Benjamin Johnson

“Our business exposes us to basins and clients all over world and each experience is unique,” Johnson says. “Working on interesting projects and having such a wide view of the industry keeps me motivated and excited for each day.”

Career path: Johnson entered the oil and gas industry after graduating from Texas Tech University in 2005 with a degree in petroleum engineering. He accepted his first job as an operations engineer with Merit Energy Co. before joining Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc. (NSAI) in 2007.

He is a reservoir engineer and team leader who has been promoted to vice president and acknowledged as a technical adviser.

“I’m proud to be in a position where I can work on a wide range of projects domestically and internationally,” Johnson says. “The experience has helped me become a diverse and well- rounded engineer.”

On leadership: “I lead a team of great professionals,” Johnson says. “As a leader I want to be approachable and empower each team member to make decisions when the stakes are high. Leadership is something you have to be consistent with, and helping build the careers of my team members is very important to me.”

Each project comes with its own set of challenges, and NSAI teams work through them with clients to find the best solution. “Working together as a ‘team of teams’ across the company allows me to draw on decades of experience and meet challenges with consistent results.”

Advice for young professionals: “Commit to your strengths and don’t worry so much about what your weaknesses are. You can find someone to complement your skill set.”

Quotable: “You have to be prepared for the ups and downs. Oil and gas people know this and are very resilient.”