Aaron Velek

Startup Circle Houston 💫 is back this Friday as we continue our May theme: Traction & Execution. This month is focused on turning clarity into consistent progress, because knowing what to do and actually executing are two very different things. This week we’re focused on Team & Wellness: - Maintaining momentum without burning out - Making decisions under pressure - Protecting focus in chaotic environments - Building execution rhythms that actually stick - Understanding how founder energy impacts the team Execution isn’t just strategy, it’s stamina, discipline, and consistency. A lot of founders know what they should do. The harder part is sustaining the energy and focus to keep doing it week after week. If you’re building something and trying to balance momentum with sustainability, come join the conversation. This Friday (and every Friday) at 10:30 AM @The Ion (after Cup of Joey).

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Really interesting deployment here. The shift from manual pressure checks to continuous, remote high resolution monitoring is one of those changes that quietly transforms operations. Less exposure, better data, faster decisions. This is where I see the industry heading: smaller crews, smarter systems, and real-time visibility across the asset base. Thanks for partnering with us on this Travis!

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I’m just returning from an energizing week in Abu Dhabi for ADIPEC and a series of customer visits across the Middle East. The pace of innovation and appetite for transformation are incredible—operators and service providers alike are embracing data-driven decision-making, automation, and closer collaboration. We’re kicking off several transformative projects that will reshape how drilling performance and operational intelligence are delivered—bridging real-time data, predictive insights, and seamless execution. Across every conversation, one theme stood out: the best engineers aren’t resisting AI—they’re harnessing it as a force multiplier to enhance expertise, unlock new levels of performance, and get time back in their lives to pursue the meaningful and often fun work. Next, I’ll be presenting at the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Drilling Engineers Committee Technology Forum in Houston, sharing some key themes and how technology will define the next wave of well construction technology. #DigitalTransformation #AIinEnergy #FutureOfDrilling #IADC #DrillingEngineering

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🚨 Breaking: Presidio Signs Letter of Intent Presidio, a differentiated oil and gas operator focused on the acquisition and optimization of mature, producing oil and natural gas assets in the United States, and EQV Ventures Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FTW), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced that Presidio has entered into a letter of intent to acquire certain producing assets in the Arkoma Basin from companies controlled by Vortus Investments for $80 million, subject to customary due diligence, definitive documentation, and closing conditions… #energymarketingpro #naturalgas #crudeoil

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I’m excited to share that Woodside Louisiana LNG is assembling a true dream team.  We’ve just announced a strategic partnership with Williams, a leader in US natural gas infrastructure. The partnership with Williams includes the sale of a 10% interest in Louisiana LNG and an 80% interest and operatorship of the project’s permitted lateral pipeline for US$250 million, effective 1 January 2025.  It combines Woodside’s proven track record in developing and operating LNG facilities and global marketing with Williams’ expertise in pipelines and gas sourcing. This creates a tremendous partnership to realise opportunities as global energy demand grows. When I visited the site recently, I could see that the vision for Louisiana LNG is rapidly coming to life, with more than 1000 people now on site and construction of the first LNG processing train 25% complete.  Today’s announcement is a huge milestone for Louisiana LNG – a game-changing project that puts us on the map as a global LNG powerhouse. Read the press release to learn more.

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The more expensive OQ provider isn’t the one with the highest price. It’s the one that fails you during an audit. In regulated pipeline operations, qualification consistency and defensibility aren’t optional, they’re essential. That’s why defensible evaluation procedures, documented field verifications, and having a proven regulatory compliance team that supports you matters long before a regulator ever reviews your program. Operator Qualification isn’t just about checking a compliance box. It’s about owning your program and ensuring that every qualified individual can perform covered tasks safely, and that every qualification decision around your employees and contractors can stand up to regulatory scrutiny. At Veriforce, the focus isn’t just on a software managing OQ records. It’s about delivering a program built on consistency, 25+ years of the largest pipeline operators thought leadership, true regulatory partnerships with our clients, evaluator oversight, and defensible documentation so operators can confidently demonstrate compliance when it matters most. When managing an OQ program, the true cost isn’t the provider you choose. It’s the compliance risk you didn’t see coming.

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📣 Join Us This Thursday (9/11) for the Petroleum Engineer's Club of Dallas Monthly Meeting! We’re excited to welcome Evan Anderson with oseberg as our featured speaker. Evan will be presenting: 🎯 "Alpha or Beta? Rethinking Real Asset Acquisition in the Age of Intelligence" This session reframes upstream real asset acquisition as an alpha-generating, not beta-tracking, strategy. The presentation highlights a structurally inefficient, signal-rich market ripe for disruption. Technology (AI, NLP, and graph-based modeling) can extract predictive signals from unstructured filings, enabling faster, more precise execution when paired with automated underwriting. Most firms fail due to cultural and structural barriers: misaligned incentives, manual processes, and lack of technical leadership. Today’s market is episodic and over-intermediated, favoring access over intelligence. To unlock alpha, firms must re-platform with systems-driven sourcing, signal discovery, and infrastructure-focused incentives, turning real asset acquisition into a compounding edge. 🗓 Date: Thursday, September 11th, 2025 📍 Location: Dallas Petroleum Club (13th floor) ⏰ Time: 11:30 A.M.-1:00 P.M. CDT If you are an Energy Industry professional in Dallas, this is a great opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with fellow members of the PECD community. 🔗 RSVP or learn more: https://lnkd.in/gzPTZkJV

