ANNUAL MEETING

JOIN US IN WATFORD CITY for networking, speakers, annual awards, and more!

AGENDA

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025

Attire: Business Casual

All times are in Central Time.

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Check-In and Registration

Rough Rider Center, main level
2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Watford City, ND 

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Welcome Social and Hors d’oeuvres for Annual Meeting Registrants

Rough Rider Center, main level
2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Watford City, ND 

 

6:30 p.m.
First International Bank & Trust NDPC Annual Meeting Registrant Social

Stonehome Brewing Company
313 Fox Hills Parkway N, Watford City, ND 

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2025

The Annual Meeting will take place in the Arena, located on the lower level of the Rough Rider Center.

Attire: Business

8:30 a.m.
Check-In and Registration

Rough Rider Center, lower level
2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Watford City, ND 58854

 

8:30 a.m.
Hot Breakfast, Fruit, Coffee & Juice

Rough Rider Center Field House, lower level

 

morning session from 9:45 a.m. to Noon
9:45 a.m.
Opening Remarks

Ron Ness, President, North Dakota Petroleum Council

 

9:50 a.m.
Star-Spangled Banner

Performed by Meena Ben Hammoudo, Watford City High School Student

 

9:55 a.m.
Welcome

Drew Wrigley, North Dakota Attorney General

Joel Brown,  McKenzie County Commissioner

 

10:00 a.m.
NDPC Annual Business Meeting & Year in Review

Todd Slawson, President, Slawson, Companies;  Chairman, North Dakota Petroleum Council

 

10:20 a.m.

A Chat with Pam Heatherington, ExxonMobil Americas General Manager and Denbury CEO. Moderated by Kathy Neset, President, NESET

11:00 a.m.
Bakken 2.0 – Cracking the Code

North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong; Clay Gaspar, CEO, Devon Energy; John Harju,  VP for Strategic Partnerships, Energy & Environmental Research Center; Moderated by Ron Ness, President, North Dakota Petroleum Council

 

11:45 a.m.
Lunch Break
12:15 p.m.
Chairman’s Luncheon & NDPC Awards

Lunch served in Rough Rider Center Field House, lower level

North Dakota Petroleum Foundation Year-In-Review – Whitney Stephenson, Senior Landman, Devon Energy; Board Member, North Dakota Petroleum Foundation

Recognition and Appreciation – Kent Ellis

NDPC Outstanding Energy Leadership Award – Geoff Simon

NDPC Member of the YearChord Energy

Afternoon SESSION from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
Enabling Bakken Operations through Technology

Michael Tschauner, Remote Operations Advisor, ExxonMobil

Amber Koutney, Americas Wells Engineering Supervisor, ExxonMobil

1:30 p.m.
The DMR’s Regulatory Perspective on Popular Topics

Nathan Anderson, Director, North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, moderates the discussion with David Tabor, Senior Field Operations Manager; Todd Holweger, Senior Permit Manager & Seismic Program Manager; and Mark Bohrer, Assistant Director, ND Oil and Gas Division.

2:15 p.m.
The Legislator’s Role in Oil & Gas Dominance

Senator Brad Bekkedahl, Senator Mark Enget, and Representative Craig Headland. Moderated by Brady Pelton, VP, North Dakota Petroleum Council

2:45 P.m.
Break

 

3:00 P.m.
Regulatory Review

Eric Delzer, Regulatory Affairs Manager, North Dakota Petroleum Council

Dustin Anderson, Regulatory Manager, Chord Energy

3:15 P.m.
Reaching Tomorrow’s Workforce through Energy Education 

Shawn Brink, North Dakota Energy Education Coordinator; Dr. Wayne Heckaman, Director, Bakken Area Skills Center; Anselmo Hernandez Jr, Technical Training Director, ONEOK; and Patrick Mineer, Founder and CEO, Golden Path Solutions.  Moderated by Reva Kautz, Communications Director, North Dakota Petroleum Council

4:00 p.m.
Adjourn
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Social & Dinner for Annual Meeting Registrants

McKenzie County Ag Expo

12880 25th St NW, Watford City, ND

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2025

The Annual Meeting will take place in the Arena located in the lower level of the Rough Rider Center.

Attire: Business Casual

7:30 a.m.
Check-In and Registration

Rough Rider Center, lower level

 

7:30 a.m.
Breakfast Buffet

Rough Rider Center Field House, lower level

MORNING SESSION from 8:30 a.m. to Noon
8:30 a.m.
Welcome

Darrin Henke, EVP and COO, Chord Energy; Vice Chairman, North Dakota Petroleum Council

 

8:35 a.m.
A Look Beyond the Bakken at Prospective to Emerging Oil and Gas Plays of North Dakota

Tim Nesheim,  Head of Subsurface Section/Core Library Manager, North Dakota Geological Survey 

8:55 a.m.
Emerging Gas Capture Technologies

Darren Schmidt, Assistant Director for Energy, Oil & Gas, Energy & Environmental Research Center

 

9:10 a.m.
Bakken Gas to Grid

David Coker, CEO, OnePower Solutions

 

9:25 a.m.

A Chat with Kim McHugh, Vice President, Base Business, Chevron Shale & Tight.  Moderated by Ron Ness, President, North Dakota Petroleum Council

9:50 a.m.
Break

 

10:00 a.m.
Powering North Dakota’s Future

Gavin McCollam, Senior Vice President & COO, Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Nick Phillips, EVP External Affairs, Applied Digital; and Jeff Jonson, President, Rainbow Energy Center.  Moderated by Todd Slawson, President, Slawson Companies.

10:45 a.m.
Connecting ND: The Future of Gas Transmission
WBI Energy’s Bakken East Pipeline

Justin Kringstad, Executive Director, North Dakota Pipeline Authority

 

11:25 a.m.
New Approach to Reaching Higher Education Students

Brent Sanford, Interim Chancellor, North Dakota University System; Kathryn Birkeland, Ronald and Kaye Olson Dean, North Dakota State University College of Business; and Tom Erickson, COO and VP for Intellectual Property, Energy & Environmental Research Center.  Moderated by Kevin Black, CEO, Creedence Energy Services.

     

    12:00 p.m.
    Closing Remarks and Adjourn

    Ron Ness, President, North Dakota Petroleum Council

    (no lunch provided)

     

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