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ROB MCCLENDON: HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP ON YOUR HORIZON.
WELL OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT ON OUR NATION'S ENERGY INDUSTRY
FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY PIONEERING NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
THAT HAVE UNLOCKED VAST ENERGY RESERVES.
TODAY, WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE INDUSTRY AND THE JOBS IT IS CREATING.
I WOULD TELL KIDS, THERE IS A HUGE FUTURE HERE.
THIS IS NOT A DYING INDUSTRY, IF ANYTHING IT'S ENJOYING A REBIRTH.
ROB: I VISIT WITH OKLAHOMA'S SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT, MICHAEL TEAGUE.
I THINK WATER IS THE LARGEST ISSUE FACING BOTH THE ENERGY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT SIDES OF OUR OFFICE.
ROB: IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA STANDARD, WE RECOGNIZE A COMPANY WHOSE
LOCAL MANUFACTURING EXPERTISE HAS TURNED IT INTO A PLAYER IN THE
GLOBAL ENERGY INDUSTRY.
AND WE WIND UP OUR DAY SHOWING YOU HOW AN ACCIDENT HAS TURNED INTO
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OKLAHOMA STUDENTS.
STAY WITH US FOR OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA'S INVESTMENT IN CAREERTECH PROVIDES MORE
THAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
IT PRODUCES SOLID FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE.
OKLAHOMA CAREERTECH, ELEVATING OUR ECONOMY.
MALE: AND, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
AND NOW, FROM THE CAREERTECH STUDIOS IN STILLWATER, HERE'S YOUR
HOST, ROB MCCLENDON.
ROB MCCLENDON: HELLO EVERYONE; THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE ON
HORIZON.
WELL OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMY RUNS ON ENERGY.
MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND OKLAHOMANS WORK IN THE
ENERGY INDUSTRY EARNING WAGES DRAMATICALLY HIGHER THAN THE STATE'S MEDIAN
INCOME.
YET THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THAT WORKFORCE MAY LOOK LIKE.
JOINING ME NOW IS OUR ANDY BARTH.
ANDY BARTH: THAT'S RIGHT ROB, WHILE THERE IS A HEALTHY NUMBER OF ENERGY
WORKERS IN THE INDUSTRY, MANY OF THOSE WORKERS ARE LOOKING TOWARD RETIREMENT,
LEAVING POSITIONS OPEN AND CONCERNS ABOUT QUALIFIED WORKERS.
AND WITH AMERICA RACING TOWARD ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, SOME FEAR
OUR UP AND COMING WORKFORCE ISN'T READY.
ANDY BARTH: FROM WIND TURBINES, TO UNDERGROUND DRILLING, AMERICA IS
ESTABLISHING ITSELF AS THE LEADER IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY INDUSTRY.
JEFF HUME: WELL RIGHT NOW WE'RE LEADING AN ENERGY REVOLUTION.
THE U S WILL BE ENERGY INDEPENDENT BY 2020.
ANDY: A GOAL THAT CONTINENTAL RESOURCES' JEFF HUME SAYS HAS JOB
POTENTIAL SPRINGING UP.
HUME: WHAT HAS SPRUNG IS, THE PETRO CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IS EXPLODING
RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S ABOUT NINETY-FIVE TO ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS
AND NEW PLANTS.
ANDY: LEAVING THE INDUSTRY IN NEED OF WORKERS, WITH THE RIGHT SKILLS.
HUME: IT DOES TAKE A PERSON WITH A GOOD TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, GOOD
SOLID MATH, GOOD COMPUTER SKILLS.
KRISTINE SCHMIDT: I WOULD TELL KIDS, THERE IS A HUGE FUTURE HERE.
THIS IS NOT A DYING INDUSTRY.
IF ANYTHING, IT'S ENJOYING A REBIRTH.
ANDY: ITC TRANSMISSION IS A KANSAS-BASED COMPANY THAT'S EXPANDING INTO
OKLAHOMA.
AND ITS PRESIDENT, KRISTINE SCHMIDT, SAYS WHILE THE INDUSTRY IS
GROWING, ITS WORKFORCE IS NOT.
SCHMIDT: WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE RETIREMENTS COMING UP OF LEGACY
KNOWLEDGE LEAVING OUR OPERATIONS.
SO OUR FRONTLINE TECHNICIANS, OUR FRONTLINE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, ETC.
, WELDERS, THEY'RE ALL STARTING TO RETIRE AND WE'RE NEEDING MORE AND
MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO INTO THOSE TYPE OF SKILLED POSITIONS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE TO BRING THAT TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITY.