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Great to join Todd Staples on TXOGA Talks for this discussion. Texas produces about 28 Bcf/d of dry natural gas but consumes only half of that in-state — leaving plenty of room to serve both rising LNG exports and the 24/7 load from new data centers. With the right infrastructure, Texas can power both the global economy and the digital future. #TexasEnergy #NaturalGas #LNG

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Let's go. 🚀 After years fighting spreadsheets and manual chaos in the oilfield, I'm back with Digitidal to build tools that actually help. Check out the intro below @Digitidal—what's your biggest daily pain right now?

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Why Houston Is the Epicenter of the ETRM Market When it comes to Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM), no city rivals Houston. Here's what makes it the industry’s go-to destination: 🔹 Unmatched Career Opportunities Houston dominates the ETRM job market—whether you're in consulting or looking for a direct-hire role. With global energy giants, utilities, IPPs, and trading houses based here, the demand for ETRM expertise is high and growing. 🔹 Economic Advantage Meets Quality of Life Low cost of living. No state income tax. Affordable housing. Add in leading healthcare, top schools, and a vibrant, multicultural lifestyle—and you’ve got a city where ETRM professionals thrive inside and outside of work. 🔹 A Community That Drives Innovation From local events to national conferences, Houston fosters a collaborative environment where the ETRM community connects, shares, and builds the future of energy tech. For those in the ETRM space, Houston isn’t just home—it’s headquarters. #ETRM #EnergyTechnology #HoustonEnergy #CareerOpportunities #OptimusPeopleSolutionsDelivered

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🤝 Tulsa Tech Week Partners with i2E, Inc. to Fuel Oklahoma Innovation. We’re proud to announce i2E as an official partner for Tulsa Tech Week 2025, a cornerstone organization that’s been driving Oklahoma’s entrepreneurial success for over two decades! Since 1998, i2E has invested over $50 million into Oklahoma startups, empowering entrepreneurs to build, launch, and scale bold ideas that strengthen our state’s economy. From students and startups to seasoned innovators and investors, i2E is the go-to resource for turning vision into venture. At Tulsa Tech Week, i2E will bring its unmatched expertise and energy to events focused on: 🚀 Startup growth & funding strategies 🎯 Venture advisory and investor readiness 🏆 Spotlighting collegiate innovation through the Entrepreneur’s Cup 💼 Creating real pathways from ideation to impact Whether you're refining a pitch, seeking capital, or just launching your first startup—this is your moment. 🔗Meet the i2E team, join founder-forward sessions, and experience the power of Oklahoma-grown innovation at Tulsa Tech Week. Together, we’re not just building companies—we’re building a thriving tech future for all. #TulsaTechWeek #i2E #OklahomaInnovation #StartupsInTulsa #FounderFocused #TechEcosystem

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“Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector is heating up — but without the workforce to match, growth could stall before it scales.”  This article lays out the numbers behind a looming talent crunch: a projected shortfall of 20,000 skilled workers by 2028. For business owners, that’s not just a labor issue - it’s a strategic risk. Rising demand, expanding exports, and new facilities are great news, but only if you’ve got the people to power them. From workforce development incentives to smarter hiring pipelines, now’s the time to get proactive. Because in manufacturing, productivity isn’t just about machines — it’s about the people who keep them running. Read the full piece and let’s talk about how to future-proof your operation. #workforceofthefuture #okmfg #oklahomamanufacturing #manufacturing #workforce https://bit.ly/COMA010925

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NAPE highlights where deals are happening. What’s becoming clear is that acquisition speed is only part of the equation. The real differentiator is how quickly operators can integrate systems, align data, and put that data to work. AI is accelerating, but it only delivers value when the underlying data is trusted and connected tightly. The operators that move fast and build a disciplined data foundation will lead the next cycle. Appreciated the conversation with Ben Seligson on this shift. #NAPE2026 #FieldToFinance

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An Oklahoma facility was shutting down. Hundreds of jobs were ending. But for this client, that wasn’t the whole story. Instead of cutting ties, they partnered with CDP to provide personalized outplacement support — from hourly workers to senior leaders. The result? ✔️ 139 out of 140 re-employed within 90 days ✔️ Grateful, not bitter, employee feedback ✔️ A reputation for doing the right thing When you put people first, they remember. Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/gTy6Vhkp #CareerDevelopmentPartners #OutplacementSuccess #PeopleOverProfit #ManufacturingHR #EmployeeExperience

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