Students at Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) were invited to the university’s recent “Future of Energy” discussion with ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance, SPE, and Freeport-McMoRan Chairman Richard C. Adkerson moderated by Montana Tech Lance Energy Chair Robert Morris.
During the visit they emphasized the increasing global demand for energy, noting that consumption has risen by 50% in the past 25 years and will continue to grow as more people gain access to electricity.
The speakers praised Montana Tech’s engineering programs, stating that graduates are well-positioned to meet the energy sector's needs. They also encouraged a balanced approach to energy development, avoiding divisive narratives between fossil fuels and clean energy.
“You shouldn’t criticize oil and gas, and then oil and gas people shouldn’t criticize developing clean energy,” Adkerson said. “It’s too much of an us-versus-them thing. We have to deal with all these issues.”
Lance stressed the importance of engineers in reducing environmental impacts, such as methane leaks and orphaned wells, and noted that ConocoPhillips invests $300 million annually in emission reduction efforts.
“We can’t leak methane, you can’t flare gas, and we need to take care of what we call orphan wells—wells that were drilled 100 years ago, that weren’t properly abandoned,” Lance said. “The thing about all three of those is they are imminently engineerable. We need people that can come in and help us do that."