ANDY: BUT MANY IN THE INDUSTRY WORRY THAT A GROWING SKILLS GAP BETWEEN
WHAT COMPANIES NEED AND WHAT EMPLOYEES OFFER COULD THREATEN FUTURE EXPANSION.
HUME: WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A LOT OF INDUSTRY IS JUST HAVING TO TRAIN
THEMSELVES.
SO, WE BRING PEOPLE IN AND JUST HAVE TO TRAIN THEM THEMSELVES.
ANDY: AND IT'S A PROBLEM THAT SCHMIDT SAYS CAN BE SOLVED WITH EARLY STEM
EDUCATION.
SCHMIDT: WE SEE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING
YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE MATHS, THE SCIENCES, THE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
CURRICULUM.
AND THEN ACTUALLY THEN COMING INTO THE ENERGY SPACE.
WE'RE SEEING A CHALLENGE OF KIDS ENTERING THAT FIELD.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO DO MORE TO CREATE INCENTIVES TO BRING THOSE KIDS INTO
THESE PROGRAMS.
ANDY: AND AT CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF JOB AVAILABILITY,
FROM FIELD TO DESK WORK.
HUME: AT THE WELL SITE, WE'RE NEEDING PEOPLE WITH MECHANICAL SKILLS THAT CAN
GET OUT THERE THAT ALSO UNDERSTANDS COMPUTERS.
IN THE OFFICE, WE NEED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
DRAFTING, JUST THE WHOLE REALM OF THAT TECHNICAL ABILITY, WE'RE NEEDING AS
A COMPANY.
ANDY: AND HUME SAYS FOR YOUNG WORKERS WITH THE RIGHT SKILLS, AMERICA'S
ENERGY INDUSTRY IS THE PLACE TO BE.
HUME: SO ALL OF THIS MANUFACTURING IS GOING TO BE OPEN.
SO FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, IN THE PETRO CHEM
INDUSTRY, OR THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, OR MANUFACTURING, JUST IN
PLAIN OL' MANUFACTURING, COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR NEW TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE FUTURE AND NOT SOME
FOREIGN COUNTRY.
ANDY BARTH: WELL NOW IN TERMS OF JOB GROWTH, OKLAHOMA'S ENERGY INDUSTRY
IS NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION TRAILING TO ONLY NORTH DAKOTA.
AND AS INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES CONTINUE TO SURFACE, OKLAHOMA'S JOB
GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO RISE.
ROB MCCLENDON: SO, HOW LUCRATIVE CAN SOME OF THESE CAREERS IN OIL AND
GAS, HOW LUCRATIVE CAN THEY BE?
ANDY: WELL ROB, THERE IS CERTAINLY MONEY TO BE MADE IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY.
AND DEPENDING WHERE WORKERS ARE IN THE INDUSTRY, SOME PEOPLE IN
THE FIELD ARE MAKING UP TO SIX FIGURE SALARIES.
ROB: CERTAINLY NOT A BAD OCCUPATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDY.
NOW WHEN WE RETURN, I'LL SIT DOWN WITH OKLAHOMA'S SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND
THE ENVIRONMENT, MICHAEL TEAGUE.
MALE ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON, FEATURING SOME OF THE GOOD
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL EXCLUDING FEDERAL OFFSHORE AREAS, OKLAHOMA IS NOW
FIFTH IN THE NATION FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRUDE OIL, AND ONE OF THE TOP
PRODUCERS OF NATURAL GAS.
NOW THIS COMES AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE SEEING SKYROCKETING DOMESTIC OIL
PRODUCTION THAT HAS THE UNITED STATES AT THE CUSP OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
EARLIER I SAT DOWN WITH OKLAHOMA'S SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT, MICHAEL TEAGUE.
WELL WHEN IT COMES TO OUR RESOURCES, PROBABLY NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN WATER, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF IT IN PARTS OF THE STATE, MAYBE NOT SO
MUCH IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.
BUT REALLY, CONSERVATION IS THE KEY TO, PROBABLY, A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS?
MICHAEL TEAGUE: I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO START WITH.
I THINK WATER IS THE LARGEST ISSUE FACING BOTH THE ENERGY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT SIDES OF OUR OFFICE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT INDUSTRY.
IT'S GOING TO IMPACT, AND ALREADY IS IMPACTING AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.
IT'S TO ME THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING THE STATE.
AND IT'S ONE THAT YOU HAVE TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF.
WATER PROJECTS TAKE A LONG TIME.
AND THE VERY FIRST THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE THE BEST USE OF WHAT YOU'VE
GOT.
