Better to be lucky than good! Steven Startz is a drilling veteran with over 25 years of experience, and his next venture is Bionic Directional Drilling. His goal is to take his tribal knowledge and apply it to drilling with small to mid-size operators who need experienced hands. I'll state the obvious: Steven is a bit of a cowboy, and we're here for it.We kick things off with a war story that perfectly captures what it means to be a directional driller. From there, we cover his journey through the Barnett Shale boom, threading a needle under downtown Fort Worth with two 180-degree turns, to witnessing a 705 million cubic feet per day flow test in Papua New Guinea that shook his bunk like a 747 for two straight nights. Steven talks about why now is actually the perfect time to launch a directional drilling company, why experience matters more than ever when oil is trading in the $50s, and how smaller operators need people who can make decisions without constant hand-holding. He's also making moves into geothermal drilling in Nevada, Utah, and even Germany, where his wife is from. The guy's driven the Autobahn fast more than once (he's a car guy), and he prefers coffee over Red Bull. Visit localenergy.com for all the show notes. Highlights00:00 - War story: Stalling 86 times while drilling through the North American Ash bed in the Eagle Ford's "snowbank"05:46 - Threading the needle: Drilling the complicated Barnett Shale well under downtown Fort Worth with two 180-degree turns11:54 - The art of directional drilling: Why you can't just rely on the "magic box" and need to understand the physics15:18 - Standing up Bionic Directional Drilling Solutions to serve smaller operators who need experienced hands19:17 - Expanding into geothermal drilling and why the technology translates directly from oil and gas24:55 - How resistivity tools work and why they're critical for finding target zones in geothermal applications28:18 - The flaring problem in the Permian Basin and why we should be generating power instead of burning natural gas29:10 - The challenge of breaking into the industry when most contacts have retired or passed away

When Peter looked at drilling rig specs showing a 1 million pound hook capacity, he made an educated guess about weight on bit: 250,000 pounds.

Highlights:

1. The 250,000 lb Guess (23:10) Peter guesses weight on bit based on rig specs. Wade's response: "Well, man, that's a lot. That's a whole lot." The real answer: 12,000 to 30,000 pounds on a 6-inch drill bit.

2. Why You Need a Million-Pound Hook (24:41) Wade explains the critical difference between weight on bit and total hook load. Spoiler: it's not about the bit at all—it's about pulling 4-mile laterals and heavy casing strings.

3. Swabbing: Bringing Dead Wells Back to Life (13:12) Wade breaks down the process of removing fluids from loaded-up wells using rubber cups and wire line. "You do multiple runs, swabbing just barrels of liquids off until the well can start flowing on its own."

4. Water Flood Economics Are Brutal (18:03) "You're pumping a hundred barrels of water down a hole hoping to get back like half a barrel or one barrel of oil." Wade explains why water floods are end-of-life tertiary recovery.

5. The AFE "Free Loan" Trick (19:58) "If you're going to drill a well and you make that AFE super high and people have to prepay their percentage, you essentially got a free loan." Wade reveals the games operators play with Authorization for Expenditure.

6. Light vs Heavy Oil: It's All About Carbon Chains (10:10) Wade walks through the chemistry: methane (CH4) to diesel, and why longer carbon chains mean heavier hydrocarbons. Bonus: why Oklahoma diesel "waxes up" in extreme cold.

7. Race Car Fuel Changes with Temperature (12:19) Peter shares how his dad would run different fuels at 100° California tracks versus 40° Ohio races. Wade confirms: "That would make perfect sense... you want to be running as efficiently as possible."

8. 350,000 Pounds at TD (25:14) "When we start pulling out of the hole at total depth, a lot of times we'll see anywhere up to 350,000 pounds." Wade explains why hook loads spike when fighting hole friction in horizontal wells.

Will we ever run out of oil?

Petroleum geologist Chad Koury explains why the answer might surprise you. In this episode of Local Energy, we dive deep into the world of geosteering, the brutal realities of self-employment in oil and gas, and why the Appalachian Basin is one of the most geologically complex regions in North America.

Skip to 29:53 for the answer.

Chad Koury has spent 15 years working in unconventional reservoirs, primarily in the Marcellus Shale. He shares his journey from traditional employment to running his own geosteering and geology consulting business, including the challenges of cold calling, dealing with rejection, and learning to be "comfortable being uncomfortable."

We explore the technical side of drilling—from software debates (Stoner vs. Star Steer) to why geologists can't agree on naming conventions, to the realities of steering wells 24/7 for 72 hours straight. Chad also breaks down the geology of the Appalachian Basin, explaining formations like the Marcellus, Burkett, and Point Pleasant, and why understanding the story behind the rocks matters more than just analyzing data.

Beyond the technical talk, this conversation touches on the future of energy, why we'll likely transition to new technologies before we run out of hydrocarbons, and how to educate people about energy without getting caught up in social media hype.

Whether you're in the industry, considering self-employment, or just curious about where your energy comes from, this episode offers real insights from someone living it every day.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
01:02 Chad Koury's Background and Experience
02:47 The Importance of Geosteering
06:22 Software Preferences in Geosteering
07:26 Challenges of Self-Employment
09:55 The Role of Geologists in Storytelling
13:30 Geological Complexities in the Appalachian Basin
15:26 Understanding the Marcellus and Burkett Formations
17:46 Nomenclature Challenges in Geology
21:26 The Allure of the Oil and Gas Industry
25:27 Un-inventing the Oil and Gas Industry
29:55 The Future of Oil: Will We Ever Run Out?
31:49 Educating the Next Generation on Energy
33:49 Shifts in Geosteering and Contract Work
35:43 The Landscape of Independent Operators
38:57 Caffeine Choices for Long Hours
39:55 Connecting and Engaging in the Industry

CONNECT WITH CHAD KOURY:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-koury-a0976158/

ABOUT LOCAL ENERGY:

Local Energy explores the people, technology, and stories behind America's energy industry. Hosted by Peter Brecht and Wade Spear. Visit localenergy.com for more information about this episode!

