#032: The State of Oil & Gas in Illinois with Seth Whitehead

We’re continuing our series of conversations with different state oil and gas associations. In this episode, Phil is joined by Seth Whitehead of the Illinois Oil and Gas Association and Illinois Petroleum Resources Board to talk about the industry in the state of Illinois, what they do to improve the industry within their state and what type of education they provide. He shares the biggest obstacles they’re facing as an industry in Illinois, their top 3 priorities going forward and how the state is made up of small independent producers rather than large corporations.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• How we can work together to shift how people view oil and gas as an industry
• How the Illinois oil and gas industry is made up of small independent producers
• The top 3 priorities for the Illinois Oil and Gas Association

Highlights:

1:32 How Seth got involved in the oil and gas industry2:46 The mission of the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board3:54 What type of adult education they provide about the oil and gas industry5:36 Seth’s advice about changing the way people see the industry7:13 His transition to working for the Illinois Oil and Gas Association10:23 The biggest obstacles of the oil and gas industry in Illinois11:27 How has COVID-19 affected the industry14:09 Their top focuses for the association 15:50 The current state of oil and gas in the state of Illinois

About Seth Whitehead:

I am currently the interim operations administrator for the Illinois Oil & Gas Association and the executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board (IPRB). IPRB is an education and outreach program that is voluntarily funded by Illinois oil producers and royalty owners. I was previously Team Lead for the Energy In Depth program from 2016-2018. I am a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and am married with five kids.

“Hopefully educating the kids about an industry that’s misunderstood, to put it mildly.” – Seth Whitehead

Connect with Seth:

Illinois Petroleum Resources Board | Illinois Oil and Gas Association | IPRB Twitter | IPRB Facebook

About SherWare, Inc.

If you’re enjoying this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and share with a friend! We also love ratings and reviews on Apple podcasts.

SherWare creates software to simplify your accounting needs so you have more time to do the things that matter. We serve independent oil and gas operators, accountants and investors with a platform to manage their distributions and joint-interest billings on a platform — and we’re the only software on the market that can integrate with your QuickBooks company.

Click here to watch a demo of the software in action right now.

#030: Smarter Well Management with Brad Gray

Being a part of the oil and gas industry affords you many opportunities and the ability to be a part of an industry that is constantly evolving. In this episode, Phil is joined by Brad Gray, COO of Diversified Gas & Oil to talk about his experience of being with the company and helping it grow from a couple thousand producing wells to over 60,000+ producing wells. He shares his advice for being in the oil and gas industry and his predictions for how the company will continue to grow.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• How Brad’s seen the company grow over the past four years
• What the term “smarter well management” is (and why you should know about it)
• Advice for being apart of the oil and gas industry

Highlights:

2:33 Brad’s experience of joining Diversified Gas & Oil

5:06 The growth he’s seen at the company since coming on in 2016

8:03 What “smarter well management” means to them

10:07 Their experience of utilizing remote monitoring for their wells

11:13 What they see for the future of their conventional and unconventional wells

12:53 What he predicts for the future growth of the company

14:36 His advice on the oil and gas industry

About SherWare, Inc.

If you’re enjoying this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and share with a friend! We also love ratings and reviews on Apple podcasts.

SherWare creates software to simplify your accounting needs so you have more time to do the things that matter. We serve independent oil and gas operators, accountants and investors with a platform to manage their distributions and joint-interest billings on a platform — and we’re the only software on the market that can integrate with your QuickBooks company.

Click here to watch a demo of the software in action right now.

#023: Retiring From Oil & Gas After 40+ Years with Chuck Prickett

Software geek alert! Today’s interview is with Chuck Prickett, an employee with Associated Systems with over 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Phil and Chuck chat about his career at Associated Systems and the work he’s done with GOALS, an accounting software developed by him and a few other software developers for Associated Systems. They discuss how GOALS has evolved over the years, how clients have helped improve the software and his memories of building relationships with his customers throughout his career.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• Chuck’s experience of working for Associated Systems
• Developing the software for GOALS
• His favorite memories of customers and the relationships he’s built with them
• Why Chuck is retiring from his work after 40+ years

“That was the only thing that really kept me awake some nights was laying in bed knowing that I was the only support that they had for their systems.”

