Drilling and Production (Onshore - Surface) Expert Witnesses: 4

Dr. John N. O’Brien has over 45 years of experience in Energy Markets, Technology, and Regulation as a thought leader and as an expert in the analysis of energy economics, promulgation of energy laws and regulation. 

Before he began providing litigation support services, Dr. O'Brien spent 10 years as a Full Scientist at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in its Department of Nuclear Energy (1976-1985),13 years as founder and CEO of several significant energy companies (1985-1998), 25 years as a high-level energy consultant and advisor with several nationally recognized consulting firms advising substantial corporate entities (1998-Present), and 20 years providing energy-related expert litigation support.

Litigation Support - Dr. O'Brien is a highly experienced litigation support expert having been engaged as a primary expert witness and subject matter expert in over 25 different judicial actions as well as numerous administrative regulatory proceedings involving energy-related matters. His extensive prior history as a high-level advisor in the energy sector has contributed to the success of numerous judicial matters in which he has been engaged resulting in well over $3.5 in judicial recoveries for his clients.

Dr. O'Brien possesses a very broad and deep level of expertise and extensive experience in the energy industry. He fully understands the details of energy regulatory economics as well as adherence to the applicable procedural and evidentiary requirements of judicial and regulatory litigation.

Areas of Expertise:

Cassandra K. Moody, MS, PE, the President and Principal Engineer of Time For Change, LLC., is a professional engineer with nearly 15 years of Pipeline Engineering and Operations experience encompassing Integrity Management Program (IMP) responsibilities.

Litigation Support - As a proficient expert in the midstream pipeline industry, Mrs. Moody has represented both plaintiffs and defendants on a variety of cases, both by testimony and through expert opinion reports. In-the-ditch pipeline operator expertise sets her apart from other desktop “experts.” Mrs. Moody’s retained engagements as an independent engineering expert have resulted in favorable resolutions for 100% of her clients to date.  Mrs. Moody is an effective communicator who excels at presenting complex information simply, both written and verbally.

Subject Matter Expertise:

Background Experience - Prior to establishing her own consultancy firm, she served in various regional operations engineering capacities, leading people and managing projects for a midsize North American pipeline operator as an Operations Engineer. Mrs. Moody has performed practical operations analysis of new and existing pipeline systems and facilities, of both natural gas and hazardous liquid product types, from operability optimizations, cost consciousness, and regulatory compliance perspectives throughout her career. She offers innovative solutions to achieve safe and efficient operations while communicating visionary changes in processes and procedures through training and encouragement across all levels of organizations to result in lasting, favorable change.

Mrs. Moody's company maintains national and local certifications as a Women’s Owned Small Business (WOSB), Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), and is recognized as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) in the state of Texas. She was a founding leadership team member of Young Pipeline Professionals, USA (YPP USA) and is active with the Society of Women Engineers – Houston Section (SWE) where she enjoys encouraging the next generation through activities such as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day outreach events. 

Mrs. Moody attributes her ability to support a wide variety of projects to her broad education foundation where she earned undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry and Genetics from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering through the University of Houston. She is registered with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors as a Mechanical Engineer.

Reese Energy Consulting (REC) has a suite of energy expert consultants with over 250 years of experience in all phases of the Oil, Gas, NGL, and LNG Space. The Reese brand is globally recognized, and the team has worked in virtually every US oil and gas basin, with clients ranging from small independents to major energy firms.  

Litigation Support - The team at REC has decades of experience in expert testimony, contract negotiations, and commodity marketing. Services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include document / site review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Steve Reese, CEO - As President of Reese Energy Consulting, Steve Reese leads his executive team from offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Houston and Austin. He offers more than 40 years of experience in Upstream and Midstream Processes, Energy Marketing, and Energy Research Projects, and is one of the industry’s leading authorities in Crude Oil, Natural Gas, NGLs, and LNG.

Steve's expertise spans every major U.S. producing basin and is sought out by the nation’s leading independent producers and midstream firms. He has managed literally thousands of natural gas transactions involving hundreds of million dekatherms in the Mid-Continent, Permian and Rockies basins and South Louisiana.

Steve also is President of Reese Energy Training, a nationally recognized energy education firm. His courses in Natural Gas Basics, Gas Midstream and NGL Basics, and Gas Processing Agreements have been shared with more than 10,000 industry professionals. Prior to launching Reese Energy Consulting and Reese Energy Training, Steve held positions with Getty and Texaco. He is an in-demand speaker and lecturer with recent engagements for The Oklahoma Marginal Well Commission, The National Royalty Association, the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, The Natural Gas Society of Oklahoma, the Desk and Derrick Club, The Oklahoma Law Review, and The Permian Basin Gas Society. 

Phil Nickle, Director – Producer Services - Phil brings a wealth of expertise and talents to his role at REC that include all phases of the Value Chain in Natural Gas, Oil, and NGLs in all major producing basins. As Director-Producer Services, he offers a proven track record of successes across the energy spectrum.

Phil's knowledge and know-how are industry recognized in the areas of oil and gas marketing, midstream contract negotiation, gas gathering and processing, business development, and all phases of producer services. Phil’s career-scape includes positions with Candor Midstream, Cimarex Energy, ONEOK Field Services, and DCP. 

Rick O'Bannon - Chief Commercial Officer - Rick’s experience and knowledge of Oil and Gas Producers and Midstream Companies are widely known in the energy industry and include more than 40 years of successes throughout Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and North Louisiana. His impressive career comprises numerous high-profile positions with Enbridge, Coastal Corp, KN Energy, Texaco and Union Texas Petroleum.

Rick offers a breadth of expertise in a wide range of capacities to our Texas-wide clients, including marketing and transportation, acquisitions and divestitures, asset development, auditing, contract reformation, hedging, and gas accounting. 

View REC's Business Consulting Profile.

Harold E. McGowen, III, PE, is a proven authority in Oil and Gas exploration and development. As an engineer and businessman with 40+ years of experience building and leading oil and gas companies, he provides technical acumen, clear communication, and industry knowledge in cases involving trade secrets, patents, securities, operational failures, and safety. 

Expertise in Trade Secrets and Patents

• Harold has testified in numerous intellectual property disputes involving downhole tools, hydraulic fracturing, and drilling technologies.
• His ability to evaluate technical designs and assess claims of patent infringement or trade secret misappropriation is grounded in decades of hands-on industry experience and as an expert on numerous patent cases.
• He links technical insights to business and legal outcomes, delivering fact-based conclusions that resonate with courts and juries.

Securities Litigation Proficiency

• Harold’s expertise includes evaluating whether companies accurately represented reserves, operational performance, and development strategies to investors.
• His testimony has been instrumental where overstated reserves or misleading economic projections were alleged, focusing on adherence to reasonable claims and industry best practices.

Broad Litigation Experience

• Harold has provided expert testimony and litigation support in over 40 cases, addressing issues such as operational failures, safety lapses, and intellectual property disputes.
• He consistently ties technical findings to best practices and organizational responsibilities, ensuring clarity and relevance for legal audiences.

Leadership and Innovation

• As CEO of oil and gas operating companies, Harold led multimillion-dollar projects, optimizing drilling and completion strategies and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
• He has authored technical papers and presented on topics including hydraulic fracturing, drilling optimization, and project management.

Harold’s unique combination of technical expertise, hands-on experience, and litigation support experience ensures clear communication with attorneys, judges, and juries. For trade secrets, patents, securities disputes, or operational safety cases, Harold E. McGowen III, PE, delivers clarity, credibility, and results.

View Harold McGowen's Business Consulting Profile.