Molly Smith, general manager of drilling and completion at Murphy Oil Corp., is today’s featured Forty Under 40 honoree.
“Earlier in my career, I intentionally took a ‘step back’ from a leadership role onshore to an individual contributor role offshore to learn that side of the business,” Smith said.
Based in Houston, Murphy Oil is an independent E&P company with a long history of crude oil and natural gas production and exploration across the globe. The company operates assets both offshore and onshore, where Smith previously worked as operations manager overseeing Murphy’s western Eagle Ford Shale asset.
“There was a steep learning curve, but I took advantage of every opportunity to be in service providers’ shops supervising downhole tools builds and then going offshore on deepwater drillships to execute jobs,” she said of the decision that eventually led her to her current role as general manager, drilling and completion.
One of the biggest challenges Smith has faced during her career at Murphy Oil was earning buy-in from the operators, which she said her team accomplished by achieving “small, quick wins.”
“This highlighted the ability to focus on more impactful efforts, and soon after the team began presenting their own ideas for improvements, which was the most rewarding,” she said. “Overall, our efforts saved $17 MM annually, and reduced operating costs by 20%.”
Click here for Molly Smith’s complete profile.
Take a look at all of the Forty Under 40 honorees.
Recommended Reading
TPH: Lower 48 to Shed Rigs Through 3Q Before Gas Plays Rebound
2024-03-13 - TPH&Co. analysis shows the Permian Basin will lose rigs near term, but as activity in gassy plays ticks up later this year, the Permian may be headed towards muted activity into 2025.
Crescent Energy: Bigger Uinta Frac Now Making 60% More Boe
2024-05-10 - Crescent Energy also reported companywide growth in D&C speeds, while well costs have declined 10%.
Repsol to Drop Marcellus Rig in June
2024-04-26 - Spain’s Repsol plans to drop its Marcellus Shale rig in June and reduce capex in the play due to the current U.S. gas price environment, CEO Josu Jon Imaz told analysts during a quarterly webcast.
SilverBow Makes Horseshoe Lateral in Austin Chalk
2024-05-01 - SilverBow Resources’ 8,900-foot lateral was drilled in Live Oak County at the intersection of South Texas’ oil and condensate phases. It's a first in the Chalk.
TotalEnergies Acquires Eagle Ford Interest, Ups Texas NatGas Production
2024-04-08 - TotalEnergies’ 20% interest in the Eagle Ford’s Dorado Field will increase its natural gas production in Texas by 50 MMcf/d in 2024.