Amanda Inskeep, Operations Manager at Marathon Petroleum, was recognized through her inclusion in the Carlsbad 40 Under 40 list for her professional and community impact.As a second-generation petroleum engineer, Inskeep advocates for women in STEM fields, drawing from her own experiences and family background.Inskeep’s career trajectory showcases her commitment to operational excellence and leadership within the oil and gas industry.
Amanda Inskeep, Marathon Petroleum Operations Manager for MPLX Gathering & Processing in Delaware Basin Crude, is making a mark in the community of Carlsbad, New Mexico. In 2023, she was named to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 list of professionals who were recognized for impacting their business and community in hopes of creating a strong and vibrant future.
She’s also making strides in the field of engineering and encourages other women to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. As a second-generation petroleum engineer, she’s proud to follow in her parents’ footsteps.
“Both of my parents are petroleum engineers,” said Inskeep. “I like to say I’ve been in the oil industry since I was born. My mom was riding along with my dad as he checked on his gas wells during his shift prior to going to her doctor’s appointment. I was born later that day. Engineering and oil and gas have been topics of conversation at the dinner table for as long as I can remember.”
When deciding on college major, the Colorado native initially went into chemical engineering with a focus on geology. After taking a semester to study abroad in Australia, she realized that she needed to transfer schools and change her major to petroleum engineering. She returned home and enrolled at the Colorado School of Mines, where her mother graduated decades before her. She became the second- generation female petroleum engineer in her family.
“As much as I thought I didn’t want to do what my parents do, petroleum engineering is truly my passion,” said Inskeep. “This career has allowed me to use my strengths – relationship building and problem solving – to make things safer and more reliable in operations.”
Inskeep’s mother Brooke Bell said she was excited for Amanda to attend her alma mater and encourages other women to consider a career in STEM fields.
“Amanda has the unique ability to deconstruct complex problems and quickly find relatable solutions for different levels of understanding,” said Bell, Director of Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Golf for the City of Aurora, Colorado.
First Big Project
Inskeep was working as a field engineer in Midland, Texas, when she applied for a job with Marathon Petroleum to support the company’s midstream component, MPLX. One of her first big projects was addressing reliability issues with gear pumps used in the Permian Basin.
“We had so many people focused on making sure the pumps were working properly night and day,” said Inskeep. “The equipment wasn’t seen as very reliable.”
She started communicating with her teams and customers to get a full picture of the issues. When she got everyone’s feedback, they decided to invest the time and money to replace the pumps. The replacement project was successful, and the new equipment worked properly. Taking the time to do it right changed how the teams functioned.
“Maintenance crews went from reactive to proactive,” said Inskeep. “They were no longer getting called after-hours to fix an issue. This also built trust with our customers.”
Inskeep’s career path has kept her on the operations side where she works with field teams troubleshooting issues and making improvements.
“I enjoy making things better and safer for people using it,” said Inskeep. “The people turning the wrenches and valves are in a safer place. We aim to make their jobs easier.”
Opportunity to Lead
After four years of working for MPLX in the Permian Basin, Inskeep earned an opportunity to take a role as the Operations Manager in Carlsbad, New Mexico. She’s currently responsible for MPLX’s crude stations and pipelines for the Delaware Basin. Her leaders credit her communication skills as one reason she is a good leader.
“Amanda has strong interpersonal skills and the ability to inspire and motivate her team and others,” said Tony Minutillo, Operations Senior Manager. “Her work ethic, attention to detail and innovative thinking have made her an invaluable asset to our team. Her proactive mindset and ability to adapt to constant changes and new challenges make her a trustworthy and resourceful team member.”
Her manager says she’s had an incredible impact leading projects to build new crude storage stations and connect to central tank batteries. Her collaborative spirit and team-oriented approach has had a positive effect in Carlsbad.
Earlier in her career, Inskeep remembers applying for a leadership role with another company that required five years of experience as an engineer. She had only three years of experience, so her manager took her aside to discuss it.
“I didn’t get the job,” said Inskeep. “But my manager told me to always apply for the job even if I think I’m not ready, because I will be one day. That stuck with me. Then this opportunity with MPLX came up, and I didn’t think I was ready for the Operations Manager role. I am proud of myself for taking that step and putting myself out there.”
Inskeep’s mother is also excited that her daughter is pushing forward in her career.
“I’m proud that she’s achieved a leadership role supervising over 30 staff members by her mid-thirties; a leadership accomplishment that I achieved much later in life,” said Bell.
As a co-lead of Marathon Petroleum’s Women’s employee network remote chapter, she hopes to inspire other women to follow their dreams, whether it’s in a leadership role, as an engineer or working in the oil and gas industry.
“This is a great field for women,” said Inskeep. “It can be hard work with long hours, especially if you go in the field, but there’s a lot of pride because the job is so impactful. You can see day-to-day changes that you are making. There are challenges to solve every day. Don’t stop yourself from applying. You never know. You might get it.”
