Jim Oberkircher

Jim is one of the founders and current Executive Director of IADD.  A 25+ year veteran of the oil field, Jim has been involved in many aspects of the directional drilling business from field to office. Currently a principal in Fram Exploration, a Norwegian-based Oil and Gas firm, Jim is eager to see the industry advance and embrace the new technologies that are emerging in the market place.

Robert J. Stayton

Robert J.. “Bob” Stayton has 28 years in the Oil & Gas Industry, primarily in Directional Drilling with both Domestic and International experience. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Pinpoint Drilling & Directional Services. His main focus has been primarily in the Service sector but has also worked for a Sough Texas operator and for the Gas Research Institute. Several SPE, AADE and industry articles on Horizontal Directional Drilling with an emphasis on Maximum Reservoir Contact wellbores. Two patents on complex Reservoir drainage patterns for Unconventional Reservoirs. Graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Bob and his wife Robin have three children.

Shola Okewunmi

Shola Okewunmi has been working in the oilfield in the areas of drilling and measurements, geosteering and formation evaluation. A Mechanical Engineering graduate, earned Master in Business Administration and PhD. in Engineering Management. He has over 14 years experience in the directional drilling aspect of oil & gas drilling. He is currently employed with Chevron Energy Technology Company as a directional drilling, subject matter expert. It’s time to explore technologies that will advance drilling exploration and production to extreme reach. Please, join him for this grand challenge.

Bill Bailey

Bill has over 30 years experience in the oil and gas industry. Trained as a petrophysicist, Bill has been involved in operations, sales and marketing and management in the wireline, directional drilling and, for the past 15 years, manufacturing of M/LWD collars. The MWD industry has developed from rocket science 20 years ago to a growing technology that has fundamentally changed the way wells are drilled and evaluated. The IADD should become a voice for this industry that furthers the knowledge of new technological advancements as well as be a source for information to help train new members of the drilling community.

Chris McCartney

Chris has over 38 years in the Oil and Gas industry - the past three years with Occidental Oil & Gas Corporation as a Global Directional Drilling Specialist. His extensive background encompasses 6 years working for a Drilling Contractor, Well Services Ltd. and 32 years working for Directional Drilling Companies such as Eastman Whipstock, Ensco Technology and Anadrill Schlumberger In both onshore and offshore with well depths of 3,000 to 37,000'. Chris' expertise is in extended reach, horizontal, carbonates, subsea, coil tubing drilling and slant rig drilling. He has worked in several countries including, Trinidad, Mexico, US, Colombia, UK, Holland, Denmark, Norway and Italy.

Ed Dew

Ed is presently Sr. Staff Drilling Engineer for Southwestern Energy Company. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he holds a bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering. His career spans over 31 years in onshore operations with such companies as Schlumberger, Conoco, DBS, Baroid Engineered Drilling, Dresser Drilling, Sperry-Sun Drilling, Enron O&G, Mobil and ExxonMobil. Ed has achieved impressive accomplishments throughout the years including four submitted patents, with one being accepted. He’s authored two publications and various technical papers to his credit. His extensive and unique combination of experience in all phases of petroleum engineering, corporate management, and hands-on field operations make him one of the leading experts in exploration and development.

Greg Szutiak

With over 18+ years in the industry, Greg is Drilling Manager for EOG Resources Canada Inc. He specializes in Specialty Drilling and Wellbore Construction Optimization and Completion Design of Multi-Laterals, SAGD and Re-entries. Has to his credit, various accomplishments in Technology and Process Development and has authored four technical papers to date. Greg holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado.

Matt Briggs

Matt Briggs has been involved with IADD since it's inception in 2005. He has over 30 years experience in the Oil and Gas business with a background in drilling optimization, drilling information and marketing services. Matt spent ten years in strategic marketing with Sperry-Sun Drilling Services, wehre he assisted in defining company strategy and analyzing new service oportiunities. In 2001 Matt became Marketing Manager for Halliburton Sperry-Sun, where he gained extensive experience in organizing marketing materials, tecnical presentations, trade show exhibits, press releases, technical society papers and industry journal articles.

Matt helped launch Trebuchet Knowledge solutions, Inc and served as V.P. of Business Development. He also served as Business Dev. Mgr. for Dynamic Drilling Systems, a real-time rig to browser well data management company.

He is currently Manager of Drilling Information Services - Geoscience Development Group for Weatherford International Ltd.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Sam Houston State University.

Kalyan C. Singamshetty

Kalyan is presently working as Adv. Senior Drilling Engineer for Marathon Oil Company. He was Engineering Manager at Baker Hughes prior to joining Marathon. Over a span of 15+ years, Kalyan was involved in several drilling operations worldwide. His areas of expertise are Directional Drilling, Well Engineering and Drilling Fluids. He graduated with a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Mississippi State University. Kalyan has several industry publications to his credit. He also has a variety of technical and best practice type process accomplishments.