“As an industry, we have the opportunity to shape the energy transition now for the betterment of generations to come.”

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Melanie Reid (36), has spent the last 15 years working in technical and sales roles in the energy industry. A passion for chemistry has shaped her career, including her current role as Regional Marketing Manager for Europe and Caspian at ChampionX.

Many of my family members work in healthcare, and so originally I had assumed I would do the same. At school, I enjoyed Chemistry and so made the decision to study the subject further at the University of Aberdeen. I went on to earn my degree and started my career in the laboratory but not in healthcare. Instead, I went to work as part of the asset integrity team at ChampionX.

For many years, our focus at ChampionX has been to support our customers to responsibly maximise their operations through the creation of environmentally positive products. Now, this focus has expanded to include the reduction of carbon footprints, implementation of waste reduction efforts, and the innovation of solutions for efficient resource use. Innovation is something I’m genuinely excited by, and now is the time for all of us to really think creatively and deploy our diverse skills and capabilities. This will enable us to drive continuous improvement and positively impact the industry for generations to come. 

One project I have loved to be involved with at ChampionX is our new, Extended Release (XR) platform for scale squeezes, which utilises nanoparticles to improve chemical efficiency. This technology extends the application lifetime by three times, allowing us to minimise the handling and shipments of chemistry and improve the safety and uptime of our customers’ assets whilst significantly reducing carbon emissions.

These types of innovative projects allow me to explore new ideas and are critical to ensuring we produce energy as efficiently as possible. It’s a very exciting time to be part of these changes and new ideas in the industry. Now, more than ever, we at ChampionX are thinking about how we can support our customers to maximise recovery and efficiencies. We must continue to work together and utilise our extensive skills and experience to help improve their operations, protecting their assets and supporting them as we move towards the future of the energy industry.

Effective implementation of chemical technologies is a key way to support the energy transition, not only by providing offerings from sustainable sources, but also by prolonging the lifespan of aging assets and infrastructure. There are many areas where chemical technologies can play a part now, and in the future, such as with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). I’m grateful my career in energy has allowed me to explore these adjacent opportunities and continue to expand my knowledge base.

For those thinking about a career in energy – go for it! As we shape the future of the industry, you’ll get be a part of something that is changing, innovating and continuously improving. We need people with all different kinds of skill sets, and most of all, people who are excited about actively driving change forward.