WorldWide Drilling Resource

Focus on Alliance Expo & Annual Meeting The Texas Al l iance of Energy Producers set the dates of April 21-22, for the 2015 Alliance Expo & Annual Meeting. Once again, all roads lead to the Multi-Purpose Events Center (MPEC) in Wichita Falls, Texas. Typical of Texas, this large event has a shotgun start for the morning round of golf at 7:00 on Tuesday. There are two more rounds to accommodate everyone. The Alliance Expo & Oil Patch Reception of cocktails and food will be served in the MPEC Clymer Exhibit Hall at 5:30. Afterward, join WWDR for deli- cious BBQ served by The Mavericks of Wichita Falls... ...with great country & western music for our dining pleasure! There is a l a r ge ou t s i de e q u i p m e n t showcase, plus over 350 inside booths with the latest equipment, tools, and serv- ices for the gas and oil industry. Several technical seminars will also keep us up to date. Don’t miss it! Visit www.texasalliance.org for more information. Ronnie & Connie with Keys Bit enjoyed the 2014 Expo. WWDR photos. 37 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MARCH 2015 3"- 0)'! +#0* /'! /,,). '+ ./,!( '4#. 6 /, 6 +(. ,1* + 13 -"#+ ))#3 5 2 - 0!&*$% !,* 5 - 0!&*$% $-,+/'#-+#/ !,* ,"#) '4#. /#+/ + " #+"'+% Musical Passion Leads to Drilling Career Adapted from Information Provided by LearnToDrill Cason Swindle is the executive director of the Well Control Institute, an organization focused exclusively on well control training and accreditation. Swindle did not set out to become a drilling profes- sional, but unex- pected turns and strong leadership skills led him to a promising career in the industry. One of Swindle’s greatest passions is far from anything remotely connect- ed to well control: music. He began as a music student at the University of Texas with a dream to work in arts administration, particularly to someday run an opera company. Because opera involves the fusion of so many art forms - theater, dance, music, and the visual art of set design - Swindle was fascinated by it. However, Swindle ultimately de- cided to pursue his musical interests on the side, for fun, and he remains a professional singer to this day in his spare time. For his primary focus, he decided to continue his opera-fueled passion for bringing groups together; but in a slightly different sphere as an entrepre- neur. Due to his wi l l ingness to learn, Swindle worked his way up in the real estate business. In his mid and late twenties, he built and sold three differ- ent commercial real estate businesses, and learned a tremendous amount along the way. The bulk of his learning was not about real estate however, but about what Swindle refers to as “con- text design”, the ability to create and grow any organization or business, regardless of the industry. As a real estate entrepreneur, Swindle became an expert at creating, developing, and growing organizations. After leaving real estate, Swindle began working with his dad’s oil and gas safety training business, which eventually led him to the Well Control Institute. After successfully creating training material and courses for Frontier Drilling, Swindle was hired to run the company’s cyber training center. Frontier Drilling was purchased by Noble Drilling Corporation and Swindle stayed on as a team leader. He and his team dra- matically expanded the size and scope of Noble’s training program. Swindle’s time at Noble led to the development of the NEXT Center, one of the world’s most sophisticated off- shore training centers focused on world- class technology and simulation. After completing the NEXT Center, the program was in great shape and entered into a phase of sustained main- tenance rather than growth. Swindle be- gan to ask himself, “What’s next?” He was ready for a new challenge. His new challenge is being execu- tive director of the Well Institute. After being interviewed for posi- tions by several different CEOs and COOs of drilling contractors, the re- sponse was unanimous. The experts told Swindle, “Your background doesn’t look like what we would expect.” But, as Swindle explained, you don’t have to be a well control expert to be head of the Well Control Institute. “What you need is an organization builder. You need someone to build that organ- ization and bring together all the peo- ple necessary to get the work done.” In college, Swindle was fascinated by opera’s ability to synthesize many different forms of art together into one cohesive system. He followed his pas- sion for systems design to his present position. More than twenty years later, the context became well control.