YOU KNOW OUR BACKGROUND WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS WAS FOCUSED ON
THE SURFACE WATER IN OKLAHOMA.
AND IF YOU WERE AT LAKE TENKILLER, THEN DO YOU WANT THE WATER IN THE LAKE
FOR RECREATION AND FOR WATER SUPPLY USERS THERE?
OR DO YOU WANT THE WATER RELEASED AND DOWNSTREAM FOR DOWNSTREAM FISHERIES
IN THE COMMUNITIES DOWN BELOW?
THE ANSWER IS YES.
I MEAN YOU WANT IT IN BOTH PLACES.
WELL THERE'S A HYDROPOWER PROJECT THAT SITS IN THE MIDDLE SO IF YOU'RE GOING
TO LET THAT WATER LOOSE, OUT OF THE DAM, YOU OUGHT TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY
WITH IT.
AND AGAIN MAKE THE BEST USE.
AND BY THE WAY THAT WATER, AT TENKILLER, RUNS DOWN AND HITS THE NAVIGATION
SYSTEM ON THE MCCLELLAN-KERR ARKANSAS RIVER NAV SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT'S SUPPORTING THE NAVIGATION INDUSTRY FOR THE PORTS OF MUSKOGEE
AND JOHNSTON'S PORT 33 AND ALL THE WAY TO PORT OF CATOOSA.
SO, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE WATER YOU HAVE.
AND THAT'S ON A LARGE SCALE.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU DO AT THE SMALL SCALE?
AND HOW MUCH IMPACT COULD YOU HAVE?
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING IN YOUR HOUSE?
WELL YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE YOUR SPRINKLERS ON THIS MORNING
WHEN THERE'S SNOW OUT, ON THE GROUND.
AND I'D TELL YOU, I MEAN WE'VE DRIVEN ALL OVER THE STATE IN THE LAST COUPLE
OF MONTHS, AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ARE STILL TURNED
ON IN JANUARY IN OKLAHOMA.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE WATER GOES.
ROB: I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT ONE BECAUSE IT JUST MIGHT FREEZE ON THEM,
YEAH.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED INDUSTRY.
AND I'M JUST GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, OUR TOP INDUSTRIES, YOU'VE GOT
ENERGY.
YOU'VE GOT AGRICULTURE.
AND YOU'VE GOT TOURISM AND RECREATION; ALL THREE OF THOSE MAJORLY IMPACTED BY
OUR WATER SUPPLIES.
TEAGUE: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO MUCH OF THAT RELIES ON THE SURFACE WATER.
AND SO WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE LARGEST IMPACT OF THE DROUGHT IS REALLY THE
SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE AND THAT'S IMPACTED THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY,
REALLY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
I THINK LAST WEEK WHEN I CHECKED, LUGERT-ALTUS IS DOWN 30 FEET.
WE WERE OUT THERE JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO TALK ABOUT WATER AND TO BRING
TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF ALTUS AND THE AGRICULTURE USERS AND
FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN THEY DO TOGETHER TOWARDS FINDING A SOLUTION, MAKE
THE BEST USE OF THE WATER THEY'VE GOT.
AND THEN ARE THERE PROJECTS THAT THEY SHOULD INVEST IN COLLECTIVELY TO
INCREASE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE?
WE'RE SEEING THAT, THAT DROUGHT IMPACT NOW IS COMING DOWN THE RED RIVER.
AND SO WHERE IT'S BEEN IMPACTING LUGERT-ALTUS, WAURIKA, LAKE CAMPO OVER
ON THE TEXAS SIDE, TOM STEAD, FOSS.
NOW WE'RE SEEING THOSE IMPACTS ARE STARTING TO HIT LAKE TEXOMA.
SO LAKE TEXOMA RIGHT NOW.
TOURISM.
AND SO IT'S ABOUT 608, IS THE ELEVATION OF THE LAKE, AND THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT
NINE FEET LOW FROM WHERE IT NORMALLY WOULD BE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THE WATER SHED FOR TEXOMA IS ALL THOSE LAKES I JUST LISTED
THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE DROUGHT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
I MEAN THAT'S THE BUBBLE, THAT ALL FEEDS TEXOMA.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN DOWN THERE AND TALKED TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES AROUND
THERE AND I'VE ASKED THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR DROUGHT PLANS?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR WATER CONSERVATION?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CONSERVE YOUR WATER?
AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW MANY OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WILL SAY, HEY, THE LAKE IS
DOWN, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A DROUGHT, WE HAVE WATER.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ANY WATER CONSERVATION IN, BUT YET THE WATER THAT
THEY'RE TAKING OUT OF THE RIVERS, WHETHER IT'S THE BLUE OR THE WASHITA,
THAT'S WATER THAT COULD BE IN THE LAKE.
