LSU Alumnus Lee Stockwell: Shell’s National Leader for Carbon Capture
April 18, 2023
Securing Louisiana’s Energy Future
Lee Stockwell graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 2001, at a time when U.S. oil production had been decreasing for decades. Today, as a leader in a rapidly changing industry, he serves as the general manager of carbon capture and storage, or CCS, at Shell, shaping the nationwide development of one of the premier technologies for the ongoing transition toward energy sustainability for the world.
“Jobs in energy may not be the same as they used to be, and there’s going to be further diversification of what petroleum engineering is used for,” Stockwell said. “But LSU provided a host of different skills that made me part of who I am today, and certainly part of what success looks like to me. And so, when I look at what LSU is doing across the energy space, I see the future. The U.S. energy transition or transformation is going to require expertise from multiple disciplines and a trusted voice, and that voice will come from LSU.”
Carbon capture technology can lower the amount of greenhouse gases—primarily carbon dioxide, or CO2—in the atmosphere.
“The challenge we’re working to solve at Shell is to make a step change in how much CO2 we emit around the globe; not reducing it by 10,000 tons per year, but by millions of tons,” Stockwell said. “Louisiana historically has been a leader in the energy sector. That leadership means people are willing to listen and engage on new and innovative approaches required throughout this energy transformation journey. That’s why we look to LSU to help us grow the backbone of what Louisiana’s next move will be and what coming generations of the energy workforce will be able to create.”
LSU Engineering alumnus Lee Stockwell.
– LSU / Isabella Mire
“What I’ve learned about leadership over time—and I’ve spent about 15 of my 22 years with Shell in leadership roles—is that leadership isn’t management. They’re not the same. Management is important, but leadership requires the ability to connect with people on a level that means something to them. It puts people at the center.”
Lee Stockwell, general manager of carbon capture and storage, or CCS, at Shell and LSU College of Engineering alumnus