Pam Koscinski: Navigating O&G Transformation Through Data

We are privileged to have Pam Koscinski as a valuable team member at WellDatabase. Pam's remarkable journey in the oil and gas industry and her unwavering integrity and dedication to data management have profoundly impacted many. As the Director of Data Operations, Pam brings a wealth of expertise that enriches our team. Join us as we delve into her inspiring story and gain insights that have shaped the industry.     

What was the O&G Industry like when you started, and what were your initial thoughts when you entered this field?     

I started my oil and gas career in my 30s after working as Store Manager for a Montgomery Ward catalogue store, followed by joining my husband in Taiwan for a couple of years as he served in the US Navy. My first experience in oil and gas was working at the University of Oklahoma in the Information Systems Programs Division of the Energy Center. It was exciting work – we were awarded a contract to pilot the submission of the EIA23 (Oil and Gas Reserves) by the Department of Energy. We had access to all the operators' oil and gas reserves. We worked behind locked doors with a security team. This was the beginning of an amazing career in oil and gas.   

Like so many energy data management professionals, a career in that profession was not something I had planned. If you had asked me while I was growing up what I want to be "when you grow up," I would never have responded that I wanted to be a data manager. The data management profession didn't exist for many years, and I just happened to be "in the right place at the right time" for most of my career.    

The oil and gas industry was definitely a man's world. Later, when I worked for Dwight's EnergyData, I traveled nationwide to gather oil and gas data. It was not unusual for me to be the only female on a plane or in management meetings. Back then, everyone dressed very professionally to travel, unlike today, where you see people wearing shorts and flip-flops on the plane. I never thought it was a negative to be a woman; in fact, it was an asset, and I loved every moment.   

When did you become passionate about data?    

I became passionate about data when I started working for Dwight's. My position at OU was in the energy sector, but I mainly worked in project management rather than data management. Dwight's had a daily and weekly report of all wells permitted, drilling activity, and completion details. I, as well as my entire staff, wanted the contents of our publication to be accurate and timely so our subscription base would grow. We were the new guys on the block and wanted to win the customers over (from PI). At the time, everything was manually keyed into the database. We would run integrity checks every afternoon, and many days, I would arrive at work at 7:00 a.m. and leave at 8:00 p.m. as my dedication to ensuring the data was correct was essential. By the time we merged with PI, I was managing a group of 80-90 team members, and we were constantly thinking of ways to enhance our data and get it as early as possible (before PI could get it).     

What was a pivotal moment for you that helped shape your career?     

A pivotal moment for me was when Dwight's merged with Petroleum Information to form PI/Dwight's. I had been at Dwight's since 1985; this merger occurred in 1995. How could this happen – PI was Dwight's most significant competitor; however, most of the leadership team from Dwight's held leadership positions post-merger. The environments in the two companies were very different, and I made it a point to ensure that Dwight's culture was inclusive of the new combined group. I wanted them to feel important and part of the team, so I led and organized social activities and team building. As PI was positioned across the country, this took extra effort. There was also redundancy in roles, and I had to let several people go, which was extremely tough. When the company was purchased by Information Handling Systems (IHS) in 1997, I eventually began looking for other opportunities.      

Who made a significant impact on you?     

Two people stand out – Johnnie Burton, VP of Dwight's (previously Hotline Energy Reports, where she was owner and President), and Wade Brawley, VP of Land Administration at Chesapeake Energy.     

Johnnie Burton: I came over to Dwight's with a gentleman who had been my boss at OU, so I had never met Johnnie. She was brilliant and extremely well-connected. Johnnie taught me a lot early on about connecting with people. Start cultivating relationships with the worker bees because the good ones will end up at the top. And often, the folks I built relationships with moved to the top and had a lot of influence. Johnnie also taught me many skills I would take forward in my data management career. Correct and timely data were paramount at Dwight's and later in my careers at Chesapeake Energy, the PPDM Association, and WellDatabase.   

Wade Brawley: Wade, Paul Hagemeier, and Henry Hood had designed a brand new position at Chesapeake, one that would improve their data quality, bring them to the forefront in regulatory filings, and assess data in mergers and acquisitions. Again, I was in the right place at the right time and was fortunate to be hired as their new Director of Well Information Systems. One of the first things that stuck out was that they hired me as a director while Wade's title was manager, although he quickly earned the title of Vice President. On my first day on the job, he showed me my office on campus, which I thought was strange because all his staff was off-campus. He gave me a list of people he wanted me to connect with, all on campus, and get their input on how their data could be improved. Wade genuinely cared about data integrity and knew the importance of accurate data. I learned a lot from him.   

Do you have any advice for those starting in O&G for data management?     

Get involved with PPDM – they set the standards and best practices, and by joining, you will have a say and will learn a lot. Data management is a profession; most companies now have a data management team. Interestingly, they are often led by IT. Since they create the data, look for a company that runs it from the business team.      

You have been called the Godmother of Oil and Gas Data – what do you think of this?      

The title is flattering, yet this belongs to Johnnie Burton. Johnnie earned the Women in Energy Leadership Award in 2003.   

4 FACTS About Pam:

My favorite food is Chinese. 

I love to garden, read, and cook.     

The 2 top places I want to go are the Holy Land and the UK.

I love spending time with my family which includes my husband Doug, two wonderful sons, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. They are the joys of my life.