Abstract In an era of increased consolidation within the oil and gas industry, harnessing the collective intelligence of newly merged teams has become essential to unlocking business value. ExxonMobil's "Best of Both" integration approach following its acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources highlights how deliberate cultural design, shared leadership, and reciprocal learning enabled the team to achieve results neither legacy organization could have delivered alone. A case study of the subsurface technical team illustrates how blending expertise, fostering collaboration, and using behavioral insight tools encouraged mutual respect and shared purpose, and delivered superior technical outcomes. The business impact of this approach is evident less than two years post-merger. Advanced modelling and simulation have delivered significant value via enhanced development planning. Operational safety, regulatory compliance, and sustainability have been elevated through a dual-framework strategy for managing induced seismicity and water disposal risks. In enhanced oil recovery, the combination of field trial data with theoretical insights has accelerated optimization of future trials and expanded applicability across the Permian Basin. These results demonstrate that an inclusive culture is a strategic imperative – driving innovation, preserving talent, and capturing value in complex environments.
Trend et al. (Mon,) studied this question.