ABOUT US
Who We Are
The Permian Basin Water in Energy Conference (PBWIEC) is dedicated to advancing water management in the energy industry, bringing together experts from around the world to discuss innovative solutions and strategies. Our mission is to lead the conversation on water management within the energy industry, facilitating collaboration and knowledge-sharing to drive sustainable solutions.
The Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference is a program of The University of Texas Permian Basin. The UT Permian Basin College of Business Advisory Council, with Jim Woodcock at the helm, planted the conference idea in 2017. Since then, the PBWIEC has grown into a sought-after networking event and annual marketplace of ideas. UT Permian Basin’s Shepperd Leadership Institute is now home to the PBWIEC, allowing students at UTPB to directly benefit from the conference proceeds.
Our Impact on Water management
The Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the energy industry by serving as a gathering point for industry leaders, innovators, and experts. Through focused discussions on the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in water management, the conference drives the adoption of sustainable practices and cutting-edge technologies. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, PBWIEC ensures that water resources are managed efficiently and responsibly within one of the world’s most vital energy-producing regions. Our commitment to these efforts strengthens the industry’s ability to meet the evolving demands of water management while promoting environmental stewardship.
Advisory Board
Jim Woodcock
Founder and chair emeritus
Jim previously owned Hy-Bon Engineering, for 27 years. While running Hy-Bon, he also served as Chairman of Teton Petroleum, a O&G production company listed on the American Stock Exchange. Additionally, he cofounded Renovar Energy, a waste to Energy company.
Ben Warden
Chair
Ben Warden is currently the Director of Supply for Deep Blue Midstream. He has worked with the Rattler Midstream group under Diamondback for the past 8 years and has recently started with Deep Blue.
Whitney Dobson
Vice Chair
Whitney Dobson is a chemical engineer and the COO of Infinity Water Solutions. She has pioneered advancements in water infrastructure for the oil and gas industry, notably leading the construction of one of the first water recycling sites in Pecos, TX, and developing a beneficial reuse pilot program at Aris Water.
Robert crain
Immediate Past Chair
Robert Crain has served as Executive Vice President of Texas Pacific Water Resources since its formation. Prior to TPWR, Mr. Crain led water resource development efforts for EOG Resources across multiple basins, including the Permian and Eagleford.
Ashley Kegley-Whitehead
Outreach Chair
Ashley Kegley-Whitehead currently serves as Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer at Infinity Water Solutions, Ashley drives strategy and innovation in water recycling across the Permian Basin.
Luis Baez
Board Member
Luis Baez is ConocoPhillips’ Permian Basin Water Manager (since 2021). A University of Liverpool–trained geologist, he previously led non-operated and international shale and coal seam gas projects at ConocoPhillips and Shell, and is active in professional organizations.
Kelly Bennett
Board Member
Co – Founder and CEO of B3 Insight, Kelly Bennett, has spent his career making obscure natural resource and commodity data usable for high-value decision making. Prior to B3 Insight, he built the global energy desk at BENTEK Energy (Platts) and co-founded Ponderosa Energy, an oil and gas market analytics company acquired by Enverus in 2016.
Jared Blong
Board Member
Jared Blong is one of Octane Energy’s founders and serves as its President and CEO. Mr. Blong has a diverse background in operations, risk management and business development, combined with a strong knowledge of the soft and technical aspects of the energy industry.
Richard Brantley
Board Member
Richard Brantley joined University Lands in 1999, holding multiple positions within the organization prior to his current role as Senior Vice President of Operations. University Lands is a part of The University of Texas System and manages 2.1 million acres of land in 19 West Texas counties, which produces revenue that is deposited into the Permanent University Fund (PUF).
Brittany Cheben
Board Member
With 15 years of experience in the energy industry, Brittany leads strategy, commercial negotiations, and advocacy in produced water at Chevron. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Rice University.
Hannah Chittenden
Board Member
Hannah Chittenden is Geoscience Manager at Diamondback Energy in Midland, leading a multidisciplinary team focused on subsurface injection analysis, passive seismic interpretation, and disposal-zone reservoir characterization.
Christian Herrington
Board Member
Christian serves as Senior Director of Commercial Operations at WaterBridge (since Nov. 2024), leading commercial strategy for key water infrastructure and special projects.
Jordon Lake
Board Member
Jordan Lake is Vice President of Commercial at Aris Water Solutions. Since joining in 2019, he’s led the Supply unit, growing treated produced water sales by 50% to over 150 million barrels per year.
Sara Morey
Board Member
Sara J. Morey, Water Program Lead at ExxonMobil, is an environmental engineering expert with global project leadership and SWE volunteer experience.
Rick McCurdy
Board Member
Rick McCurdy is the Vice President of Innovation and Sustainability at Select Water Solutions, where he focuses on minimizing freshwater use and advancing produced water reuse technologies.
Shannon Napier
Board Member
Coming Soon
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Alan Van Reet
Board Member
Alan is a founding member of Pioneer Water Management LLC, leading operations and engineering since 2014. With a background in engineering and leadership at Pioneer Natural Resources…
Stephen Robertson
Board Member
Stephen M. Robertson is Executive Vice President and consulting attorney for the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, overseeing three-city operations and advocacy from local to international levels.
Brian Shedd
Board Member
Brian Shedd is currently the Executive Director of the Office of Innovation and Commercialization and the Interim Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Texas, Permian Basin.
Katie Smye
Board Member
Dr. Katie Smye is a research associate professor at UT Austin and co-leads the Center for Injection and Seismicity Research (CISR). Her work focuses on analyzing induced seismicity, reservoir response to water injection, and assessing water injection capacity in the Permian Basin.
Paul Tough
Board Member
Paul Tough is an attorney with McElroy Sullivan Miller & Weber focusing on environmental, water, and energy law. He represents clients before the Railroad Commission of Texas, TCEQ, and the EPA on permitting, carbon sequestration, disposal wells, and enforcement.
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Dr. Sandra Woodley
President
Dr. Sandy Woodley brings strong experience in higher education leadership to UT of the Permian Basin. She also brings great insight and understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing students. The first person in her family to earn a university degree, she married after high school and completed her education while working full-time and raising children.
Dr. Becky Spurlock
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and enrollment management
Dr. Becky Spurlock is the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at The University of Texas Permian Basin. Dr. Spurlock’s portfolio includes the Enrollment Management teams, comprised of Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships, and Registrar.