Keynote

Andrew O. Parker, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Hydrocarbons and Sustainability
SPL Inc.

Energy and the Environment: Why Oil and Gas Professionals Should Embrace the Climate
Conversation and Take Back the Narrative

To the casual consumer of energy, it is easy to take for granted the luxuries afforded by having access to
reliable energy supply, while at the same time allowing oneself to be influenced by the negative
perception of the very industry that provides such resources. Needless to say, energy and climate has
become one of the most polarizing and controversial topics of our day. For many of us within the energy
industry, we’ve come to realize and appreciate the fact that hydrocarbon-based energies can, and will,
be part of a sustainable energy future for decades to come. Yet fundamental to earning public support
toward this reality is the ongoing conversation around climate, and the general lack of climate literacy
that comes with each discussion. In this presentation, I will explore some common misrepresentations
often communicated about climate change, and discuss reasons why environmental regulation,
geopolitical tensions, and supply-chain disruptions will make efficient scaling of “green” energies difficult
in the next 2 decades. Considering these and other challenges, oil and gas will play an integral part in an
all-in approach to energy worldwide for year to come.

About Andrew Parker

Andrew Parker currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Hydrocarbons and Sustainability for SPL, a
leading provider of testing, inspection, and certification services for the energy industry located in The
Woodlands, Texas.

Andrew earned a B.A. in Geology with Honorsfrom the University of Colorado-Boulder. He then continued
his education at Texas A&M University earning a Ph.D. in Oceanography, where he studied paleoclimates of
the last glacial period. Initially, Andrew did not want to pursue a career in the energy industry, but an
internship with Shell in 2013 changed his mind. During that summer, Andrew learned about the commitment
companies like Shell were already making to reduce emissions and be better stewards of the environment.
Realizing this alignment with his core values and professional ambitions, he made the leap from academia to
industry in 2015.

Since his entry into the industry, Andrew has worked directly with state and federal rule making bodies to draft
several protocols related to the sampling and analysis of crude oil for use in emissions inventories. He has
published several technical papers on this topic.

Andrew is an active volunteer with several industry organizations. He is currently the chair for GPA
Midstream’s GHG Measurement and Abatement Committee, and also sits on API’s ESG Reporting
Subcommittee. When he is not with his family, you can catch Andrew on his road bike, on the golf course, or
skiing.