#OilAndGas #Geosteering #PetrolumeumGeology #MarcellusShale #AppalachianBasin #EnergyIndustry #SelfEmployment #Geology #Drilling #NaturalGas

This interview will leave you refreshed.

I spoke with Russell about two years ago when I was exploring ways to learn about the oil and gas industry. He directed me to his podcast, and I've been a subscriber ever since.

Russell's path to the energy sector wasn't typical.

"Somebody always said the best employees in wireline are ex-rangers, farmers, and military," Smith explains. "So I kind of fit the bill." After earning an agronomy degree from Texas A&M, he joined Halliburton in 2008 at age 38, entering during the height of the shale boom.

He's as real as it gets, and we're confident you'll pick up one or two things. from our conversation.

Show Links

• Visit Top Gun Oilfield Training Center
• Subscribe to All Shots Fired with Russell Smith on YouTube
• On Faith: Learn the Bible in 24 Hours with Dr. Chuck Missler

"I bought a piece of land and it accidentally had a well on it. So I was getting clear and brush and here's this pipe sticking out of the ground and thinking it's sealed... There's no way a person could drill a well and do a school and be profitable, because the money to do that will cost so much. It was drilled in 1968, and that's when I was born. " — Russell Smith

California passes Senate Bills 237 and 767, signaling a major shift in oil policy as Newsom positions for presidency. Plus, discover how petroleum coke (petcoke) is boosting drilling production by 7-18% by reaching micro-fractures that sand cannot prop open. Wade Spear explains the technical breakthrough changing fracturing operations.

California Energy Policy Reversal

(3:28)

• Senate Bills 237 & 767 opening Kern County to drilling permits
• Political motivations behind Newsom's energy shift
• Valero refinery investment and pipeline monitoring
• Impact on gasoline prices and consumer costs

Major Industry News

(10:43)

• California Resources Corporation acquires Berrycorp for $717 million
• 652 million barrels of proven reserves
• Strategic timing with new legislation

Petcoke Technology Breakthrough

(7:07)

• 7-18% production increases over traditional sand
• How petcoke reaches micro-fractures sand cannot access
• Cost advantages and transportation benefits
• Fracture network mechanics explained

Technical Deep Dive

(12:27)

• Understanding KREVs (thousand revolutions) and bit life
• Mud motor mechanics and hydraulic forces
• Tool face control and rate of penetration
• Sliding vs rotating drilling techniques

Industry Abbreviations Decoded

(20:20)

• TIH, DO, CP, PBTD, TOOH, RDMO explained
• Why the industry uses shorthand
• Complete job descriptions in acronyms

Oil Field Superstitions

(22:47)

• Never bring drill bits upside down
• Proper drill pipe positioning
• The curse of making after-work plans

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro & Sponsor Announcement
3:28 California Policy Reversal
7:07 Petcoke Technology
10:43 CRC-Berrycorp Acquisition
12:27 Technical Drilling Concepts
18:06 Mud Motor Explanation
20:20 Industry Abbreviations
22:47 Oil Field Superstitions
27:10 Wrap-up

Links:

• LocalEnergy.com
• Smoke or Fire: Petcoke as proppant increases production vs. sand only on Collide.I
• Article: Wireline Insights from an Oklahoma Independent 

Ever wondered why the oil and gas industry pumps massive amounts of sand thousands of feet underground? In this episode, Wade breaks down the mind-blowing science behind hydraulic fracturing and reveals why sand is literally the difference between a profitable well and a complete bust.

You'll discover how water-based fracturing creates pathways in rock, but those fractures immediately slam shut under enormous underground pressure. The ingenious solution? Pump thousands of pounds of sand per foot to permanently prop those fractures open. Without it, your multi-million dollar well produces almost nothing.

We also explore Exxon's game-changing innovation using petroleum coke waste as an advanced proppant, boosting production by 7-18% compared to traditional sand. Plus, hear fascinating stories from an 80-year-old wireline legend who hand-built his own tools from patent research back in the 1970s.

From drilling "washouts" that can trap expensive equipment underground to the technology revolution that transformed wireline trucks in 2004, this episode pulls back the curtain on the incredible engineering happening thousands of feet below your feet.

Whether you're in the industry or just curious about how we actually get energy out of the ground, Peter and Wade deliver insider knowledge with the perfect mix of technical depth and conversational storytelling that makes complex topics accessible to everyone.

Bonus: Wade continues his legendary winning streak on the industry abbreviations quiz, though he does catch Peter in an embarrassing Greek letter mixup.

Subscribe to Local Energy for more behind-the-scenes insights from experienced oil and gas professionals who actually work in the field.

This week, Wade and Peter talk about oil and gas industry layoffs, energy politics and energy demand, POOH/RIH/EUR, public production data, Ford Raptor Index, and Oilfiled Superstitions.

Learn more and get the complete transcript at localenergy.com

Ever wonder what singles, doubles, and triples have in common between oil rigs and surfboards? In this week's episode, Peter and Wade dive deep into the surprising connections between drilling technology and surf culture, plus break down some essential oil & gas terminology you need to know.