A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” said Mr. Shakespeare. “Brown fields by any other name stink,” says the oil and gas industry. And it appears, much to my consternation, that they are both right.

The use of the word brown field in our industry has raised a few hackles lately. I take responsibility for some of the hackle raising. A couple of years ago, I started a conference named Brownfields: Optimizing Mature Assets (BOMA). It has been a very popular and informative conference. Not so the name. As has been noted on numerous occasions, the term has negative connotations.

I plead innocent to any damaging intent in this regard. My understanding
of the word comes from my first introduction to it years ago whilst living in Scotland. Late in WWII, and in the post-war rebuilding boom, the British sought to decentralize their industries, both to promote wider economic development and to eliminate the exceptionally tempting targets of tightly massed industry. Sites for relocation were mostly in rural areas and outside larger cities — i.e., mostly in the country. Therefore, they became known as greenfield developments. Later, as the traditional industrial sites were redeveloped, they came to be known as brown fields, indicating the previous existence of industry. Therefore, the term brownfield development originally meant redevelopment on an existing site, oft times of an existing industry. There was nothing pejorative about the term.

Now, according to several recent editions of various dictionaries, the name means an abandoned site with at least some pollution. That definition, of course, will not serve us well. So I have decided to abandon its use, both in my own verbal and written meanderings and in the title to the conference. BOMA will now, most likely, become OMA, although I am open to suggestions, especially those that make good acronyms. My friend Roy Long at National Energy Technology Labs came up with a name that resulted in the acronym Maui. I have toyed with Moma and Mimosa as acronyms but have ruled out Disenfranchised as an acronym to shoot for. As I said, any ideas are welcome.

How To:
It is time for another “how to” tip. This month’s theme is “How to become the primary topic of a safety meeting.”

The good news is, achieving this goal takes very little planning. First, determine that your lease pickup has a curious, potentially dangerous rattle in the front end. Take it to the yard for an inspection. Drive over to the A-frame with the chain fall. Nudge the bumper up against the chain fall’s hook to make hooking it up easier. DO NOT check to see if the hook has become entangled in your bumper.

Now, take a radio message that says your presence is badly needed at such and such well. Back up to leave, abandoning the inspection until later. Turn your head in time to see the A-frame tipping over on your truck because the hook IS caught in your bumper. Watch in fascination as the block on the chain fall crashes through the middle of your windshield. Thrill to the metal on metal sound of the A-frame creasing the roof of your truck. Later, feign ignorance at the safety meeting. Notice the division superintendent acknowledge your ignorance. There, you have done it.

This is a sure-fire technique. I can personally vouch for it.

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