SO, I THINK WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WATER CONSERVATION AT THE
COMMUNITY LEVEL.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED BEFORE IF WE SEE, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF A STATE MANDATE.
I DON'T THINK WE SEE ANYTHING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I THINK THIS IS A MUNICIPAL ISSUE, AND THE COMMUNITIES CAN DEAL WITH
IT.
BARTLESVILLE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB, WITH WATER CONSERVATION.
OKLAHOMA CITY HAS STARTED.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME VOLUNTARY MEASURES IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
BUT I THINK IT'S TIME FOR THE COMMUNITIES REALLY TO STEP THAT UP A LITTLE BIT,
AND REALLY PUT SOME WATER RESTRICTIONS.
WE'VE BEEN STATIONED AROUND THE WORLD, AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE'VE
LIVED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE WATER RESTRICTIONS.
IT IMPACTS WHEN THEY FIRST START, AND THEN PEOPLE GET USED TO IT WE WERE THERE
IN COLORADO SPRINGS, AND ABOUT FIVE YEARS AFTER WE GOT THERE, THEY LIFTED THE
WATER RESTRICTIONS, NOBODY CHANGED.
ROB: AND WHAT EXACTLY DID THEY DO IN COLORADO SPRINGS?
TEAGUE: SO THEY DID THE ALTERNATE DAYS FOR WATERING YOUR YARD,
RESTRICTED WHEN YOU COULD WASH YOUR CAR, LARGE WATER USES LIKE THAT.
THEY CERTAINLY WENT TO THE INDUSTRIES AND ASKED THEM AND PUT CONSERVATION PLANS
IN PLACE.
WHAT WE SAW WHEN WE WERE IN COLORADO IS THAT FOLKS WENT FROM IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS TO XERISCAPE, AND GO BACK TO MORE NATURAL GRASSES AND SOME ROCK THAT
DIDN'T REQUIRE WATERING.
ROB: DEFINITELY, CHEAPER.
TEAGUE: IT'S MUCH CHEAPER.
AND IT'S A LOT EASIER TO MAINTAIN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CUT YOUR GRASS ON SATURDAY.
BUT AT THE END OF THAT FIVE YEARS WHEN THEY LIFTED THE WATER
RESTRICTIONS, PEOPLE DIDN'T PULL OUT THAT XERISCAPE AND GO PUT THEIR
LAWNS BACK IN, BECAUSE THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
AND SO IT WAS A BEHAVIORAL CHANGE, PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE
ENERGY EFFICIENCY ACROSS THE STATE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THE GOVERNOR'S 20 BY 2020 PROGRAM GETS, STARTS WITH A BEHAVIOR
CONSERVATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF STATE EMPLOYEES IN STATE
FACILITIES.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY MODELED OUT OF OSU, AND WHAT WAS DONE HERE ON THE
CAMPUS.
AND SO YOU CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR FIRST.
AND THAT'S WHAT I TALK ABOUT, ABOUT WATER CONSERVATION, WE HAVE TO
CHANGE THAT BEHAVIOR.
THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS, AND YOU MENTIONED THE INDUSTRY.
AND SO THAT REALLY GETS TO MORE RECYCLING AND RE-USE TYPES OF PROJECTS DEVON'S
GOT A WATER RECYCLING FACILITY OUT AT THE CANA-WOODFORD WHERE
THEY'RE DRILLING.
AND SO THEY'RE PULLING THE WATER BACK, THE FLOW-BACK WATER, BACK AND REALIZED
THAT THE QUALITY WAS GOOD ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY FILTER IT FAIRLY
EASILY AND THEN USE IT FOR THE NEXT WELL.
AND SO THEY WORKED FOR THE CORPORATION COMMISSION ON SOME OF THE REGULATORY
PIECES, BUT THEY'VE GOT A FACILITY SET THERE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY ARE PIPING
THE WATER BACK TO THIS FILTERING SYSTEM, PIPING IT BACK OUT TO THE NEXT
DRILL PAD.
AND THEY'VE TAKEN TRUCKS OFF THE ROAD, WHICH IS GREAT FOR COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS.
THEY'RE USING A LOT LESS FRESH WATER WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE DROUGHT.
AND THEY'RE SAVING THEMSELVES MONEY SO IT'S KIND OF A WIN-WIN-WIN.
IT'S A BIG OPERATION AND SO NOW THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE DO SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TO WHERE ALL THE OPERATORS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOMETHING
LIKE THAT?
