These links to industry and diversity organizations and media, are the places you can use to stay current on oil and gas trends, industry networking opportunities and the people you need to know to build your knowledge about steering your company toward energy success.
Industry Organizations
These organizations are an excellent resource for networking, information, educational programs and connections to specific opportunities.
The American Gas Association (AGA)
The American Petroleum Institute (API)
The Gas Processors Association (GPA)
The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA)
The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC)
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufactures (AFPM)
The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA)
The Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA)
Industry News
Keep up with the latest trends in the energy industry with these stories compiled from external sources. Visit the Industry Media tab for more information on the energy industry.
Shell Begins Construction on Main Phase of Cracker
Shell Reports 'Good Progress' on Pennsylvania Cracker Site Prep
Is the boom back? Drillers to spend $25 billion more in 2017
Shell unconventional plan tuned for recovery
Race to Bottom on Costs May Cause Oil to Choke on Supplies
US export demand reviving midstream companies
U.S. set to become energy exporter by 2026
Innovation Here to Stay as Oil, Gas Industry Seeks Competitive Edge
The U.S. Is Now a Net Exporter of Natural Gas
Shell Cracker Plant Takes Shape In Beaver County
Oil, Gas Important in Ways Other Than Use as Fuels
IEA Changes View on Oil Glut, Sees Surplus Enduring in 2017
Big Oil’s New Focus on Natural Gas
Shell Says While Gas Is the Future, It Won’t Be Traded Like Oil
How Artificial Intelligence Could Help Transform The Oil Industry
U.S. energy independence looks tantalizingly close
The Future of Big Oil? At Shell, It’s Not Oil
US holds more oil than Saudi Arabia
Shell puts revamped shale arm at heart of future growth
As natural gas surpasses coal, opportunity for Houston
Oilfield technologies to keep an eye on
Industry Media
In the extremely cyclical oil and gas industry, following some of these industry publications can give you excellent insight into not only general industry trends and the people who are making the decisions, but ways that you may need to adapt your product or service in order to capture oil and gas business.
The oil and gas industry, like others, is always looking for innovation and increased efficiency. You may discover that the more you know, the more able you are to come up with relevant innovations that really set you apart from the crowd.
Industry Events
Make 2017 count and come meet with Supplier Diversity and Procurement professionals to learn about opportunities working with Shell.
January 25, 2017 Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon (Houston, TX)
March 21 - 23, 2017 Women's Business Enterprise National Council Summit & Salute (New Orleans, LA)
March 29, 2017 National Council of La Raza 29th Annual Capital Awards (Washington, D.C.)
April 26, 2017 Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Selected Initiatives - 40th Annual Luncheon & Business Expo (Houston, TX)
May 17, 2017 National Minoristy Supplier Diversity Countil 2017 Leadership Awards (New York City, NY)
June 20 -22, 2017 Women's Business Enterprise National Council 20th Annual National Conference & Business Fair (Las Vegas, NV)
July 4, 2017 League of United Latin American Citizens 87th Annual National Convention & Exposition (San Antonio, TX)
July 8-11, 2017 National Council of LaRaza Annual Conference (Phoenix, AZ)
July 26 - 29, 2017 National Urban League Save Our Cities Expo (St. Louis, MO)
October 22-25, 2017 National Minority Supplier Development Council 2017 National Conference & Business Fair (Detroit, MI)
Diversity Organizations
These partner organizations are an important piece of the picture for Shell’s ability to find diverse companies and for diverse companies to find opportunities with Shell and other large corporations, with prime suppliers, and with other small businesses.
They provide events where M/WBEs can network with Shell diversity team members and purchasing professionals. They offer educational opportunities where you can improve your business skills and those of your team members. And, some of them provide the all-important certification that helps establish M/WBEs’ credibility.
Shell is committed to working with our partners to help improve business skills through educational programs like the Tuck-WBENC Executive program, HMSDC’s Levels of Excellence, numerous Lean Six Sigma trainings, How to Do Business with Shell, and Energy Insights.
Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC)
Dallas-Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council (DFWMSDC)
Golden Triangle Minority Business Council (GTMBC)
Houston Minority Business Development Agency (HMBDA)
Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC)
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA)
Nation Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SMSDC)
Southern Region Minority Supplier Diversity Council (SRMSDC)
United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)
Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance (WBEA)
Womens’ Enterprise Council South (WBEC)
Diversity Publications
Watch these publications for upcoming events, success stories, insight into supplier diversity issues/developments, and profiles of some of the people you may want to get to know to advance your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Shell’s Supplier Diversity Program
What is different about Shell’s new diversity strategy?
In the past we have taken information from everyone who comes to us and invited them to register in our system, hoping to find opportunities for them in Shell. Going forward, we will be seeking out companies with services and products that Shell will be purchasing in the near/medium term and putting more in-depth information about their capabilities/features into our new system. We will then be able to focus on developing their opportunities, advocating for these specific vendors and monitoring/facilitating their progress throughout the Shell system.
We will begin phasing out our traditional “register via our website” response at expos, events and matchmakers. We will begin to only “register” those suppliers whom we both agree warrant further action. And we will be clear about that proposed action.
Why is Shell making this change?
Supplier Diversity can’t create opportunities in Shell where there are none. We will focus our engagement on those buyers with products or services that match specific opportunities over the near/medium term. We can better use our limited resources to be advocates for companies who fit these specific needs within Shell as we develop a laser focus on their current and potential capabilities.
This will also allow us to develop a stronger Capacity Building program to help high-potential suppliers become business ready.
What are the benefits of this change?
For our vendors, the benefits are:
- Knowing that the diversity team will be better connected with, and have access to, purchasing opportunities across Shell’s buying universe.
- Vendors entered in the Pipeline Process will be more effectively supported by the Supplier Diversity Team to navigate the Shell procurement process for real opportunities.
- Vendors who are not put into the system right now will save their valuable business development time for pursuing opportunities with higher business potential. And, the information we develop can help them get better prepared to qualify for future opportunities.
- Everyone in our potential supply chain will have access to better information about how to prepare for future opportunities and when those opportunities are most likely to arise.
For Shell, the benefits are:
- A better understanding of where the real supply opportunities are and how we can make the connections.
- A more efficient process that helps us improve how we make those (fruitful) connections.
- A real-time understanding of opportunities as they arise.
- Improved ability to track and evaluate and improve the effectiveness of the programs we initiate as well as those of our external Supplier Diversity and Diversity Outreach partners.
What will Shell do about the companies that don’t match any near/medium term opportunities?
We have information to share with these companies so they may be able to adapt a product or service to better meet Shell’s specific needs or, to recognize that they really don’t have a fit within Shell.
Where appropriate, we will seek 2nd Tier opportunities or help connect them to pursue business with fellow diverse businesses and with other corporate peers.
What about companies providing services or products that Shell needs, but where a long term contract is in place?
We will not input their information into the system until closer to the end of those existing contracts. It will be the interested company’s responsibility to monitor the status of those contracts and start their qualifying process as the time approaches where opportunities for these commodities or services may be arising.
Suppliers should stay connected and active with their supplier diversity councils, which provide an ongoing forum to reconnect with Shell Supplier Diversity and procurement focal points. Diversity councils will also be a key resource we will contact for input on potential suppliers as the time frame for procurement opportunities approaches.
Follow us on Twitter for the latest information on procurement opportunities, 2nd tier initiatives, events, and other Shell Supplier Diversity news.
How will Shell impact those suppliers that never make it into their new supplier system/strategy?
Shell will continue to engage the supplier community directly and openly during expos, dinner/lunch events and business matchmaking events to engage with suppliers interested in finding their fit.
Shell will continue to offer capacity building training through our chambers and councils during their events to support the development of the broader M/WBE community.
Our strategy refresh is meant to streamline and identify more opportunities for suppliers where potential exists to do business in Shell’s supply chain, by helping Supplier Diversity to usher them through the procurement process more effectively.
Follow us on Twitter for the latest information on procurement opportunities, 2nd tier initiatives, events, and other Shell Supplier Diversity news.
What does Find Your Fit mean?
Shell recommends that each supplier use the resources available to dig into a company’s processes and activities to truly find where the supplier’s product or service fits best. Also, for large corporations it is recommended that a supplier understand the business units, operational footprint, and environment in which that corporation performs its business ... and ask the question; “Where is the best logistical fit for my business solution in the energy supply chain?”.
It also means, prior to stating that your company can be a great partner to ours, be sure you have had the right conversations with us, to substantiate this statement.
You should be able to describe, in detail, how your company found your fit with the last company where you had business success.
What resources should I focus on when trying to Find My Fit?
Read the latest press releases, speeches or remarks given by Senior Leaders within your targeted corporations. You can typically find these in the media sections of their websites.
Understand what are the top business challenges facing the corporations on your target list. What about their industry? Does your product or service address or connect to these challenges? Leverage industry associations, publications and other such resources for industry knowledge.
Be sure you have a well-developed value proposition on your product or service. The typical value proposition sheet tells us what you do, what you’ve done and who you did it with. Very rarely does it state the clear VALUE that your product service provided for your previous/ current clients. Having a closer connection to those values may help you find your fit elsewhere.
What is the best way to use my time at expos and events to find my fit?
- You may actually come across some immediate needs, just by being in the right place at the right time with the right product or service. It happens, but not often.
- We recommend that you develop a list prioritizing your top 5 corporations and/or peer prospects prior to attending an event.
- Start out the event being laser focused on meeting multiple representatives within those companies. (large corporations – minimum of 6 contacts)
- We even suggest asking other corporations and peers to tell you what they know about your targeted companies. It saves time, and can provide candid, useful information.
- Prioritize your contacts based on your connections ... then start learning more and more about the companies, their business processes, top challenges and needs.
