The following is part of IADC’s 85th anniversary campaign, “Many Stories, One Voice,” which aims to showcase the real human stories behind the drilling industry.
The following story is from Drew Acosta, former IADC Missouri S&T Student Chapter Vice President, 2024 IADC Student Chapter scholarship recipient and Drilling Engineer at Chevron.
Growing up in rural East Texas, I always associated oil and gas with opportunity. However, I never anticipated the impact it would have on my life. As a kid, I dreaded the smell of crude oil that filled the dry desert air during trips to Odessa to visit my cousins. Watching family and friends leave for a few weeks to work on rigs was a routine part of life.
My introduction to IADC came in spring 2022, during my second semester at Missouri S&T. I had just transferred to play baseball and study petroleum engineering after spending two years studying business at another university. Encouraged by friends, I attended the IADC Annual General Meeting in Austin in fall 2023. The warm welcome I received from the IADC community was unforgettable and unlike any other conference experience I had as a student. It was then that I knew I wanted to pursue a career in drilling.
I took on a leadership role within my university’s IADC chapter and never looked back. The fellowship and support I got from IADC was invaluable. In 2024, IADC awarded me a scholarship that was crucial in helping me complete my education as a first-generation college student. Additionally, I organized a WellSharp certification class for fellow students, with IADC providing the necessary resources.
In February 2025, I began my full-time role as a Drilling Engineer at Chevron in Houston. This position allows me to stay involved in events for young professionals and attend many more conferences in the future. Now, I’m the family or friend heading out to the rig for a few weeks, eagerly waiting for the plane to land at the Midland airport so I can feel the sandy, crude-scented wind and continue working on the next phase of my career.
Reflecting on my journey, IADC has been a pivotal factor in bridging those two points of my life, supporting me every step of the way.
