Lianne Armpriester

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Lianne Armpriester always preferred math, science and the challenge of solving complex problems. That love of problem-solving has translated into a breadth of experience in her career in the oil and gas industry, where she “learned early that sometimes the least defined path can be the most rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to grow yourself and grow others.” Supporting the development of others is a passion of hers, just as others have invested in her development along the way. Ampriester believes “if you frame each role as a chance to learn as much as you can, expand your knowledge and network, and deliver consistently and with excellence, then the next door will open.”

Why did you enter the oil and gas industry?
As a child, I learned that I loved things like building a mousetrap car or creating a contraption to protect an egg from breaking when dropped from the second floor. I conducted real experiments to get to the right result—pilot, fail, learn, adjust, repeat, solve. My father, an engineer and lawyer, told me “get your engineering degree, and then you can be anything you want,” so I earned a B.S. in chemical engineering and was recruited by Chevron as a Petroleum Engineer. Almost 20 years later, I still love the challenge of problem solving and driving to the right result.

What has been your most challenging project to date, and how did you meet the challenge and accomplish your goal?
Establishing a new business, even within a well-established Fortune 50 company, is extremely challenging. Helping build the carbon capture, utilization and storage portfolio, growing the footprint across a global value chain, and establishing public-private partnerships to enable that progress across multiple jurisdictions was an incredible experience. The ability to navigate gray space, determine how to make “smart” investments, adjust to a dynamic macro-environment and build a team capable of the same were the key enablers.

What qualities do you think are necessary to be a good leader in the oil and gas industry?
What it takes to lead in our industry continues to evolve. The pace of change today and for the foreseeable future will be unlike what our industry experienced in the past, so leaders need to provide clear strategic vision while also being adaptable to rapid changes in technology, global markets and regulatory environments. Now more than ever, leaders must demonstrate an aptitude for leading change with capability to provide clear direction toward a “North Star” for their organizations. Leaders also need to adapt to the reality of what it takes to motivate the workforce of the next generation(s) in a constantly evolving industry and macroenvironment.

What is the most valuable advice mentors have given you?
I had technical mentors who helped me learn to interpret well logs and make calls as the rig crew was waiting for direction. I had mentors who helped grow my business acumen to make decisions on portfolio management and support acquisitions and divestments to drive enterprise value. I had other mentors who challenged me to step outside my comfort zone. One mentor saw me doubting my ability to lean into applying for a position that I was as capable of doing as any of the other applicants, and she said, “Lianne, just do it!” I owe a lot to her encouragement to “lean in.”

Get to know the rest of the Forty Under 40 class of 2025.