John de Wardt is a globally recognized consultant with 48 years of experience in the upstream oil and gas sector. With a career spanning 30+ countries and collaborations with more than 80 global clients, John has established himself as a leading expert in well construction and systems optimization. Growing up in North Yorkshire, England, volunteering on a narrow-gauge steam railway in Wales, de Wardt was immediately drawn to mechanical engineering. After graduating from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, de Wardt threw himself wholeheartedly into a career with Shell, which took him to The Hague in the Netherlands and the North Sea, Houston, USA, Bangkok, Thailand, and Miri, Sarawak. His career progressed through international drilling contractor Forasol / Foramer, then global service company Halliburton. Later, de Wardt started his consultancy, which brought him a life of travel, excitement, and unique challenges. Now known as a leading expert in lean manufacturing, borehole drilling, and more, de Wardt is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Distinguished Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and a frequent lecturer at SPE forums, workshops, and symposiums with no plans to retire anytime soon.