Why They Bought Eagle
26:12 Joining the Forum Family
27:04 Leadership Under Chris
27:49 COVID Debt Turning Point
28:32 What FET Does Today
30:17 FET 2030 Growth Plan
33:10 Landman TV Cameo
37:02 Subsea Robotics Innovation
39:38 Lessons From Mistakes
41:52 Life Outside Work
45:13 CEO Reality Check
48:34 Investor Story and Value
50:21 NYSE Texas Listing