The “middle man” is often accused of grabbing the biggest share of consumer prices, just by connecting supply and demand markets. But there is another type of middle man – the one who identifies and manages two or more, usually disconnected, worlds. It is this type of middle man who will build a better business in the future. In our industry I have identified 3 important areas of concern: IT, Finances and Engineering. They are broad and complex areas which are each run by experts looking only in their “silo”. Nothing new in this – many industries have been built on hierarchical formats, with units, divisions, etc. and with directors, managers, policies, workflows, etc.
This model has proved very efficient and still delivers results. But today, those silos of information and processes are preventing further optimization. It is becoming fundamental that each organization should have a well-placed professional with the know-how to effectively harness any combination of 2 of those circles and, even better, engage and manage all 3. The ultimate middle man would have an understanding of the technical limitations of the engineering process, the economic forces behind the technicalities and which IT tools and services are really effective in delivering faster and more accurate decision making. It is those professionals that are a fundamental requirement in Oil & Gas companies in the 21st century.