The SPE Gulf Coast Section extends a warm welcome to our new chair, Gabrielle Morrow.
We thought we’d introduce her by sharing part of our conversation.
Connect: Where are you originally from and how did you wind up in Houston, Texas?
Gabby: I was born in Lafayette, La. My father worked in the oil and gas industry, so my family moved around quite a bit when I was a child. I have lived in Houston on three occasions and have also had the pleasure of living in Scotland and Alaska. I attended Kansas State University on an athletic scholarship and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree. In my senior year, I accepted a job with ExxonMobil in Houston to be close to family.
Connect: What is so special about Houston and the Gulf Coast region?
Gabby: Houston is a city full of opportunity. I personally believe it to be the largest melting pot of culture and diversity in the country. It’s known as the oil and gas capital of the world. Hopefully it will grow into the energy capital of the world, as newer forms of energy are developed and become more mainstream. The Gulf Coast Section has the most SPE members out of any region, which allows us to provide our members the most opportunity to network and strengthen their technical skills throughout their careers.
Connect: How has SPE helped you in your professional life?
Gabby: I remember coming back from university not really knowing anyone in my profession. SPE allowed me to meet a large group of people who had common interests and skills to share that helped me learn. I joined the industry as a reservoir engineer. However, I grew up listening to my father talk about rigs, since he was a drilling engineer. I joined the Drilling Study Group for two years to see what my interest level might be without running the risk of changing careers. I quickly learned that I preferred reservoir over drilling, and I was content to arrive at this decision without changing jobs. I found a wonderful opportunity within SPE to volunteer and meet people willing to teach me about their jobs and disciplines. I will be forever grateful to SPE for allowing me insight into another discipline that would not have been a good fit for me. I encourage all SPE members to attend events both inside and outside of their disciplines to strengthen their industry knowledge, regardless of their current career path.
Connect: What are your plans for the SPE-GCS for 2019-20?
Gabby: I would like to take the Gulf Coast Section to another level virtually for content sharing. We will always be known for our technical events and our networking; those will not change. But I also believe we need to increase the convenience of technical learning through the use of webinars and podcasts to disseminate information to as many of our members as possible.
What if you’re signed up for an event but find you have a meeting you can’t miss? Or you get called to the field? Or you or your child become sick and you have to stay home? Our lives are not slowing down with technology – they are only speeding up. The SPE-GCS needs to embrace technology to help you keep up with your current life but still stay engaged and active within the GCS.
Quick Take
Technical discipline that has made the most impact on my career: Unconventional reservoirs
Must-haves for YP’s to succeed: Patience and energy
Sports I follow: College basketball and the New Orleans Saints
Last business trip: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Last book I read: An ABC book with my 3-year-old