IADC YEAR IN REVIEW • IADC CONNECTION
IADC spearheads efforts
to communicate the
value of our industry
FROM JASON MCFARLAND, IADC PRESIDENT
F or IADC and its members, 2022 has been a year of progress.

There has been a sense of hope and connection as the
world slowly and steadily reopens. This has been a year of
looking forward while also taking the time to consider difficult
questions about industry challenges and actions we can take
to meet those challenges, together. One common theme woven
throughout a variety of IADC efforts and events this year is a
crucial question – how do we adequately express the importance
and necessity of our industry in providing essential services and
resources that allow the world, as we know it, to operate?
In the January/February issue of this magazine, 2022 IADC
Chairman Jeremy Thigpen stated, “Our industry provides a higher
standard of living for billions of people around the world, in so
many different ways, but the public doesn’t always understand
or appreciate that.” Advocacy and changing the public narrative
around oil and gas will also be key to addressing the industry’s
next big challenge: attracting and training new talent, he added.

I couldn’t agree more with Mr Thigpen’s sentiments. Raising
awareness of these issues at the beginning of his time as
Chairman has served as a guiding force, and I’m pleased to say
that IADC and its members have made considerable strides in this
area over the past year. The challenges our industry faces are not
necessarily new, but they will require innovative solutions and
unparalleled collaboration. It takes a certain level of willingness
to confront these concerns head on and really ask ourselves, “So
what will we do about this?”
The first example that comes to mind is IADC’s Industry Value
Initiative (IVI). The IVI workgroup, comprised of nine individu-
als from member companies, was formed this year and began
the difficult task of turning an abstract idea into a discernible
mission with tangible goals. The purpose of this project is to find
effective and impactful ways to communicate the value of our
industry, with special focus on talent recruitment and engage-
ment, capital markets and investors, and public and government
affairs. The ultimate goal is to deliver valuable findings and
practical resources for our members to use. This project is still
in its infancy, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops
throughout 2023.

A couple of months ago, attendees of the IADC Drilling Engineers
Committee’s Q3 Tech Forum, titled “The Future of Drilling: Brain
Drain Manifesto,” had a very similar conversation. Working in
breakout groups, participants devised a list of specific actions
that can be taken around key issues like industry branding and
perception, using technology to advance industry ambitions and
efficiency, engaging the next generation of talent, and more effec-
tive collaboration across companies and disciplines to achieve
industry’s collective goals. The results of this collaborative effort
are being compiled to create a “manifesto” that can be utilized to
discern substantial next steps.

IADC’s Accreditation and Credentialing team has also been
hard at work creating ways for industry to engage with the next
generation. In August, IADC launched WellSharp University,
which gives colleges and universities the opportunity to offer to
their students the same high-quality well control training found
in the WellSharp accreditation program. This program will allow
young professionals to set a strong foundation for their careers
before they even graduate.

IADC’s advocacy efforts have also played a part in changing
the narrative around our industry and informing others of the
importance of what we do. IADC’s Government & Industry Affairs
and International Development teams have been busy advocat-
ing for drilling contractors around the world through a variety
of projects and initiatives. For example, in the US, IADC coor-
dinated a Washington, DC, fly-in to facilitate member dialogue
with federal regulatory agencies and legislative policymakers.

Outside the US, IADC has developed broader engagement with the
International Regulators’ Forum member countries, along with
the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, in discus-
sions regarding digitalization and data performance framework
concepts. Projects like these help to ensure the highest standards
of health and safety, which are crucial aspects of advancing
industry and, more importantly, of protecting the people who
make up this industry.

When it comes to industry’s “big questions,” I know a few things
for certain – IADC will continue to advocate for the best interests
of its members and provide a forum for collaboration and innova-
tion. We will remain focused on our mission, facing toward the
future and relying on the invaluable involvement and input of our
members every step along the way. I am proud of the progress that
has been made this year, and I’ve only covered a fraction of what
this association and its members have accomplished in 2022.

Please read on in the following pages for more details. DC
DRILLING CONTRACTOR • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
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