Greater Houston STEPS Network

The Greater Houston STEPS Network fosters a work environment that relies upon open communication and trust and encourages the growth of the STEPS Network.  The STEPS Network is a way for those working in, or directly supporting the exploration and production industry, to:

• Promote a safety culture
• Develop an incident-free workplace
• Share oil and gas best practices
• Develop a network of peer safety professionals

The STEPS Network:

The Greater Houston Service Transmission Exploration and Production Safety (STEPS) Network promotes safety, health, and environmental improvement in the oil and gas exploration and production industry. The Network provides opportunities for the sharing of best practices, continuing education, and networking opportunities for individuals and companies operating or based in the Greater Houston Area.

• Meets periodically to share and discuss safety, health, and environmental incidents, best practices, and related issues.
• May establish focus groups to address specific issues.
• Works with other organizations, including, but not limited to:

• OSHA
• AESC
• IADC
• API
• EPA

The first STEPS Network was established in Corpus Christi, TX in 2003 as a collaboration between companies in the exploration and production industry and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Network been so successful that Networks have been established in Midland, TX (Permian Basin STEPS), OK City, OK (Mid-Continent STEPS), Kilgore, TX (Ark La Tex STEPS), and Ft. Worth, TX (North Texas NTEPS).  A future STEPS Network is planned in the Lafayette, LA area on September 17, 2009.

Ad Hoc Committee:

Jackie Johnson – National Oilwell Varco - Ad Hoc Chair 

Eulen Bergeron – Boots & Coots - Ad Hoc Co-Chair

Kenny Jordan – AESC - Ad Hoc Co-Chair

Tonya Zepeda – Audubon Engineering - Ad Hoc Secretary

Barry Poston – Noble Denton

Chuck Price – BP

Jack Pettyjohn – UT at Arlington

Jason Goodwin – BJ Services

Jill Niswonger – Marathon

Jake Graf – BJ Services

Jim Hiebert – Shell

Joe Olivas – Halliburton

John Stephens – Independent

Larry Jones – High Mount E & P

Linda Richards – BP

Lynn Travis – Devon

Mark Kaulen – Baker Hughes

Mike Farris – El Paso

Paul Espenan – Linn Energy

Pete Eustis – PEC Premier

Rod Kuntz – International SOS

Roosevelt Smith – Tetra Technologies

Steve Symbalisty – Gaither Petroleum

TainiaLynn Ebrecht – EMS USA

Tami Fuchs – Oilind Safety

Thomas Dumont – Conoco Phillips

Trey Berniard – Greenes Energy