October 2025 - Craig Watkinson

A bit about Craig Watkinson
What do you find most fascinating/ challenging about the O&G industry?
That in my role, I specify materials with very similar chemical structures (except a few choice Elements added!) to the very fluids we are trying to tame, and they work!

What is your hobby and why?
I have four (yes 4) children aged 15 to 4... hobbies. No time!  Seriously, when I do I watch football (Soccer, played with feet) and follow my local team Chesterfield FC.

Have you had a mentor in the industry, and what valuable lesson/catch phrase has that person passed to you?
Many people have shaped my career as an Engineer, from my high school Chemistry teacher who once told me "Watkinson, one day you'll need this chemistry stuff, so pin back your ears and listen!"  I lived those words when I went into sealing and saw him about 15 years ago and reminded him.  My father was probably the largest influence, being a coal mining engineer, I was always surrounded by mechanical stuff and a "measure twice, cut once" mentality.  

What do you enjoy most about your job, and what advice to you have for others?
I enjoy solving problems WITH customers, imparting my knowledge and helping them to understand the rationale for the thoughts and solutions I am proposing.  I work by a 60% rule; understand your customers system/problem at least 60% as well as they do (you don't need to be an expert in their field) and help them to understand at least 60% of the solution.  This way even if you are poles apart in knowledge you have  10% window of common understanding in which to explore the  issue.  Oh and as an engineer, remember you have a critical mass of two!  Always be a "Hunter for Information" and never stop learning.  Failure, although not an option for NASA (at least not when it counts!) is the best score card an engineer will ever have!

How long have you been with EPG, and what brings you back year after year?
I used to attend EPG with a previous employer many years ago and when I joined ERIKS (the former name for XMEK) and they said they wanted me to actively participate in the EPG I jumped at the chance, meeting and learning from others in the industry feeds my own advice.  We have a lot of new, enthusiastic and capable people joining our industry and the EPG is a great vehicle to help them navigate some of the industry and its complexities.