Presented by:
Derek Nixon, president and CEO of Varel Energy Solutions, is today's featured Forty Under 40 honoree.
Growing up with a father in the oil and gas industry, Nixon was surrounded by its influence from a young age and felt at home among the energy industry.
"It was a natural feeling to grow up interested and curious about our world’s reliance on energy and how I could contribute to it," he said.
Nixon was able to become Varel's youngest vice president in history at the age of 34 by taking on challenges, even when they were daunting, and surrounding himself with a good team comprised of many different talents.
"The best lesson I was ever taught was to hire people that want your job that are as good as you, if not better," he said. "Poor leaders hire people that are not as good as them."
When he’s not running his company or spending time with his wife and kids, Nixon is an active board member and vice president of philanthropic organization Family Promise of Lake Houston, which supports homeless families.
Click here for Derek Nixon's full profile.
Take a look at all of the Forty Under 40 honorees.
Recommended Reading
Exclusive: Silixa’s Distributed Fiber Optics Solutions for E&Ps
2024-03-19 - Todd Chuckry, business development manager for Silixa, highlights the company's DScover and Carina platforms to help oil and gas operators fully understand their fiber optics treatments from start to finish in this Hart Energy Exclusive.
Going with the Flow: Universities, Operators Team on Flow Assurance Research
2024-03-05 - From Icy Waterfloods to Gas Lift Slugs, operators and researchers at Texas Tech University and the Colorado School of Mines are finding ways to optimize flow assurance, reduce costs and improve wells.
Defeating the ‘Four Horsemen’ of Flow Assurance
2024-04-18 - Service companies combine processes and techniques to mitigate the impact of paraffin, asphaltenes, hydrates and scale on production—and keep the cash flowing.
Haynesville’s Harsh Drilling Conditions Forge Tougher Tech
2024-04-10 - The Haynesville Shale’s high temperatures and tough rock have caused drillers to evolve, advancing technology that benefits the rest of the industry, experts said.
Aramco Credits Adaptability, Collaboration for Driving Innovation
2024-05-15 - Aramco’s implementation of different approaches has led to the creation and commercialization of newer products, said Max Deffenbaugh, principal scientist for Aramco, at the 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston.