Casper, Wyoming, United States
Tom assumed the position of Supervisor of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on May 23, 2009. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Wyoming. Tom is Wyoming's official representative to the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission.
After graduating from Platte Valley High School in Saratoga, Wyoming, Tom earned his Bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering. He began his career in the 1970's as a field engineer and worked for several oil and gas companies as a petroleum engineer, then as a drilling engineer before ascending to the level of project engineer. From 1989 to 1997, Tom held several positions before becoming general manager of Fluor Daniel's contract at the Department of Energy's Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of maintenance and operations of the oilfield, including conventional oil and gas production, gas re-injection for pressure maintenance, enhanced oil recovery, hazard identification, accident prevention and environmental compliance. From 1997 to 2008, Tom worked for Williams Production Company, rising to District Manager. In this role he oversaw more than 100 personnel and 25 contract employees performing all aspects of coalbed methane exploration and production in the Powder River Basin. He directly managed all aspects of the operation including administration, accounting, safety, regulatory reporting, engineering, hydrology and environmental issues. Throughout his career, Tom has served on various professional boards and commissions. He served as chair of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming's Coalbed Natural Gas Committee, and served on the Wyoming Water Commission's Northeast Wyoming Basin Advisory Group and the Northeast Wyoming Sage Grouse Local Working Group. Tom has given numerous presentations on coalbed methane and has hosted numerous tours of the Powder River Basin for various county, state, federal and international agencies and regulators.