– Chuck Prickett

Highlights:

2:30 How Chuck got started working at Associated Systems
6:02 How the GOALS software has evolved over time
9:28 Doing onsite installations
10:18 Transitioning clients from IBM Systems to PC
11:44 Working on the GOALS side by himself since the ’90s
13:52 How customer updates help them to make changes to the software
17:23 Building relationships with customers over the last 20-30 years
20:21 What Chuck wants to do post-retirement
21:20 The bad side of getting to know your customers 

About Chuck Prickett:

Chuck Prickett has worked at Associated Systems since 1978. He was one of the original software developers of the oil and gas accounting system named “GOALS”, and has continued to support GOALS clients since the beginning. He will be retiring at the end of 2019 and is slowly phasing out of his client support work.

Associated Systems, Inc., located in Wichita, Kansas, was founded in 1974 as a software consulting and development enterprise and has a long history of successes. One of those being the longevity of its customer base and its employees. Over the years, ASI has installed over 450 systems nationwide in its vertical markets.

ASI began with its first Oil & Gas customer in 1974, and they remain a customer to this day. The original system was designed and developed for the IBM System 32, and as Systems 34, 36 and AS/400 were introduced, ASI’s software products evolved to take advantage of the increased features and abilities of those systems. With the advent of the PC, the software was re-written and was made accessible and affordable for operations of all sizes. It was named “GOALS” for Gas, Oil And Land Systems and it revolutionized the way the smaller producer managed his business.

Connect with Chuck:

LinkedIn | Associated Systems

About SherWare, Inc.

If you’re enjoying this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and share with a friend! We also love ratings and reviews on Apple podcasts.

SherWare creates software to simplify your accounting needs so you have more time to do the things that matter. We serve independent oil and gas operators, accountants and investors with a platform to manage their distributions and joint-interest billings on a platform — and we’re the only software on the market that can integrate with your QuickBooks company.

Click here to watch a demo of the software in action right now.

#019: How SherWare Software Got Started 25 Years Ago

On today’s episode of the podcast, Phil is joined by his friend and business mentor, Robert “Butch” Rogers. Butch is a CPA who has his own accounting business and also works as a consultant for other CPA’s and producers in the oil and gas industry and as a contract CFO for a few oil and gas companies. Phil and Butch share how they got to know one another, how they both ended up living in Ohio and how Phil got started with his business, SherWare software 25 years ago. They chat about how Butch helped Phil with accounting items to include in his software and how SherWare software continually evolves according to the customers’ needs. 

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• How Phil and Butch met each other
• Why Butch left Texas and started his own CPA business
• How Butch convinced Phil to move to Ohio
• The story of how Phil started SherWare and how Butch mentored him
• How SherWare has grown and evolved with the help of its customers

Highlights:

3:35 How Phil and Butch got to know each other
4:07 Leaving Texas and starting his own CPA business
5:37 Finding his niche as a CPA
7:38 Butch noticing that oil and gas clients didn’t have great accounting software
9:06 How Butch helped Phil with writing the SherWare software
11:50 Phil figuring out that he needed to focus on oil and gas
13:40 How SherWare has grown organically and been tailored to customers 
16:10 The ease of reporting that comes with SherWare
19:56 What smaller, independent producers are currently facing in the oil and gas industry
24:01 Working as a contract CFO and a consultant for other CPA’s and smaller producers
25:11 What Butch’s accounting firm will be doing next
26:33 How the numbers tell a story in accounting

About Robert Rogers:

Robert “Butch” Rogers is a Certified Public Accountant with a Master’s Degree in Taxation from Texas Tech University. He is a CPA in Wooster, Ohio and is a partner in the CPA firm Rogers Accounting Solutions, Inc. 