EITHER GET THE COST OF TECHNOLOGY LOWER.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS TALK TO US THAT THEY HAVE MOBILE SOLUTIONS THAT
THEY COULD BRING OUT AND OPERATE REALLY FROM TRUCK TO TRUCK TO TANK BACK INTO
THE WELL, AND DO IT ON THE DRILL PAD.
WE'VE HAD SOME OTHER FOLKS COME AND TALK ABOUT SETTING UP MAYBE A CENTRAL
WATER RE-USE FACILITY AND THEN SPOKING OUT TO SUPPORT MAYBE MULTIPLE
OPERATORS AS THEY DRILL IN AN AREA.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SOLUTIONS OUT THERE.
AND I THINK INDUSTRY IS GREAT ABOUT FIGURING OUT HOW TO COME UP WITH THOSE,
AND THEN HOW TO USE THEM.
ROB: YEAH, AND BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT WILL SAVE THEM MONEY.
TEAGUE: IT DOES.
IT DOES.
ROB: YEAH, YOU KNOW, TAKING TO CLIMATOLOGISTS, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE
COULD JUST BE AT THE FRONT END OF A DROUGHT.
WHAT COULD THAT MEAN, FOR THE STATE?
TEAGUE: I ACTUALLY THINK WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
SOME FOLKS, AGAIN, WE GOT ALL THOSE STORMS LAST SPRING.
AND WE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD RAINS AUGUST, SEPTEMBER.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS SAID, CONGRATULATIONS THE DROUGHT'S OVER.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.
WE'VE BEEN IN A DROUGHT FOR THREE YEARS.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A DROUGHT FOR ANOTHER THREE.
IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK WITH THE CLIMATOLOGISTS, THIS REALLY LOOKS LIKE THE
1950S DROUGHT WHICH WAS '51 TO ABOUT '57, SO ABOUT SIX YEARS.
I THINK WE'RE IN THE SAME THING.
I THINK WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THAT IT'S STARTING TO IMPACT OTHER AREAS OF THIS
COUNTRY THAT AREN'T USED TO BEING IN DROUGHT.
SOUTHWEST PART OF THE UNITED STATES HAS ALWAYS HAD WATER, YOU KNOW,
ISSUES.
AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PUT INTO PLACE HAS LED TO ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE WATER SHORTAGES, OR RESTRICTIONS, COME ACROSS
THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTRY AND THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE NATION HAS
NEVER REALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH DROUGHT BEFORE.
AND SO THEY'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME ISSUES AS WELL.
ROB: NOW IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WOULD
INFLUENCE COMMUNITIES TO PUT SOME STRICTER STANDARDS IN PLACE?
TEAGUE: I THINK THERE ARE.
THINK THERE'S TWO PIECES TO IT.
I THINK THE FIRST PART IS, INFORMATION.
IT'S TALKING TO THE COMMUNITIES AND SAYING, LOOK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LAKE BEING LOW, THEN TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO
CONSERVE WATER THAT HELPS THAT LAKE; BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND I THINK TO BE
HONEST, AS WE'VE TRAVELED AROUND THE STATE, AND CERTAINLY AS I'VE TRAVELED
WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS THE LAST THREE YEARS AND WHAT I'VE DONE
WITH THE STATE IN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS, OKLAHOMANS HELP
OKLAHOMANS.
PEOPLE WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
YOU SAW THE RESPONSE TO THE STORMS, LAST SPRING.
I MEAN, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
OKLAHOMANS WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER.
AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART, GET THE COMMUNITIES INVOLVED.
THE SECOND PIECE GOES TO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH THE STATE AND THAT'S
TALK ABOUT WATER RE-USE.
AND SO, WHAT'S THE BEST USE OF WATER THAT'S COME OUT OF TREATMENT PLANTS?
DO YOU NEED FRESH WATER TO WATER A GOLF COURSE?
PROBABLY NOT.
THAT GETS TO A PERMITTING ISSUE AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND SO WE'RE WORKING
THROUGH RIGHT NOW OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ISSUE THOSE PERMITS.
I THINK WE'LL SEE THOSE PERMITS GET ISSUED PRETTY SOON.
ROB: ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH SECRETARY TEAGUE.
TEAGUE: THANKS.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: STILL TO COME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, CREATING JOBS OUT OF THIN
AIR; BUT FIRST, OUR OKLAHOMA STANDARD.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WE FIRST MET CHUCK MILLS LAST WEEK.
A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR MIDDLE CLASS JOBS, HE IS A PROPONENT OF TYING TODAY'S
EDUCATION TO THE JOBS THAT ARE OUT THERE, SOMETHING THAT HIS FAMILY COMPANY IS
A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF.
