NAPE Summit 2021 in Review

I was in Houston last week for the NAPE Summit (this was the winter version rescheduled for August and replacing the summer NAPE). 

The industry had big plans and high hopes for a back-to-normal mega-convention after a year pivoting and adjusting with countless virtual chats and online forums of which we are all quite tired.  NAPE has always been a place to see and be seen in the flesh, a place “where deals happen”.  Six months ago, PetroLedger committed to a booth and in-person presence to promote our fresh rebrand, connect with our strategic partners and push to continue our year of strong customer growth with newly formed relationships.  That was our plan…

Sadly, the Delta variant of COVID-19 surged in the weeks leading up to the event.  With a renewed hesitancy to travel and spend prolonged time in large crowds, it was immediately evident when walking into the George R. Brown Convention Center that the Delta flare-up had a major impact on the Summit.  Exhibitor booths were half the number of previous shows and attendance on the floor was a fraction of years past.  Some exhibitors were set up but completely unmanned.  The duration of the show was reduced and several of the after-hours events got canceled.  The atmosphere was despondent.

Turns out that lower attendance wasn’t all bad.  With the increased booth spacing to promote social distancing and lower attendance, our booth landed a prominent spot with great visibility amongst the service providers.  Our brand popped and drew eyeballs.  Our team worked the floor and had the time to engage in deeper conversations and build more lasting connections.  Those who showed up were there for a reason, this was quality over quantity exemplified.

The energy industry is actively navigating a shifting landscape.  The underlying discussion around NAPE was how can our industry continue to meet the demand for our products while delivering on additional current-day requirements?    Today’s energy leaders face the traditional challenges of finding, producing, transporting and refining natural resources but must also tackle investor demands for cash returns, a keen focus on ESG and ongoing questions about the viability of renewables.  The tone of NAPE was optimism but uncertainty.

PetroLedger has built a team of experienced professionals that is unmatched in the oil and gas outsourcing space.  The PetroLedger solution provides an efficient, scalable, cost-competitive platform to assist management in fulfilling their organizational objectives, and our message resounded loudly at NAPE in this period of change and reevaluation of the norm. 

Our conversations at NAPE had a defined direction and found an audience in-tune with our message. 

We continue to encounter new opportunities to provide a complete back-office solution to start-ups; supplement existing teams encountering rapid growth through organic activity and acquisitions; or to replace and high-grade service versus existing providers.  Changing your back office has historically been an option of last resort but in the current environment management teams in the energy space are looking for the right partner to provide top-tier service while optimizing their financial returns.

NAPE 2021: Mission Accomplished.