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 Year – Chord 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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