MILLS MACHINES HAS LITERALLY GROWN UP WITH OKLAHOMA'S ENERGY INDUSTRY
WHAT BEGAN AS A BICYCLE REPAIR BUSINESS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO IS
TODAY, A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MANUFACTURER OF EARTH BORING TOOLS,
DRILLING EQUIPMENT OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA STANDARD, WE RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO BELIEVES IN
THE MAGIC OF MANUFACTURING.
ALISA HINES: WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WATER, AND A LITTLE BIT OF FIRE, THERE'S MAGIC
HAPPENING AT MILLS MACHINE COMPANY.
CHUCK MILLS: WE START OFF WITH A SOLID PIECE OF STEEL, LIKE THIS AND THIS
IS PRETTY HEAVY, BUT IT'S SOLID ALLOY STEEL, AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THIS
PRODUCT, OR THIS RAW PIECE OF MATERIAL, AND MAKE IT INTO THIS PRODUCT.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A LITTLE GEO-CLAW.
THIS IS FOR THE GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY.
BUT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A, OBVIOUSLY THE BODY WOULD BE ALL
MACHINED.
IT'S GOT HOLES DRILLED IN IT FOR CIRCULATION.
AND THEN WE FABRICATE THESE CUTTERS TO IT.
BUT, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS PRODUCT, OR THIS RAW PIECE OF MATERIAL, AND
MAKE IT INTO THIS PRODUCT IS LIKE MAGIC TO ME.
ALISA: CHUCK MILLS IS PRESIDENT AND SAYS FINDING WORKERS TO HELP HIM MAKE
THE MAGIC ISN'T EASY.
MILLS: IT'S PRETTY TOUGH.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WITH MEDIA AND WITH PARENTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OH
LETS ALL GO TO COLLEGE AND BE A DOCTOR, BE AN ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW BE A
SCIENTIST, BE A FORENSIC SCIENTIST, WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT MANUFACTURING, AS A
CAREER.
AND THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.
YOU CAN EASILY MAKE FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A MANUFACTURING
ENVIRONMENT.
AND PEOPLE JUST DON'T REALIZE THAT.
ALISA: BUT TRAINING IS A MUST.
MILLS: IN MANY INSTANCES, OF COURSE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE.
THEY CAN GO TO A CAREERTECH, GET A CERTIFICATE, OR A
COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
WITH JUST A LITTLE EDUCATION, MAYBE EVEN JUST A YEAR OR TWO PAST HIGH
SCHOOL, YOU CAN BE KNOCKING DOWN SOME PRETTY GOOD DOLLARS.
YOU GOTTA KNOW THE SOFT SKILLS.
AND YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN JUST HAVE SOMEONE WITH SOME BASIC SKILLS THAT
WILL SHOW UP AND WANT TO WORK, THAT'S THE REAL KEY.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT, BEING CLEAN, SHOWING UP ON TIME, AND WANTING TO LEARN,
WANTING TO WORK.
AND OF COURSE MY COMPANY, LIKE MOST COMPANIES, THE MORE YOU KNOW THE MORE
YOU'RE GOING TO GET PAID.
SO IF YOU WANT TO LEARN, AND YOU WANT TO GET PAID MORE, THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO
DO IS HAVE THAT ATTITUDE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ATTITUDE IS THE WAY IT STARTS.
ALISA: AND ACCORDING TO CHUCK, THE MACHINING INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED.
MILLS: YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, JUST LIKE CONSTRUCTION, IT'S A HARD,
DIRTY JOB.
AND, YOU KNOW WE HAVE AN OLD SHOP HERE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1947, AND WHEN WE
GO OUT INTO IT YOU'LL SMELL A MACHINE SHOP, WHICH TO ME IS THE SMELL
OF MONEY.
LIKE PEOPLE SMELL OIL, THEY SMELL MONEY, THAT'S WHAT I SMELL; AND IT'S
JUST A LOT OF HISTORY.
BUT STILL, THE ENVIRONMENT IS CLEAN, YOU'RE WORKING IT WITH A COMPUTERIZED
EQUIPMENT AND IT'S REALLY NOT AS HOT AND DIRTY AND NASTY AS PEOPLE THINK.
ALISA: THOMAS COMBS HAS BEEN WORKING FOR MILLS MACHINE FOR OVER TWENTY
YEARS, AND SAYS THE CHANGES KEEP HIM ON HIS TOES.
THOMAS COMBS: WHEN I FIRST CAME TO WORK HERE, THE MACHINING SHOP WAS FULL OF
MANUAL MACHINES.
