February 13, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 30 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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HONORING DR. STEPHEN A. HOLDITCH; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 30
(House of Representatives - February 13, 2020)
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[Pages H1150-H1151] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING DR. STEPHEN A. HOLDITCH The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2019, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores) for 30 minutes. (Mr. FLORES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. FLORES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Stephen A. Holditch of College Station, Texas, who passed away unexpectedly on August 9, 2019. Before I continue our discussion about Steve, I want to give some context about the importance of his professional career. Let me state, first, that Steve considered his roles as a husband, a father, and a grandfather to be his most important. Because of the exceptional way that he lived those roles, his legacy is readily apparent in the lives of those he left behind--his wife, Ann; his daughters, Katie and Abbie; and their five grandchildren. The discussion of his professional accomplishments starts with a description of current energy metrics. Today, the United States of America is blessed to be the number one producer of oil and gas in the world. As of this year, we are a net exporter of oil and natural gas. Reserves of American oil and natural gas rank us among the top 10 countries in the world. We also lead the industrialized world in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions over the last two decades. {time} 1245 Ten years ago, no one would have ever predicted that we would be where we are today. This new world of American energy dominance is having dramatic implications, both domestically and internationally. We have secure, stable, environmentally responsible, and attractively-priced energy sources for American families and businesses. We have become a reliable source of energy for our allies, giving them flexibility to move away from unstable Russian and Middle Eastern energy suppliers. The oil and gas sector of our economy has created millions of good jobs and great paychecks for hardworking Americans. Our balance of trade payments has improved, and our geopolitical position has strengthened. This dramatic energy renaissance didn't happen by accident or because of government. It is because of the result of American ingenuity, research, and bold leadership. While no one person is solely responsible for this seismic shift in American energy, there are a number of bold leaders who took these challenges that looked impossible to solve and then solved them; particularly in the area of stimulation of low permeability, or ``tight'' reservoirs. Their developments, studies, research, and field experiments using horizontal drilling and very large hydraulic fracturing treatments revolutionized American oil and natural gas and transformed our economy and our security. One of those bold leaders was the late George P. Mitchell, Texas A&M Class of 1940. Another is the person that we are honoring today, Dr. Stephen A. Holditch, Texas A&M Class of 1969. Stephen Holditch was born on October 20, 1946, in Corsicana, Texas, to Damon and Margie Holditch. Growing up, Steve and his family moved often while his father pursued a career in the oil and gas industry. He spent most of his childhood in San Antonio before moving to Richardson, Texas for his final year of high school, where he graduated in 1965. Following graduation, Steve attended Texas A&M University, where he joined the Corps of Cadets and began his journey as a Fighting Texas Aggie. Steve quickly excelled, both in academics and in the Corps of Cadets. While at A&M, he was a member of Company F-1, a member of the prestigious Ross Volunteers Honor Guard, and a member of the Ross Volunteers Firing Squad. During his senior year, he served as Second Battalion Commander. [[Page H1151]] In 1969, Steve graduated from A&M with a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering. He continued at A&M to earn a master's degree in the same discipline. Steve began his career with Shell Oil Company in Houston, Texas. Much of his work over his 5 years at Shell was focused on designing and pumping large hydraulic fracture treatments to stimulate production from the deep, low permeability, geopressured gas reservoirs in South Texas. It was his work with hydraulic fracturing that inspired him to return to Texas A&M and that set him apart from his peers as a true legend in the oil and gas industry for the advancement of this critically important technology. One day in 1970, Steve was riding the elevator at work and met Ann Friddle, who was also working at Shell. Steve and Ann were married 6 months later, on January 9, 1971, and they had been married for over 48 years when he passed away. He and Ann returned to College Station, and he pursued a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering, which he completed in 1975. In 1976, Steve joined the Texas A&M petroleum engineering faculty and, as if he didn't have enough to do as a young father and as a new professor, he started his own consulting