Forty Under 40: Graham Patton, Pontem Energy Capital

Graham Patton, principal at Pontem Energy Capital, is today’s featured Forty Under 40 honoree.

Initially joining BP’s Deepwater Gulf of Mexico team as a reservoir engineer, Patton left the oil major after two years to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School and eventually transitioned to the financial side of the business, working in investment banking with Goldman Sachs before shifting to principal investing with Citadel. 

“My time at Citadel trading public equities was an incredibly formative experience,” he said.

“Being in a public markets seat to witness the structural changes in the upstream oil and gas space and the evacuation of capital from 2017-2020 was a profound experience,” he continued. “It’s helped me build a deeper appreciation for structural shifts in the capital markets and the impact of liquidity flywheels.”

Patton went on to join Pontem Energy Capital at its inception in early 2020 and serves as principal. The Houston-based investment group recently acquired Ovintiv’s Eagle Ford asset for $880 million and in early 2021 formed Validus Energy, where Patton also serves as vice president of corporate development.

Click here for Graham Patton’s complete profile.

Take a look at all of the Forty Under 40 honorees.