Education
  • General Leadership Program
    Arizona State University (2017)
  • Enterprise Leadership Program
    UNC-Chapel Hill (2014)
  • Purdue University
    B.S. Chemical Engineering (2008)
Areas of expertise
  • Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC)
  • Accident / Incident Investigation
  • Commercial Contracts
  • Markets & Strategy
  • Renewables and Regulatory
  • Technology Assessment
  • Project Feasibility
  • Operations and Maintenance
  • OSHA-related
  • Ad Valorem Taxes
  • Environmental
  • Product Quality
  • Water/Marine
  • LP Planning / Practice
  • Pricing
  • Crude Oil Valuation
  • Safety
  • Pipeline
Industries
  • Natural Gas and NGLs
  • Chemicals and Petrochemicals
  • Power Generation
  • Petroleum Refining
  • Transportation and Storage

Summary of Experience

Sean Upchurch has over 15 years of experience directing global operations, logistics, supply chain, and manufacturing operations in the oil and gas industry. He is an experienced commercial trader, skilled in understanding and identifying trading opportunities that optimize market positions, Sean also has experience in operational improvement and optimization of refining assets.

Sean began his career at ExxonMobil as an Oil Movements Process Engineer and held various roles in process engineering, manufacturing, and analysis. He has overseen energy management programs and technical support, streamlining operations, managing budgets, and optimizing safety, reliability, and efficiency. As Crude & Products Supply Optimization Lead, Sean focused on revenue and operational improvements, and as Global Operations Advisor, he lead initiatives to streamline business planning across multiple asset locations. Prior to joining Baker & O’Brien, as an NGL trader Sean developed expertise in identifying and executing strategic trades and negotiating commercial terms to create material earnings uplift.

Since joining Baker & O’Brien in 2024, Sean provides independent expertise and insight into the refining and renewables industry for advisory clients. With a particular focus on crude and product supply optimization, pricing, and market strategies, his professional experience across engineering, commercial, and management provides clients with a unique perspective to complex issues. Sean has also authored expert opinions for international and domestic law firms as part of Baker & O’Brien’s dispute services.

Previous Experience

2023-2024: ExxonMobil Global Trading,
Natural Gas Liquids Trader

2008-2022: ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants Company,
Global Operations Advisor
Crude & Products Supply Optimization Lead
Coker Operations Manager
Operations Support Technical Supervisor
Energy Improvement & Utilities Technical Section Supervisor
Crude & Lubes Coordination Analyst
Lubricants Manufacturing Coordinator
Catalytic Cracking Unit Process Engineer
Oil Movements Process Engineer