Butch has over 35 years of experience working in and with clients in the oil and gas industry. As a college student, he worked as a roustabout in West Texas. Upon graduating from college he worked for Gulf Oil as a business administration trainee, working in the Midland, Texas district office and the Monahans, Texas field office. He gained valuable oil and gas tax experience working with Coopers and Lybrand in Lubbock, Texas. During his time as a practicing CPA, Butch served a number of small independent producers as a trusted tax and business advisor. 

His speaking experience includes conducting continuing education seminars and webinars for various state societies of CPAs, Ohio Oil and Gas Association, COPAS, and Bisk Education. 

Connect with Robert:

LinkedIn | [email protected]

Head over to our website to set up a free account with SherWare software. Please make sure to subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts.

#016: NAPAC Vendor Chats: The Businesses that Support Your Oil & Gas Company

In this episode of the podcast, Phil sits down with a few vendors in the oil & gas industry while at the National American Petroleum Accounting Conference (NAPAC) in Dallas, TX. He chats with each vendor about the company that they work for and what products and services they offer for their clients. You will hear about different companies that help make running an oil and gas business a lot easier. If you have been looking to simplify your oil and gas business, then you will want to tune in and hear about these vendors offer.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• Discussions with professionals from various organizations about their company
• A chat with a company that bridges the gap between business and technology
• How one company helps to mitigate risks for their clients
• What goes into planning for NAPAC

Highlights:

2:20 What Eddye Dreyer Financial Services does
3:56 The consulting services offered through Eddye Dreyer
6:06 Transition processing
7:17 How Magnum Forge helps clients choose software and implement it
8:38 Partnering with software vendors
10:42 Bridging the gap between the business and technology
13:29 Business advocates with Stinnett Associates
15:20 Mitigating risks for clients
18:24 Taking care of the backend accounting with JC Data Services
21:58 Saving clients money by eliminating unnecessary steps
25:45 Helping clients with inventory management with B & L Pipeco
28:22 The products and services B & L Pipeco offers
32:16 Finding experienced oil & gas retirees to write courses
33:17 What continuing education looks like in oil and gas
36:36 Live action classes vs. web-based classes
38:02 Planning for the NAPAC Conference

About Companies:

Eddye Dreyer Financial Services:
Eddye Dreyer Financial Services was founded to provide specialized bookkeeping for the oil and gas industry. From our humble beginnings around a kitchen table to our current offices in Dallas and Houston, much has changed in nearly thirty years. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is our commitment to providing accurate and reliable back office services. From joint interest billing and division orders to revenue distribution and regulatory filings, Eddye Dreyer is your partner for oil and gas bookkeeping.

Magnum Forge:
Magnum Forge works exclusively with midsize to large independent exploration and production companies. We lead successful ERP selections and implementations every day with our expertise in the oil and gas industry’s software packages. Let us help you scope your needs and determine your organization’s readiness.

Stinnett Associates:
Stinnett is a professional advisory firm that strives to maximize value for public and private companies. As a certified Women’s Business Enterprise, we serve Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies and small-to-large size organizations with global operations.

JC Data Services:
JC Data Solutions is a complete business solution partner. Our flat-rate maintenance plans are designed to optimize your network performance and reduce IT support costs, allowing you to focus on your bottom line, not your technology.

JC Data Solutions has over 80 years of combined experience to serve the southern Utah area. Our promise to you…” We will provide you with the best technical services in the St. George area, utilizing experienced, highly trained staff and the best customer experience you have ever had from a technology solutions company. We will make it right or your money back”

B & L Pipeco:
Consistently adhering to a customer-focused mindset and a profound sense of urgency, our customers can rely on B&L Pipeco Services to fulfill their needs 24/7/365. Our immediate response services are backed by our vast customer base of several large and small independent operators. This enables us to provide cost advantages through economies of scale and allows us to pool inventory for quick ramp up or dissolution of casing inventory. B&L Pipeco Services entails a network of products, including unrivaled mill sourcing for OCTG, vast selection of premium connections and tubular accessories, and state-of-the-art production storage tanks. Our logistics company, InCompass, is the fabric that ties all our products and services together. As a leader in the transportation industry, InCompass Logistics provides service, value, and solutions for all of our customers’ needs. We are not just another OCTG distributor. Our network of experts helps us constantly focus on how to take the pain away from our customers.

