Oil & Gas
HR expertise built for the realities of the energy sector — from wellhead to headquarters.
Houston is the energy capital of the world. Oil and gas has shaped this city's workforce for generations — but today's energy companies operate in a very different environment. Commodity cycles shift without warning. Experienced workers are retiring. New talent weighs risk, culture, and flexibility differently than prior generations. Safety and environmental compliance continue to intensify.
For energy startups and growing oil and gas operators, these pressures arrive without the infrastructure established companies rely on — and the margin for error is thin.
Nine22 Solutions provides HR consulting built specifically for the oil and gas sector. I'm Victoria Adams Forsberg, and I work with operations-driven organizations where workforce decisions have direct operational consequences. In oil and gas, HR missteps don't stay contained — they show up as safety incidents, project delays, compliance exposure, and lost credibility.
Built for Energy Companies Operating Without Margin for Error
Energy Startups and Emerging Operators
Building credibility, compliance, and capability from day one.
You're building an oil and gas company from the ground up — acquiring assets, assembling your first teams, and establishing credibility in a competitive talent market. You need HR infrastructure that works for a lean organization today and scales without rework as you grow. You're competing against companies with established employer brands and deeper pockets. Nine22 helps energy startups build a compliant, credible foundation that attracts the right people without slowing momentum.
Independent Oil and Gas Companies
Established enough to feel the pressure. Lean enough to feel the risk.
You've moved beyond startup mode, but you're not a major energy company — and you feel that gap daily. Safety compliance, compensation decisions, and workforce planning tied to project cycles are no longer optional or informal. At the same time, building a full HR department doesn't make sense for your size or structure. You need experienced HR support that understands oil and gas operations and business realities, without adding unnecessary overhead.
Field Services
Field service work in oil and gas is cyclical by nature. Crews move across multiple sites, often under demanding conditions where safety risks are real and consequences are immediate. Managing this kind of workforce requires more than generic HR policies — it requires a clear understanding of field operations, crew dynamics, and how to lead and support people working in remote, mobile environments.
Upstream, Midstream & Downstream Operations
Across upstream, midstream, and downstream environments, oil and gas work spans exploration and production at the source, the movement and processing of product through pipelines and facilities, and the delivery of finished energy to market. These operations run around the clock in safety-critical, highly regulated settings where consistency and readiness are non-negotiable. HR challenges are immediate and operational — maintaining stable shift coverage, preparing for emergency response, navigating labor dynamics, and supporting compliance without disrupting infrastructure that cannot stop.
The HR Challenges Unique to Oil and Gas
Oil and gas companies don't struggle with "HR problems" in the abstract. They deal with workforce challenges that directly affect safety, uptime, compliance, and credibility. When people systems break down in this industry, the consequences are immediate.
- Cyclical Demand and Workforce Volatility
- Hiring surges and contractions are part of the oil and gas business. Scaling crews quickly without lowering standards — and scaling back without losing critical experience — requires planning and discipline. Energy companies that rely on reactive hiring and layoffs feel the impact longest when conditions shift again.
- Safety-Critical Roles and Accountability
- In oil and gas, hiring decisions, training gaps, and poor supervision don't just affect performance — they create real safety exposure. HR practices must reinforce safety culture, accountability, and readiness at every level, not undermine them.
- Field and Operations Workforce Complexity
- Oil and gas organizations often manage multiple work environments at once: field crews, operations teams, and corporate staff. These groups operate differently, expect different things, and face different risks. Treating them the same creates friction; managing them in silos creates misalignment.
- Specialized Talent and Tight Labor Markets
- Engineers, technicians, supervisors, HSE professionals — the talent pool in oil and gas is limited and competitive. Attracting and retaining experienced people requires more than competitive pay. It requires clarity, structure, and leadership people trust.
- Regulatory and Compliance Pressure
- OSHA, environmental regulations, transportation requirements, and contractor oversight intersect directly with HR through training, documentation, reporting, and enforcement. Compliance can't be an afterthought — HR systems must support it by design.
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How Nine22 Solutions Supports
Oil and Gas Operations
Nine22 Solutions delivers HR support built for the operational realities of the oil and gas sector — not generic programs adapted after the fact. The focus is simple: protect safety, support performance, and give leaders clarity without adding unnecessary overhead.
- Fractional HR Leadership — Senior HR leadership embedded in your organization, scaled to your size, structure, and operational demands.
- HR Advisory — Direct, experienced support for complex terminations, investigations, restructures, and high-risk people decisions.
- Compensation Strategy — Practical pay structures for specialized talent that remain competitive through commodity cycles without eroding internal equity.
- HR Infrastructure — Policies and systems built for oil and gas operations — integrating safety, compliance, and field realities from the start.
- Leadership Development — Developing field and operational leaders who reinforce safety culture, accountability, and execution.
Why Oil and Gas Companies Choose Nine22
I built Nine22 around operations-driven industries because that's where HR decisions carry real consequences. In oil and gas, experience matters — and understanding how the work actually gets done makes the difference.
I built Nine22 around operations-driven industries because that's where HR decisions carry real consequences. In oil and gas, experience matters — and understanding how the work actually gets done makes the difference.
I understand:
1.
The difference between drilling, completions, and production — and how each drives distinct workforce needs
2.
Why a land professional's compensation structure looks nothing like an engineer's
3.
How to manage crew rotations and field schedules without burning people out
4.
The regulatory framework that shapes hiring, training, documentation, and accountability
5.
What it takes to build an employer brand in oil and gas when you're competing against major operators
Nine22 supports oil and gas companies across the Houston metro area — from downtown headquarters and the Energy Corridor to the Ship Channel to field operations in the Permian, Eagle Ford, and beyond. Whether you're an energy startup with a small team or a growing organization managing complex operations, I bring senior-level HR expertise scaled to fit your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work with energy startups or only established companies?
Yes. Energy startups are a core part of my work, alongside established and growing oil and gas organizations. Startups face unique challenges — building credibility in the talent market, establishing HR infrastructure from scratch, and competing for experienced professionals without major-company resources. Nine22 helps energy startups build strong, compliant people systems that scale as the business grows, without the overhead of a full HR department.
How do you support companies through commodity cycle upswings and downturns?
Workforce planning through commodity cycles is a core competency. During growth phases, I help oil and gas organizations scale thoughtfully without sacrificing hiring standards or culture. During downturns, I guide restructuring decisions that maintain compliance, preserve critical capability, and position the organization to respond quickly when conditions shift again. The goal is flexibility without instability.
Can you support contractor-heavy energy and field service operations?
Yes. Contractor use is common across oil and gas and field services, and it requires intentional structure. Nine22 supports organizations in managing contractor relationships with clear practices around safety integration, documentation, supervision, and co-employment risk. The focus is on reducing exposure while maintaining the operational flexibility these environments demand.
Ready to discuss your oil and gas workforce needs? Schedule a conversation with Nine22 Solutions.