Ben graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Ben began his current 35 year career in oil and gas exploration and production with Exxon USA in Pensacola, FL. His twelve years with Exxon saw his experience and training cover a broad range of oil and gas production operations, from environmentally sensitive oil development operations in south Florida to high pressure H2S and CO2 gas production in north Florida / south Alabama. Completions, workovers, stimulations, artificial lift, gas treating, sulfur plants, gas processing, waterfloods, tertiary (N2) recovery, gas plant and treating facilities engineering design, procurement, and start-up all served as solid training and experience for joining the Manti Tarka Permian team.