PDI:
PDI’s world-renowned Energy division delivers top quality Continuing Professional Education to the energy business – training that is on target, on-site and on budget.  Each of our program authors/instructors is a “been there, done that” professional with outstanding industry knowledge coming from decades of industry experience. All instructors have the skills to communicate, at any level, the material your employees need to be more effective.

NAPAC:
NAPAC brings petroleum industry professionals together for two days of intense and important educational sessions enhanced by lively, productive discussions. Each year, NAPAC features topical general sessions and detailed, track-based concurrent technical sessions, as well as annual reviews of important legislative updates. The conference provides access to outstanding industry experienced speakers from both the government and private sectors and informative exhibits from leading industry vendors. This perennial favorite, considered by many to be the premier oil and gas industry accounting conference, has been running for more than 40 years and remains a very highly regarded and well-attended event.

Connect with Companies:

Eddye Dreyer Oil & Gas: Website | Contact
Magnum Forge: Website | [email protected]
Stinett Associates: Website | Contact
JC Data Solutions: Website | Contact
B & L Pipeco: Website | Contact
PDI: Website | [email protected] | NAPAC Conference

Head over to our website to set up a free account with SherWare software. Please make sure to subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts.

#010: Field Tools Transforming the Oil & Gas Industry

#009: Nine Productivity Tech Tools to Transform Your Office

Growing and running a business in the 21st century, no matter what industry you’re in, requires knowing a little bit of everything, while still specializing in what makes your business so successful.

If that wasn’t enough, throw in the technicality of the oil and gas industry, the ups and downs and regulation changes, and you’ve inherited the role of 10 people, and that’s just during business hours.

On today’s episode learn about 9 productivity/organization + communication tech tools that make automating your office a breeze.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• The best app for communication among all departments (in office and in the field)
• How to stop mindless data entry
• The best free alternative to Office (that never has to be saved!)
• How to watch your company’s PR image

Like these tools? Download our free CEO Toolkit: 125+ Tools, Favorites + Freebies to Scale Your Oil & Gas Business

Tools mentioned on this episode:
Trello
Slack
Evernote
Zapier
IFTTT
Google Suite
Google Alerts
Docsmore
Mindmeister

Connect with Mallory Schlabach
Mallory is the marketing strategist and customer happiness expert at SherWare, Inc. We specialize in oil and gas accounting software for operators, accountants, and investors to help you simplify distributions and manage investments. Find out more about us at SherWare, Inc.

#006: How Technology + Automation Improves the Oil & Gas Industry with Corey Scott

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Technology is the future for every industry in the world, and the oil and gas industry is no different.

On today’s episode, Corey Scott,  and Phil talk about how EnergyLink helps operators and royalty partners get paid faster with fewer disputes and simplifying the communication by looking at the data.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to in this episode:

• Find out how RedDog systems got its name
• Hear how developers actually develop software for the industry
• Find out how to use EnergyLink to get paid faster by your partners with fewer disputes
• Find out where data exchange is going in the future
• How automation is changing the landscape for oil and gas businesses no matter the market conditions
• Get the inside scoop to what’s next for EnergyLink and its customers

Dive into this episode that will change how you think about technology in your business.

Connect with Corey Scott and Red Dog Systems, Inc. 

Corey Scott currently serves as the U.S Sales Director at Red Dog Systems, Inc., a Calgary based software company that provides cloud-based solutions to customers involved in Joint Interest Billing, Revenue accounting and Owner Relations. Prior to joining Red Dog Systems in 2008, Corey worked at ConocoPhillips, helping to implement and manage the company’s Joint Venture accounting software products. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Finance.

Website: www.energylink.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/red-dog-systems-inc.

Grab the CEO Toolkit: 120+ Tools, Favorites & Freebies to scale your oil & gas business no matter what the industry looks like for free!