By Gus Morgan

Following last year's integration with Concho Resources, some 750 ConocoPhillips employees now work in the company’s Midland, Texas, office, which serves as a strategic operational hub for its Permian Basin assets. We recently asked several Midland-based employees to describe what it’s like to live and work in this desert community, a city with strong ties to the oil and gas industry. 

'All about family’

Renaldo Works, Midland and West Texas Facilities Manager, recently transferred from Houston to Midland to pursue a new role. This is his second stint in Midland.

“Midland is near and dear to my heart,” he said. “My son was born here.”

It’s an inclusive and sociable environment, Renaldo said.

“People are super friendly, and they go out of their way to say hello. That’s Midland as a whole. Not just ConocoPhillips employees but the community itself, they are all the same. It’s a relaxed environment.”

To Renaldo, the city’s size is advantageous.

“The convenience and the opportunities it provides to be around your family is invaluable. If you’re family oriented, this is the best place to be. The Midland community is all about family.”

Renaldo, originally from Tulsa, Okla., said the vibe of this desert community has a familiar feel, but with a Texas twist.

“Midland reminds me of Tulsa, without all the greenery. Instead of trees you have pump jacks. And instead of plant life, you have a lot of dirt.”

One of the things we've been able to take advantage of is the onsite childcare offered in Midland. That's been a huge benefit. It makes for a better work-life balance for working parents.

'It’s just easy to live here’

Aaron Hunter, vice president, Midland Basin, has lived in Midland for 18 years, working for Chevron, Concho Resources and now ConocoPhillips.

“We love Midland,” he said. “It’s just easy to live here.”

The city’s relatively small size makes getting together with friends or coworkers a breeze, he said. “And within an hour of where I sit today, I can visit a lot of our conventional and unconventional Permian assets. It’s all here.”

Such close proximity to the field allows the company’s engineers to experience a myriad of oil-field activities, Aaron said, including drilling, completions, electric submersible pump installs or pulls, gas lift operations, water recycling and gas reinjection.

While Midland doesn’t have all the amenities of a big city like Houston, Aaron said there’s still plenty to do, including sporting activities, such as football, basketball, baseball and soccer. And, if ice hockey is your thing, you can find that in nearby Odessa. There are also plenty of spring and summer lawn concerts.

When it comes to eating out, Aaron and his family head to Venezia Restaurant to dine on the patio, as Midland is famous for its patio weather. They also love Opal’s Table. “They have a little remodeled basement with a cool bar in it. We’ll go down there for dinner and to hang out.”

A welcoming culture

Clay Crews, reservoir engineer, remembers his first experience in Midland. It was 2014, and he’d just accepted a summer internship with an operator in Midland.

But he’d never been to West Texas and needed to find a place to stay for the summer. Clay had a college friend whose family lived in Midland, so he reached out to get apartment complex recommendations. That same day the friend responded back by saying “my parents have an extra bedroom in Midland, and they will let you live there through the summer under one condition: You can’t wash your clothes with oil on them in the new washing machine.”  

To Clay, such hospitality exemplifies the type of selfless people who live in Midland.

“A family I had never met opened up their home without hesitation and gave me the chance to experience Midland like it was my hometown. Years later, I made Midland my home, and I still keep up with the family."

Clay said that same inclusive attitude can be found in the Midland office. Laughter and friendly banter are common in the hallways, and on Fridays many of the teams get together in the cafeteria to eat breakfast.

“We have a great office culture that is right in the middle of all the oilfield action. In the same day you can spend the morning in a team meeting and by lunch you can be at the wellsite. Right outside the Midland office, you can see everything the business fundamentally does every day. 

"For a young person, you have so many opportunities here that are important for your career. ConocoPhillips has so much going on in the Permian and the friendly people make living in Midland meaningful."

Midland is a great place to be, especially if you're in the oil industry and trying to learn more about unconventionals.

‘The heart of the oil patch’

Brian Thompson, Integration Project Management Coordinator, and his wife, Nancy Thompson, Senior Analyst Lower 48 Communications, were both born and raised in Midland.

The couple recently moved back to their hometown, buying a house only six blocks from the one Brian grew up in.

“You're in the heart of the oil patch here,” Brian said. “But that doesn't mean it's just an oil patch town out in the middle of nowhere. Midland offers plenty of amenities without the stress of a larger city.”

The couple, who welcomed their first child in December, said it’s a great place to start a family.

“We have quality healthcare options here,” Nancy said, “and the hospital is less than five minutes from the office.”

The couple’s neighborhood is filled with young families with children, reflecting the town’s youthful demographics.

“There are kids everywhere,” Brian said. “It's impossible to walk to the park and not see somebody you know throwing the football around with their little kid. The town is so young now.”

Workwise, Brian said Midland is a hotspot of activity for ConocoPhillips.

“This is where the action is. We’re in the thick of it. Everyone here is engaged and excited about doing really good work.”

While the town has grown since Brian and Nancy were last here, some things haven’t changed. When a colleague from Houston visited Nancy in the Midland office, Nancy was able to point out some familiar landmarks.

“From the window, I was able to show her where I went to high school and where I got married.”