Gene Beck

Gene Beck, Ph.D. is the Drilling Manager for the Rockport family of companies. He brings over four decades of expertise in petroleum engineering, spanning roles in academia, consulting, and high-level operational leadership in the oil and gas industry. Dr. Beck holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Petroleum Engineering, as well as a B.S. in Geology, all from Louisiana State University, where he developed a strong foundation in drilling and reservoir engineering.

In addition, Dr. Beck has consulted for major industry players such as Brigham Oil and Gas, Statoil, and Halliburton, providing expert witness testimony in high-profile cases, including the BP Macondo incident. His career began at ARCO Alaska, where he pioneered short and medium radius horizontal drilling techniques in Prudhoe Bay, earning two Exceptional Contribution Awards for his innovative work.

Before joining Rockport, Gene was a Senior Advisor at Endeavor Management’s Energy Advisory Group, where he provided strategic insights to energy companies on complex drilling and completion projects. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President for U.S. Onshore at Statoil (now Equinor) from 2015 to 2018, overseeing operations across key U.S. shale plays, including the Bakken. Dr. Beck also held leadership roles as Bakken Asset Manager and Bakken Drilling Manager. During his career, Gene has been responsible for drilling and completion engineering for numerous high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) wells.

In academia, Dr. Beck served as an Associate Professor and Faculty Fellow at Texas A&M University, mentoring future leaders in petroleum engineering while directing funded research in HPHT cementing and gas solubility in drilling fluids. He has published numerous technical papers and presented at conferences worldwide, contributing extensively to the advancement of drilling engineering.

Gene is a long-standing member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, where he served as a Distinguished Lecturer and held leadership roles onm various program committees. He also served on the LSU Petroleum Engineering Industry Advisory Committee. Gene continues to help shape them future of the profession.