WE HAD NO CNC EQUIPMENT, TWO OLD SCREW MACHINES, AND ABOUT TWENTY HANDS
DOING THE WORK.
SINCE THEN, THEY'VE BOUGHT THE CNCS, THE MILLS, THE LATHES.
WE'VE CULLED DOWN TO WHERE THERE'S JUST ME RUNNING ON THE MANUALS NOW, AND
THERE'S THREE OF US DOING THE WORK THAT NEARLY TWENTY DID BEFORE.
ALISA: TYLER ROBINSON IS NEW TO THE SHOP AND SAYS HE LIKES MAKING THE MAGIC
HAPPEN.
TYLER ROBINSON: THERE WILL ALWAYS BE WORK FOR MACHINISTS IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOREVER, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL ANYWAY.
IT'S JUST A GREAT TRADE TO LEARN, AND IT KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES.
IT KEEPS YOUR MIND SHARP, BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS HAVING TO DO MATH OR
WHATNOT.
AND IT'S ALSO FUN.
ALISA: NOW CHUCK SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE A SMALL SHOP, THEY CAN STILL
COMPETE AGAINST BIGGER COMPANIES.
CHUCK MILLS: WE CAN COMPETE WITH THE BIG GUYS.
MATTER OF FACT, YOU KNOW IMAGE IS EVERYTHING, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE
WEBSITE, WITH MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, NO ONE WOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT
A FIVE HUNDRED PERSON COMPANY, BECAUSE WE MAKE SO MANY DIFFERENT
PRODUCTS, AND WE MAKE LARGE PRODUCTS.
I MEAN I'VE MADE DRILLING BITS THAT WERE 110 INCH DIAMETER.
SO WE'VE MADE REALLY BIG, MASSIVE-TYPE DRILLING BITS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY, AND THEN YOU KNOW THEN WE'VE MADE VERY SMALL THINGS AS WELL.
BUT, WE DO WORK WITH A LOT OF OEMS, AS WELL, MAKING PRODUCT FOR THEM, PRIVATE
LABEL.
BUT WE HAVE OUR OWN LINE AND THEN WE CUSTOM MANUFACTURE AND MODIFY
FROM THAT LINE AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO PEOPLES' DRILLING PROBLEMS.
ALISA: AND COMPETING WORLD-WIDE.
MILLS: MANUFACTURING IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING ELSE IS A SERVICE.
SO, IF WE'RE NOT MAKING THINGS, THEN WE'RE NOT GROWING.
AND THIS STATE NEEDS MANUFACTURING.
THE UNITED STATES NEEDS MANUFACTURING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COMPETE WITH A LOT OF GLOBAL INTEREST IN THE
WORLD.
WE COMPETE WITH CHINA AND EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AND SOUTH AMERICA EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
NO LONGER DO WE THINK ABOUT OUR COMPETITION IN THE NEXT STATE OUR
COMPETITION IS GLOBAL.
ALISA: LOCAL MANUFACTURING FOR A GLOBAL ECONOMY.
ROB MCCLENDON: NOW CHUCK TELLS US HE ISN'T ALONE IN NEEDING SKILLED WORKERS.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE ABOUT 4500 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS IN
THE STATE WHO EMPLOY ROUGHLY TEN PERCENT OF OUR STATE'S WORKFORCE.
CHUCK MILLS, PRESIDENT OF MILLS MACHINES AND THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA STANDARD.
ROB MCCLENDON: WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN HERE TODAY?
WELL ALL OF OUR EPISODES ARE STREAMING ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT
OKLAHOMA HORIZON TV.
OR YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY FREE PODCAST ON ITUNES.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WHEN A SEMI-TRUCK HEADING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BROKE ITS
AXLE, ITS CARGO, AFTER A FEW TUMBLES, WOUND UP IN THE DITCH.
IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE LOSS, BECAUSE THE CARGO WAS A TURBINE FOR A WIND TOWER.
BUT THANKS TO THE INGENUITY OF AN OKLAHOMA SCHOOL, THAT ACCIDENT HAS
TURNED INTO A LEARNING TOOL FOR STUDENTS STUDYING TO BE WIND TECHNICIANS.
HERE IS OUR ANDY BARTH.
ANDY BARTH: WE SEE THEM DOTTED ALONG ROADWAYS, POWERING OUR WORLD, AND
FOR THE WORKERS WHO MAINTAIN THESE GIGANTIC STRUCTURES, A LOT OF
TRAINING IS REQUIRED BEFORE HEADING UP.
DARIN CAMPBELL: EVERYBODY WANTS TO CLIMB A WIND TURBINE.
