Nikki Viilo: ‘Never settle for less than your best’

BY GUS MORGAN

Over 30 years ago, Nikki Davis, then a bright-eyed 3-year-old, discovered her lifelong inspiration on the wall of a Midland dance studio, a motivational banner with an enduring message: “Never settle for less than your best.”

“Even from a young age,” Nikki said, “working hard and always doing my best was all that I knew. In everything that I do, I give it everything I have. I've never known anything different.”

Nikki’s full-throttle mindset has not only propelled her to success at ConocoPhillips but has garnered her recognition by her alma mater, Texas Tech University.

In April, Nikki received the 2024 Young Distinguished Engineer Award by the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering. The award celebrates alumni who represent the college in an outstanding way through their professional and civic achievements within 15 years of obtaining their undergraduate degree.

“I was extremely honored and humbled to receive the award,” Nikki said, “especially considering the remarkable talent and the vast number of engineers in contention. I thought I was a long shot.”

The award ceremony provided Nikki with a moment of reflection, giving the mid-career professional the opportunity to pause and celebrate her achievements. It was also a time to reminisce about her student days at Texas Tech, where she graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering, earning summa cum laude honors and a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Nikki credits Texas Tech’s petroleum engineering program for preparing her to tackle the challenges of the oil and gas industry, describing the program as grounded and practical, offering “a salt-of-the-earth education with ample hands-on experience solving real-world problems.”

“Nikki is a great asset for ConocoPhillips, an ambassador for Texas Tech, and a tremendous example for all Texas Tech engineers,” said Lower 48 Wells & Supply Chain Vice President Jeff Gasch, a 2003 Texas Tech petroleum engineering graduate and ConocoPhillips College Sponsor for Texas Tech.

Delaware Basin Vice President Aaron Hunter, Nikki's former manager and an influential mentor in her career, praised her leadership skills.

“I continue to be impressed at Nikki’s attention to detail in her work, commitment to excellence, continual improvement, and sense of ownership she portrays to her role as well as fostering that same sense of ownership into her team," he said.

Becoming a petroleum engineer might seem like a foregone conclusion for a Midland native like Nikki who was “born in the oilfield.” But when Nikki embarked on her education at Texas Tech, she wasn’t sold on the oil industry. Analysts at the time were predicting peak oil on the horizon, with secondary and tertiary recovery techniques thought to be the main tasks ahead for Permian engineers.

“The thought of a career managing water floods didn’t appeal to me,” she said. “Besides, I thought it was a man’s world, just dusty boots and hard hats. I didn’t think of the innovation and global aspects of oil and gas.”

Instead, Nikki pursued a major in industrial engineering, a discipline that blended engineering and business, a field that appealed to her strengths. But despite having a 4.0 GPA her freshman year, Nikki couldn’t secure an internship, unlike her Midland friends who were studying petroleum engineering and easily obtaining paid internships in the oil and gas industry. Nikki decided it was time to pivot, switching to petroleum engineering her sophomore year.

“It was the best decision ever,” said Nikki, who after switching majors went on to land two summer internships with ConocoPhillips, securing a full-time position upon her graduation. Nikki has been at ConocoPhillips for 15 years, distinguishing herself through her engineering expertise, work ethic and leadership skills.

Nikki has held several diverse roles in different assets. Her engineering skills led to success and advancement in the company’s Gulf of Mexico, Eagle Ford and Permian assets. She expanded her learning and impact by taking non-traditional roles for engineers in areas such as investment appraisal, corporate assurance and portfolio strategy.

“I’ve been blessed to work with phenomenal leaders at ConocoPhillips,” she said. “I’m so thankful for their mentorship, insights and support over the years.”

Continuously seeking personal growth, Nikki recently embraced a new professional challenge. Building on her expertise in asset planning, she is now managing Permian Integrated Operations. This position offers her the opportunity to delve into emerging technologies and processes that drive the company’s operations. For instance, her team is exploring how to modernize the Lower 48’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) platform, seeking to enhance the ability to reliably access, interact with and leverage process data to optimize performance.

“Here at ConocoPhillips,” she said, “there's always a new challenge, a new opportunity.” 

In addition to Nikki’s managerial responsibilities at ConocoPhillips, she is also an ambassador for Texas Tech within the company. As an active member of the Texas Tech community, Nikki serves on the Petroleum Industry Advisory Board for the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering. She has served as an engineering recruiter for ConocoPhillips, acting as lead recruiter from 2016 to 2022. In 2023, Nikki was appointed ConocoPhillips’ Engineering College Partner for Texas Tech. In this role, she supports and builds ConocoPhillips’ relationship with the Whitacre College of Engineering. 

A beacon for the next generation of petroleum engineers, Nikki symbolizes what can be accomplished when one never settles for less than their best.

“Luck never hit anyone sitting in the shade,” said Nikki, quoting one of her favorite West Texas sayings. “Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges. Even if you don't make it, shoot for the moon.”