In his Chairman’s editorial in the May/Jun issue of Drilling Contractor, IADC Chairman Roddie Mackenzie makes a pointed case for why the drilling industry must take ownership of its own story and outlines the tools IADC is providing to help Members do exactly that.
Roddie opens by identifying what he sees as the root of the industry’s perception problem: a widespread lack of energy literacy, compounded by decades of campaigning built on inaccurate narratives. Drawing on findings from IADC’s 2024 partnership with advertising agency TRG, he notes that Members themselves identified three core challenges—that others have been allowed to define the industry’s story, that public perceptions are outdated, and that the industry doesn’t receive credit for how safe, responsible, and technologically advanced it truly is.
He makes a bold claim that no industry has had a greater impact on global human wellbeing than oil and gas, arguing that fields like medicine, transportation, and agriculture would not be where they are today without hydrocarbons. And with global energy demand continuing to grow, Roddie emphasizes that the industry’s contribution is not only ongoing but essential.
Roddie also highlights a compelling opportunity. The drilling industry is uniquely positioned to lead the energy transition, with its people, technology, and expertise already being applied to geothermal, lithium, and renewable energy development. This, he argues, is exactly the kind of message the industry should be sharing to attract the next generation of talent.
The call to action centers on IADC’s industry messaging campaign, developed by a Member workgroup in partnership with TRG. The campaign has produced a first set of creative materials and assets, available through an online portal, that members can download and deploy across their own communications.
Roddie closes with an invitation—to young professionals and industry advocates alike—to join a field that is meaningful, honorable, and full of opportunity. He invites current Members to pick up these tools and help reclaim a narrative that has gone uncontested for too long.
