By Ash Patel – CDMP, Marketing Specialist, The Open Group
Recently we reached out to David Butcher (Head of Value Engineering – Subsurface & Data, Halliburton-Landmark) to discuss his role as the re-elected OMC Member for The Open Group OSDU® Forum. Upon talking to David, we discussed his role, career journey, his business philosophy, and much more.
David Butcher is a Subsurface professional with over 30 years of experience in delivering geoscience and data management solutions to the oil and gas industry. In over 20 years with Halliburton Landmark, he has held a variety of roles including Technical Manager for the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions, and Chief Product Manager in the Research and Development organization with overall responsibility for the Information Management & Platform Technology products and solutions.
Currently the Head of Landmark’s Value Engineering team, David’s primary responsibility revolves around Subsurface and Data. The Value Engineering team work closely with our IOC customers and focuses on the Digital transformation of their business. Data, and the OSDU initiatives play a key role in this transition. David currently serves on the OSDU Management Committee, 11-member decision-making committee elected by the OSDU Member Focal Points to oversee the OSDU Forum.
- Please tell us about your occupation and what made you get into your line of work?
Graduating in Geology and Geotechnics, I started out in the oil and gas industry working for a geological consultancy in the UK. That company used to develop software for internal use, and I became more involved with that part of the business. I was attracted by the intersection of geoscience and the growing software technology market.
Since then, I have been involved in the development, deployment and support of subsurface and data management solutions to the industry, and I currently lead a team who have responsibility for a number of our major customers.
- Please can you describe your journey with The Open Group OSDUÒ Forum so far?
I have had an active interest in the OSDU Forum since its founding in 2018. Initially this was very much from the outside in and principally focused within my own organization. When I moved into my current role where my customers had active OSDU programs, I became more directly involved in our own strategy, and then in 2022 Halliburton supported my nomination to the OMC as a Vendor representative. Since then, I have become involved in a number of Working Groups while also working to promote the Forum – both internally across my own organization and externally.
- How important is collaboration and what challenges to collaboration do we face?
Firstly, I would simply say that the level of collaboration within the Forum is probably its most impressive achievement and the reason so many people commit their time – so it really fuels the contributions we receive. That collaboration is essential in developing standards and ensuring we deliver capabilities that are aligned with the needs of operators.
Vendor companies make up the majority of the Forum membership and contribute to its development. Continued collaboration and maintainer involvement needs to be supported by a clear market signal for the demand of commercial solutions.
- Are there any stories you would like to share that have shaped you professionally into the person you are today?
Not an individual story as such, but I would say that whenever I have been asked to take on a new task or a new role I have said yes. Being open to change and uncertainty has provided me with the opportunities I have had to work in different roles and experience living in a number of different countries. All experiences that I greatly enjoyed and have led me here.
- What is a business philosophy or principle that you follow?
A focus on my customers and their challenges. Much of our work relates to technology, but we need to remind ourselves that until it gets adopted there is no business value delivered. OSDU output is no different with its great technology, but we need to stay focused on workloads that deliver value to the oil and gas industry.
- What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to work in your field?
Technology is changing so much more rapidly than when I started in the industry and that change will only accelerate further. The need to look outside of the oil and gas industry for emerging trends and technology in other industries is becoming more important, as is the need for a continuous learning mindset.
- What are you most looking forward to for the year ahead?
Professionally, its related to part of the commitment I made when nominated to continue in my OMC role. That was to allocate more of my time to forum activities and in particular outreach and representation of the vendor community. On the personal side, I’m looking forward to getting my 55-year-old classic car back on the road after 16 months in restoration. As with many projects it’s taken a little longer than originally envisaged.
Ash Patel – CDMP, Marketing Specialist, joined The Open Group in 2020, initially working in the Certification Team as a Certification Services Agent, before moving into the Marketing Team where he now works on marketing collateral, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and co-hosting The Open Group, Open Comments Podcast. Ash holds a First-Class Bachelor’s Degree in Media Production (BA hons) from Coventry University and has a background in content writing, copy writing, script writing, photo editing, and video editing. He is based in the UK.
