Liberty’s VP of Engineering speaks at URTeC 2025 Opening Panel

Liberty’s Leen Weijers joined the opening panel at the 2025 Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) in Houston. The session, titled “Shaping the Future: Leveraging Technology Innovation and Championing Sustainable Development in Unconventional Resources,” brought together leaders from across the industry:

• Dan Pickering – Pickering Energy Partners

• Thaimar Ramirez – Midland Basin Business Unit, OXY

• George Koperna – Advanced Resources International (ARI)

The panel was moderated by Ali Sloan of Core Geologic.

Below are a few key points made during the panel session:

• George Koperna explained, some of the technology that drove the start of the shale revolution was first developed with R&D money following the Arab Oil embargo in 1973. That investment has gone a long way for dividends toward U.S. energy independence.
• More recently, the industry has gone beyond the momentum for cost reduction. Thaimar Ramirez with Occidental highlighted reuse of produced water for fracturing and other purposes that make us better neighbors. 
• Dan Pickering assessed that the US unconventional industry will likely face some headwinds as price-sensitive barrels may be temporarily pushed out of the market by relatively price-insensitive barrels. It is a blessing and a curse that US barrels are responsive and relatively easy to add or remove from market. 
• But remember, there is always a silver lining. While cheaper barrels may not be as desirable for us in the short term, our industry always adapts and improves through the cycle. Lower oil prices are great for consumers; expand use of our products toward more people who really need it; make the energy we produce more competitive with other energy sources; and, extend the future runway for oil and gas.

View Weijer’s slide deck: URTeC Plenary Session Panel Shaping the Future