Tod Hillegeist

• Maintained environmental compliance by enforcing strict waste management practices and adhering to regulatory requirements at all times.
• Completed electronic morning report and end of well documentation.
• Assisted in developing budget estimates for drilling projects while considering factors such as rig rates, material costs, labor hours required for completion.
• Mitigated risks associated with drilling operations through continuous monitoring of well conditions and rapid response to potential hazards or changes in formation pressure.
• Mentored junior staff members in industry best practices to foster a culture of continuous learning within the organization.
• Supervised contractor and service company personnel on location and planned day-to-day operational activities.
• Reduced downtime and costs by streamlining drill site operations and optimizing equipment utilization.
• Delivered accurate well data through timely reporting, comprehensive documentation, and close collaboration with geologists.
• Enhanced drilling efficiency by implementing advanced technology and innovative drilling techniques.
• Inspected drilling equipment to maintain safe operations.
• Managed logistics of drilling operations, including transportation of personnel, materials, and equipment to ensure timely delivery and minimal downtime.
• Conducted thorough pre-drill assessments to ensure proper well design parameters were met for safe and efficient drilling operations.
• Established a culture of safety by enforcing strict adherence to safety protocols and leading by example in maintaining safe working conditions.
• Monitored rig activity to coordinate timely arrival of site-related equipment, personnel and materials.
• Achieved successful drilling outcomes by effectively managing personnel, resources, and schedules in a challenging environment.
• Streamlined communication among team members for improved decision-making processes during critical situations on the drill site.
• Increased overall productivity by identifying areas of improvement in drill site processes and implementing best practices across the team.
• Maintained records and logs of work performed and materials and equipment used.

During this period I was a drilling consultant performing work for Aera Energy LLC in all of their fields (Ventura, midway Sunset, San Ardo, Lost Hills, Coalinga, and Belridge). This continued until I became an Aera Energy LLC employee.

Vintage was ramping up activity and I was contacted by a long time friend who was a drilling superintendent for them at the time. I left my position for Newfield in Wyoming and went to work for Vintage in San Joaquin Valley and Grubb lease in Ventura. It was short lived after Obama won the election in November and most of the drilling rigs were shut down. If I remember right on Elk Hills continued with activity.

My night man for Ultra Petroleum went to work for Newfield because of previous working relationship. He recommended me to the drilling superintendent and after interviewing with them I accepted a position working in Pindale,WY area. I also spent four months for them in South Texas while our Wyoming rig was shut down due to Sage grouse mating season.

I interviewed with Ultra Petroleum through network of previous coworkers. I accepted a position as Drill Site Manager for the opportunity to gain experience drilling deep gas wells. It was a huge growth experience. Spent allot of time on hydraulic choke circulating out gas influxes. Working in extreme temperatures adds allot of challenges itself.

Accepted company position after working for Aera Energy as a consultant for five years. Spent two years continuing to drill all well types in all Aera fields.

Drilling consultant for Aera Energy LLC. Drilling all well types in all fields.

Transferred with Shell Oil when Aera Energy was formed. Worked in the Gulf Of Mexico on fixed platform rigs, Jack ups, submersible rigs. When the industry took a big downturn in 1998 my relatively short work experience in GOM put me in a bad spot for the staff reductions and I was laid off at the end of 1998.

1987 was the first year I became a drill site manager for Shell Oil. Mount Poso was first assignment but also worked in Coalinga, Pismo Beach, Huntington Beach, Brea, Midway Sunset, and of course Belridge.

Drilling Technician was another name for rig crew members. Worked offshore on platforms Ellen and Eureka. Worked all positions on the rig during drilling, completion, and workovers of wells.

Moved from Roosevelt, Utah to Orange county California after the Brinkerhoff rig shut down. Went to work for Atlantic Drilling less than two weeks but moved to Pool Offshore who was hiring crews for the Beta project platform that Shell was installing. Worked there primarily as a motorman before being offered a job with Shell Oil.

Worked in Uintah basin drilling on remote locations as roughneck.

Worked floors and derrick on workover operations. The rig I was lucky enough to work on did workovers, completions, and testing of wells. It was very interesting work and I still have fond memories of it.

First full time job after graduating from high school. Worked as roustabout doing many odd jobs in the oil field before becoming a welders helper. Worked as a welders helper until going to work on rigs.

I began doing oil industry work after school and during summers from the time I was 14 years old. Maybe my first job in oil industry was washing production operator's trucks after school. I would wash them out on the lease and would be paid by the Shell station in Orcutt, CA. They would bill the production unit for the service. I worked for a local welding shop who was manufacturing anchor bolts for pumping units. I learned to use threading machine, cutting torch, and basic welding to accomplish making the anchor bolts. During summers I worked full time on weed crew for local oil field service company. We used hoes, rakes, and pitchforks to remove weeds from around facilities and under transformers for fire prevention. There were still some wooden pumping units in use back then. They had been converted from steam to electricity, but they were still pumping. I also worked in agriculture picking wine grapes, moving irrigation pipes, and some other harvesting.