Forty Under 40: Jody Jordan, Brazos Midstream

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About 10 years ago, Jody Jordan found himself offered a position that he was reluctant to accept. “My main reason for not wanting to take it was because it required a fairly large pay cut,” he says. Two of his mentors convinced him to take the job, advising him to think long term, particularly because it was early in his career. “Sometimes you can make a lateral move or take a step back that will put you 10 steps ahead later in your career.”

Describe a memorable professional experience.
“Early on at Parsley, we hit 10,000 net boe/d and, at the time, it was a big deal. I remember our C-suite executives going by each office, high-fiving and gathering everyone up in the main conference room. They wheeled in beverage carts for a celebratory toast, spoke about everyone’s impact and gave us the rest of the day off. That was the first of many moments at Parsley that ingrained the importance and value of company culture.”

What has been your most challenging project to date?
“In March 2020, when crude prices began to collapse and the Mid/Cush differential blew out, we were faced with decisions to shut in/curtail all our production or risk selling below breakevens, or worse, for potentially negative pricing. Our goal was to try and keep all our production online and ensure that we were able to sell at a certain margin above breakevens. The term agreements we had in place would not enable us to do that, as they were tied to monthly averages. It took an incredible team effort and great business partners to negotiate, draft and execute all the agreements necessary to keep the production online.”

What qualities do you think are necessary to be a good leader in the oil and gas industry?
“Lift up/empower others and give credit to team members for successes. When you genuinely care, build relationships and gain trust, people want to go the extra mile for you. The best leaders are great communicators who let actions and not just words guide them.” 

Who are your mentors?
“My parents, Rick Watkins and Paul Treadwell are always at the top of my mind. My parents instilled the importance of character, reputation, building relationships and networking from an early age. ‘MMFI’ is a saying my dad would repeat all the time when talking about meeting someone or developing relationships; which meant, ‘make me feel important.’ It was his way of reminding me to be mindful, take interest, and show that you care. One of my other favorite quotes was said often by Paul: ‘People often don’t care what you think until they know that you care.’”

Which transformations do you think the industry must undertake for it to thrive in the future?
“We need to continuously strive to find better, more efficient and prudent ways to operate. Without the right culture, there are challenges in getting and/or keeping top talent. The modern way of working has rapidly changed and the ability to adapt and improve upon historic norms is necessary. Technology has and will continue to allow us to improve production, reduce costs and increase access. We also need to do a better job of messaging and educating the public on the good that our industry does, the monumental benefits of oil and gas, and how it makes our current daily lives possible.”