Thomas Kalb, newly appointed Director, Midstream Research at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC), is seeking a partnership with the midstream industry through industry-directed research and development, education, and knowledge transfer. The new program is called the Coastal Bend Midstream Program (CBMP).

Kalb, an oil and gas executive with 44 years in financial and operating commodity businesses, most recently spent more than four years building Lamar University’s midstream center from concept to highly successful program. Prior to his baptism in academia, he spent 33 years as an oil and gas-focused institutional investor and provider of corporate finance advisory services, and seven years as a petroleum engineer.

During his career, Kalb founded, secured funding, and managed two oil and gas investment companies. He either started or was a founding member of the oil and gas investment businesses of GE Capital, AIG Financial Products, and Freepoint Commodities. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Chicago where he earned a BSc in Petroleum Engineering in 1979 and an MBA (Finance) in 1988.

TAMUCC’s Coastal Bend Midstream Program will have four primary elements:

• Industry Partnerships
• Education
• Practical Research, and
• Knowledge Transfer.

While initially funded by TAMUCC, this program will require direct industry support to sustain its future and become a strong presence among midstream companies and organizations like GPA Midstream, GPSA, and others dedicated to serving the midstream sector.

The targeted industry-funded, annual operating budget of CBMP is $1 million with a minimum of 60% going to R&D efforts identified and driven by midstream companies and industry organizations, ideally with oversight and data sharing from industry partners.

Industry Partnerships‍

CBMP will be driven by industry concerns, needs, and guidance. The program will emphasize company engagement, faculty/student plant trips, campus events, internships, scholarships, and midstream recruiting opportunities. CBMP has already established a growing Industry Advisory Board of senior industry veterans to advise and participate in hot topic webinars and other knowledge transfer activities.

Education

Programs and activities will focus on educating faculty and students about the midstream industry, its operations, issues, opportunities, and value to society. The ultimate objectives of educational efforts are to enhance faculty knowledge of industry so they can better bring their capabilities to bear in identifying and solving industry issues, and to educate students so they are familiar with industry operations, purpose, value to society, and opportunities.

Educational tools will include workshops like GPA Midstream’s three-day Introduction to Midstream course, AI in midstream, facility visits, campus visits by companies, student midstream essay contests open to students at universities across the country, internship programs, and a program to embed faculty for 1-3 weeks at midstream facilities to shadow operators and gain a better understanding of midstream assets, operations, and concerns.

Practical Research

CBMP will fund only research work focused on better understanding and/or solving real-world operational and business issues facing the industry. Midstream company advisors will participate in identifying targeted research areas and projects, evaluating funding proposals, and advising on research efforts as they progress.

Faculty from partner universities will be brought in to deepen the TAMUCC bench when needed. At least 60% of CBMP industry funding will be dedicated to funding this R&D work.

In addition, CBMP will harness both TAMUCC and partner university faculty teams to respond to RFPs issued by government organizations such as Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and Department of Energy.

Knowledge Transfer

Midstream’s status as “the invisible industry” is a challenge to midstream interests and a society that depends on midstream’s critical role. Developing and disseminating information is a critical element of the CBMP value proposition.

Tools such as the annual Top Ten Issues Facing the Midstream Industry, national student midstream essay contests, webinars, midstream-centric essay publishing, publication of research papers, attending conferences to learn and speak, education of faculty and students, and development of an electronic rolodex of all known midstream related academic research to enable easy, inexpensive access by industry to a giant body of midstream relevant research work that is generally unavailable to industry today.

Working in partnership with GPA Midstream’s Lets Clear The Air campaign, American Energy Society, and other nationally recognized energy news organizations will be a strategic part of the knowledge transfer effort.

TAMUCC’s Coastal Bend Midstream Program has been initiated and requires industry funding to be sustained. The targeted annual operating budget is $1 million. Companies interested in learning about this program, getting involved, or funding should email Thomas Kalb or call at 203.803.7677.