Carlsbad, New Mexico was recently transformed into ‘Carlswood’ as Coterra was chosen by the American Petroleum Institute (API) to take center stage. In partnership with the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), API’s Mobilization Team was in the Permian looking to gather new footage of current operations that showcase operational excellence to their Energy Citizen supporters.
Coterra was the leading company featured in the initiatives, giving us the opportunity to work with API on identifying key locations for the shoot. Naturally, we chose our Carlsbad office and transformed it into a movie set outfitted with makeup, a blue room, a director, and both sound and video crews. We had a star-studded cast that included Grant Muncrief and Sy Browning, along with guest appearances by Flip Tarin, Deysi Favela, Todd Miller, James Thorn, and Santiago Vasquez.
We captured stories highlighting our employees’ backgrounds, career paths, current roles, views on energy production, and how they believe energy powers life, community, and national security. Additionally, the group spoke about Coterra’s focus on recruiting local people, the innovations we implement, and how technology propels our company and the energy industry.
During the Red Hills segment, the API crew focused on Unit Drilling Rig 411 and had access to all features, including the drilling floor. Grant acted as the tour guide for the day and walked the team around the location. He pointed out all aspects of the operation, from drill bits to a mud motor to the safety features. Hats off to the Crew from Unit, as their professionalism was fully displayed during the shoot, making the day run smoothly.
As we reflect on the video shoot, some of the best moments were James and Santiago explaining their jobs to a group of students from the Career and Technical Education Center of Hobbs (CTECH). The students were surprised, excited, and energetic about drone technology being deployed by Coterra. The pair discussed weather and wind patterns, battery life, and the qualifications of being a drone pilot. The students expressed their amazement at the size and scope of our drones and their role. The drone flying over Sy’s facility was something to see, but you will have to take my word.
Meanwhile, back at Red Hills, Flip and Todd showcased for API a few key benefits of using drones:
- Cover more ground
- Access hot zones quicker and easier than a person
- Reduce vehicle mileage
- Spot fugitive emissions
The videos being produced by API and NMOGA will be released in early 2023. Stay tuned and get the popcorn and awards ready.