company, S.A. Holditch & Associates. S.A. Holditch & Associates quickly became a worldwide powerhouse in the petroleum engineering space. Over the years, Steve earned a reputation for being able to solve the most difficult petroleum engineering problems, especially those dealing with low permeability reservoirs needing stimulation, typically through hydraulic fracturing. He was distinctly proud of the work Holditch & Associates did alongside the Gas Research Institute to advance understanding of low permeability sandstones, shales, and coalbed methane. After over 20 years of success, Steve chose to sell Holditch & Associates to Schlumberger, where he stayed on as a fellow, the highest technical designation in that organization. As a Schlumberger fellow for 5 years, Steve traveled extensively to help solve some of the world's most difficult petroleum engineering problems. In 1995, at age 49, Steve was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the highest honor that can be given to an engineer. After many years of service to the Society of Petroleum Engineers, or the SPE, Steve was elected to the board of directors, then vice president of finance, and finally president of this global organization with over 70,000 members. He was awarded almost every recognition that SPE has to give, including three of the society's top awards. He was elected as an SPE honorary member in 2006, the highest award that SPE can bestow upon an individual and was officially named a Legend of Hydraulic Fracturing by SPE in 2014. While Steve enjoyed many professional successes in the commercial regime, many of his greatest accomplishments were at Texas A&M University, where he served on the faculty for 37 years. During his tenure, he taught 97 courses and served on over 150 graduate committees. From 2004-2012, Steve worked as head of the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering. During this time, he revitalized the Crisman Institute for Petroleum Research, and saw the number of students in the petroleum engineering department more than double. Under his leadership, the department quickly earned a reputation as the number one ranked university petroleum engineering department in the world. It was during his time at Texas A&M that he created his second legacy for America's hydrocarbon industry; the thousands of Aggie petroleum engineers who work around the world every day utilizing Steve's teaching and mentoring to solve the world's greatest energy challenges. Their work, alongside the work of other industry legends, like George P. Mitchell and Michel T. Halbouty, along with Stephen Holditch, have contributed significantly to America's energy dominance that is changing the world today. In 2013, Steve retired from the faculty after many years of dedicated service to the Texas A&M community. Throughout his life, Steve often credited Texas A&M University as the foundation from which his success grew. He praised the values instilled in all Aggies and, in 2014, was named a Texas A&M Distinguished Alumnus, an honor he richly deserved for a life of service and devotion to his beloved university. In thanking the Aggie community, Steve said: ``You will look back at your years at Texas A&M as one of the best periods in your life. Always remember the Aggie Code of Honor.'' In 2016, Steve was inducted into the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor, an award which made him prouder and happier than perhaps any award he had received in his life. While in retirement, Steve enjoyed spending time in Bryan-College Station with his wife, Ann, their two daughters, and their five grandchildren. As a season ticket holder to a variety of Texas A&M sports, Steve continued to support the Aggies, but Fighting Texas Aggie football remained closest to his heart. Steve contributed a great deal to the Texas A&M community, and can be described as a model Texas Aggie, who was true to his core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service. One of my favorite phrases that Steve often used was: ``I reserve the right to get smarter.'' That is what he did best, always pushing to find solutions to the world's toughest oil and gas challenges. Madam Speaker, Steve's life was defined by his dedication to his family and his friends, his world-changing accomplishments in energy, and his true love of Texas A&M University. He will be forever remembered as a true pioneer in his field, a devoted husband, a father, a grandfather, a teacher, a mentor, and a friend. My father has a saying: ``Go make a hand.'' Madam Speaker, Steve Holditch truly ``made a hand'' for his family, his university, his community, our country, and our world. My wife, Gina, and I offer our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Holditch family. We also lift up the family and friends of Steve Holditch in our prayers. I have requested that the United States flag be flown over our Nation's Capitol to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Stephen A. Holditch. As I close, I would ask all Americans to continue praying for our country during these difficult times, for our military men and women who protect us from threats abroad, and for our first responders who keep us safe here at home. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________
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