Heidi Reger

Heidi Reger joined the energy industry during the shale boom and has made quite an impact in her time in the industry. From earning a “most valuable player” award for her logistical efforts with Halliburton Co., to working long nights, Reger is proud of her accomplishments that led her to becoming a manager much sooner than expected. She left her position as director of development in July in order to be with her young family, but she is excited for what her future in the industry might bring.

Why did you enter the oil and gas industry?

“My degree was in chemical engineering, and oil and gas was really booming when I graduated. It seemed like a good industry to apply the skills I learned in college and I enjoy the challenge of the fast pace.”

Which of your professional achievements are you most proud of? 

“I am very proud of earning an MVP award at my first job in the industry working for Halliburton. Working with the logistics team to transform the way sand was delivered to location ultimately saved the company millions of dollars and changed the way we managed frac job logistics going forward.”

What has been your most challenging project to date, and how did you meet the challenge and accomplish your goal?

“My most challenging project was walking into a company with non-SEC compliant reserves and having to essentially redo the entire process the first few months there. I ended up accomplishing the third-quarter reserves process by staying up all night multiple times and redoing every well forecast myself. Eventually I was able to build and guide a team to handle the process correctly, but that first quarter was very challenging.”

How have you exercised leadership to help shape your department?

“I like to lead by example. I have never asked my employees to do something that I am not willing to do myself. I work on weekends or nights if needed and would never ask them to do it if I wasn’t also doing it.”

What has helped you develop your leadership abilities during your career?

“I have been lucky enough to be a member of a women’s industry group that meets quarterly. It is full of great female leaders in the industry, and we have a round table about leadership and challenges we are facing at work. I always get new and unique perspectives from them. They are a wonderful group of women, and that meeting feeds my soul.”

What are your long- and short-term career goals?

“In the short term, I am taking time to take care of my family and my small business. Kids are only young once, and I want to be there as they grow up. In the long term, who knows where I will end up? That’s what makes it exciting.”

What keeps you motivated and passionate about working in the oil and gas industry?

“I think it’s very powerful (pun intended) to be providing energy for a growing world. Thinking about where the world would be without energy is very humbling and underappreciated in our society.”

What transformations do you think the industry must undertake for it to thrive in the future?

“I believe the industry needs to focus on attracting and retaining new talent. The future will be bright if we can open up our industry and our minds to new ways of doing things and a more diverse subset of people.”