Ryan Lance, born on May 21, 1962, in the United States, is an executive and petroleum engineer at ConocoPhillips, a U.S. multinational company dedicated to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons and oil. He is also part of the advisory board of Montana Technological University. The American executive has served as chairman and chief executive officer of the multinational company since 2012 and has worked at several companies within the sector.
Born in Arkansas and raised in Montana, Lance graduated as a petroleum engineer from Montana Technological University in 1984. That same year, he began his professional career at ARCO Alaska, where he carried out his first work linked to oil operations, production engineering and energy project management. For nearly two decades, he held different technical and managerial positions in Alaska, California, Texas and other strategic regions for hydrocarbon production in the United States.
Lance is a member of different organizations, supports several charitable institutions, served as chairman of the American Petroleum Institute, where he is currently on the advisory board, and also belongs to the Society of Petroleum Engineers. His broad experience in the sector allowed him to develop professionally in different regions and across several continents, with work in the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and other areas.
The turning point in his career came after Phillips Petroleum acquired ARCO assets. From that moment, he began to integrate into the structure that would later become ConocoPhillips after the merger between Conoco and Phillips in 2002. Since then, he has held positions linked to production, corporate strategy, technology, international projects and global exploration.
Lance’s extensive experience in the energy sector
After his early years at ARCO, Lance led strategic operations in Alaska and later assumed responsibilities over projects in different oil and gas producing regions. His specialization in reservoir engineering, exploration and production allowed him to advance rapidly within the corporate structures of Phillips Petroleum and later ConocoPhillips.
Within ConocoPhillips, he held positions related to technology, large-scale projects and business strategy. He also led international exploration and production operations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, key regions for global energy supply. His global experience allowed him to develop a broad view of the geopolitical challenges of energy and the role of hydrocarbons in global economic growth.
When he became CEO in May 2012, ConocoPhillips was in a difficult position. The company had separated its refining and marketing businesses to focus exclusively on exploration and production. Lance decided to deepen that model and transform the company into one of the world’s largest independent upstream companies. Under his leadership, asset sale programs, operational reorganization and the expansion of oil and gas projects in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East were carried out.
Most of Lance’s work has been connected to the global sphere. The broad experience he acquired across several continents helped shape the American executive’s professional career.
Lance’s current role and key highlights in the energy sector
At present, Lance continues as CEO and chairman of the company. Under his leadership, ConocoPhillips has consolidated itself as one of the largest independent oil and gas producers on the planet, with operations across multiple continents and production close to 2.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2025.
The purchase of Concho Resources in 2020, the acquisition of Shell’s unconventional assets in the Permian Basin in 2021 and the acquisition of Marathon Oil for 22.5 billion dollars in 2024 defined some of the most relevant aspects of his management.
Due to the successful work promoted by the engineer, one of his most important recognitions was the distinction as “Energy Executive of the Year 2025,” granted by Energy Intelligence. The award highlighted his ability to transform ConocoPhillips into an energy “super independent” through organic growth, strategic acquisitions and global expansion.
Lance moves between recognizing the need to reduce emissions and advance toward more efficient energy systems, while also maintaining that oil and gas will remain fundamental to the global economy for the coming decades.
In 2026, the main project is Willow in Alaska. ConocoPhillips reached nearly 50 percent execution of the project and continued promoting complementary exploration in the region to expand future reserves. Lance presented Willow as a key piece for U.S. energy security and for the company’s long-term growth.
Looking toward 2026, the businessman has set several objectives aimed at defining a long-term scope, with a growth strategy based on oil, LNG and major international projects. Lance’s goal is to maintain a clear position on productive expansion, financial discipline and the defense of the role of hydrocarbons within the global energy system.