WELL YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WHEN YOU GET UP THERE.
ANDY: DARIN CAMPBELL IS A FORMER TOWER OPERATOR AND NOW TEACHES THE WIND TOWER
SAFETY COURSE AT FRANCIS TUTTLE.
CAMPBELL: THIS IS WHAT'S INSIDE THAT BIG WHITE BOX.
ANDY: SAFETY IS KEY WHEN WORKING ON WIND TURBINES.
AND CAMPBELL SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR HIS STUDENTS TO LEARN ON ACTUAL TURBINE
COMPONENTS.
CAMPBELL: A LOT OF SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED.
AND WITH THIS, I CAN ACTUALLY SHOW THEM WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE.
ANDY: AND FOR STUDENT, SHANNON BUCHANAN, THIS CAREER IS THE RIGHT FIT.
SHANNON BUCHANAN: MY FATHER WAS IN THE OIL FIELD, AND AS A KID I GOT
TO GO ON THE RIGS WITH HIM.
SO I WANTED TO GET INTO THAT TYPE OF FIELD.
AND WIND ENERGY HAS ALWAYS, JUST INTERESTED ME.
ANDY: WORKING ON WIND TURBINES REQUIRES EMPLOYEES TO LITERALLY
REACH NEW HEIGHTS.
BUT FOR BUCHANAN, THAT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
BUCHANAN: AS A KID I WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE FOR CLIMBING TREES AND
CLIMBING OVER FENCES AND STUFF, OR CLIMBING ON TOP OF THE HOUSE.
AND SO, I ACTUALLY LIKE HEIGHTS.
ANDY: TALL STRUCTURES AND EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE.
BUT THANKS TO THE EDUCATION FRANCIS TUTTLE OFFERS, COMPANIES DON'T
HAVE TO TRAIN NEW HIRES FROM CAMPBELL'S PROGRAM.
DARIN CAMPBELL: NOW THE THING UNIQUE ABOUT OUR CAREERTECH SYSTEM HERE IN
OKLAHOMA IS, WE CAN GIVE THAT TRAINING TO THESE GUYS OUT HERE WORKING.
AND THESE COMPANIES DON'T HAVE TO SEND THEM THROUGH AND PAY TO GET THEM
TRAINED.
THEY ALREADY COME TO THEM ALREADY WITH THOSE CERTIFICATIONS.
THEY'RE READY TO BE HIRED.
ANDY: GOOD NEWS FOR BUCHANAN WHO LOOKS FORWARD TO HELPING KEEP OUR WORLD
SUSTAINABLE.
BUCHANAN: I LIKE CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND GETTING
INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS A RENEWABLE ENERGY AND AN UPCOMING FIELD THAT I CAN
LEARN AND GROW FAST IN.
ANDY: TRAINING TO POWER OUR WORLD, ONE STEP AT A TIME.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH US THROUGHOUT THE WEEK JUST
HEAD TO OK HORIZON DOT COM WHERE YOU CAN SEE MORE OF ANY OF OUR STORIES, READ
OUR REPORTERS' BEHIND THE SCENES BLOGS, SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT US
ON TWITTER, AND FACE THE FACTS WITH OUR REGULAR UPDATES.
SO REACH OUT AND TOUCH US ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME.
ROB MCCLENDON: NEXT TIME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, WE MEET SOME OKLAHOMANS WHO
HAVE TAKEN THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, AND AS POET ROBERT FROST WROTE, THAT
HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
I DON'T THINK WE PLANNED ON IT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.
WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSIFYING IT'S JUST KIND OF HAPPENED.
WE GET ONE THING DONE, AND WE CONTINUALLY HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE NEED TO
DO.
ROB: CHOOSING YOUR OWN PATH ON OKLAHOMA'S SHOW FOR THE HEARTLAND,
OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL THAT IS GOING TO WRAP UP FOR THIS WEEK HERE ON HORIZON,
BUT BEFORE WE GO A QUICK PROGRAMMING NOTE.
NEXT SUNDAY IS MARCH 1ST, AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR SPRING FESTIVAL HERE
ON OETA, A CHANCE FOR YOU TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL
FAMILY-FRIENDLY PROGRAMMING OETA OFFERS; AND A TIME WE MAKE WAY FOR
SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMMING.
BUT HORIZON WILL CONTINUE TO AIR ON OETA'S OKLA CHANNEL MULTIPLE TIMES
DURING THE WEEK, AS WELL AS, ONLINE AT OK HORIZON DOT COM.
AND I WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THREE WEEKS I'M ROB
MCCLENDON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
MALE ANNOUNCER: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON.