Bryan Ellis, President
Our expertise and strength are key to who we are at Wild Well Control. As we celebrate 45 years in the industry, we’d like to introduce you to our team and share their insights on the oil and gas industry over the years. The first feature in our Well Controlled series is Bryan Ellis, President of Wild Well Control. Keep reading to learn more about his experience, insights on industry trends, and what he loves about working with the team at Wild Well.
Name: Bryan Ellis
Role: President, Wild Well Control
Location: Houston, TX
Q: How long have you been with Wild Well Control?
A: I joined Wild Well in June 2008. For the first 10 years, I served as chief financial officer (CFO) and chief administrative officer (CAO). My role involved working with each of our departments to better maximize their resources and performance, which included making sure they had the right ‘tools of the trade’ to work with – experienced people, well maintained equipment, and a back office that fully supported them.
In October 2018, I was promoted to company President. While my role is focused less on the day-to-day activities of the business, it involves the same drivers as it had before - working with our leaders to strategize and move the company forward. Our foremost responsibility to our clients and the industry is to ensure we’re prepared and ready 24/7 to respond to a well control issue. Secondly, through the collective and wide variety of the team’s experience, we also provide key ‘non-emergency’ services that aid our clients on a more routine basis. These include engineering, training, drills, and intervention to prevent issues ultimately escalating into well control events.
Q: Can you describe your industry experience?
A: I grew up in the panhandle of Texas and have been around the oil and gas industry my entire life. Several family members worked in oil and gas, and I’ve always been fascinated by the spirit and entrepreneurship of the people that have made the energy industry what it is today. I have seen up close and personal the impact the Energy industry makes on people’s daily lives.
After graduating from Texas A&M University with a BBA and MS in accounting, I began my career in 1996 at Deloitte & Touche LLC (currently known as Deloitte) as part of the assurance and auditing group, specializing in oil and gas. I then joined ION Geophysical, a technology company involved in seismic data acquisition and interpretation, where I was able to broaden my skillset from an operational and organizational standpoint - including traveling and working abroad. From there, I joined Wild Well as CFO. It’s an incredible honor to be part of a company that is so well respected and valued by the industry.
Q: What trends are you seeing in the industry?
A: This industry has a unique skill set that brings solutions to problems in an inspiring fashion. The technology and advances made are truly astounding.
The adoption of automation in every facet of the industry will continue to grow. However, while increased technology at the well site may bring many advantages in cost and safety, there are inherent risks, too. People will always be required in some capacity in the planning, drilling, completion, production and retirement of oil and gas assets. There will always be a need for experts that can recognize problems and address them accordingly. These issues often require a team such as Wild Well to lead them to a safe and successful conclusion. As we face transition in our industry, I’m confident that we have the right people and resources to tackle the issues ahead.
Our pledge to the industry is to stay abreast of technological trends and continue to employ personnel with the experience, knowledge and expertise to solve our clients’ challenges.
Q: What makes Wild Well what it is today?
A: Our strength is our people and the diversity of their experience. They are from a range of backgrounds across the industry but shared a common ambition - to join our team of problem solvers at Wild Well. They have a rare passion and dedication - a fierce focus on serving our clients and bringing successful conclusions to their problems.
To be in business for 45 years, no matter what kind of business that is, impressive. To survive the ups and downs of our industry, while concurrently becoming the world leader in well control, is remarkable. Even though these are challenging times, it’s important to recognize the longevity of our business and to show appreciation to those people, past and present, that have contributed to the success of Wild Well.
Looking ahead, we focus on the fact that we’re people centric and asset light. Our value is in the experience of our people. We will use the best means to get the job done in the most efficient, cost effective and safe manner. And while our center of expertise will always be in Houston, we’ll grow our worldwide presence, strengthening our constant contact with our clients globally.
Q: What excites you about working for Wild Well?
A: It’s my honor to represent Wild Well and its employees. My goal as President is to ensure that Wild Well remains the global leader in well control. We employ some of this industry’s most talented and respected individuals, which is an immeasurable advantage. I believe that each employee here plays a vital role in our success.
Want to learn more about the history of Wild Well Control? Read more here.