Forty Under 40: Michael Wahl, Olympus Energy

Today’s featured Forty Under 40 honoree is Michael Wahl, senior vice president and COO of Olympus Energy, a privately owned oil and gas company developing a position in the core Marcellus, Utica, and Upper Devonian basins of southwestern Pennsylvania.

Hart Energy Staff

Tue, 12/22/2020 - 04:00 AM

Michael Wahl, senior vice president and COO of Olympus Energy, is today’s featured Forty Under 40 honoree.

Wahl came into the industry at the start of the shale gas revolution, alongside initial Marcellus development.

“This was a game changer for the country in general but also for the Pittsburgh region particularly, bringing a new growth industry with significant job creation,” he said. “Seeing the huge potential that was building in the industry at the time was a big draw for me. I wanted to be part of the dynamic innovation that was occurring.”

Wahl joined the strategic planning group at Anadarko Petroleum shortly after finishing his MBA at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business. He said Anadarko educated him about the business of this industry, particularly beyond the Appalachian Basin.

“Being in that role opened by eyes to see the broader global impact of what we do and exposed me to a culture of new and exciting ideas on how we can always strive to do it better,” he said.

Wahl credits that experience as preparing him for his next step in his career and leading to his role as senior vice president and COO at Canonsburg, Pa.-based Olympus Energy.

Joining Olympus was the first time in his career he had the challenge of stepping into a brand new development opportunity. Wahl said he was able “to help build an asset base, a company and a culture that was truly different.”