About Smithwick Consulting

Luke Smithwick of Smithwick Consulting has 40 years of experience across the petroleum supply chain—from field inspection to terminal operations to supply logistics. His work has centered on accurate measurement, safe product movement, and operational integrity. Of the 40 years of experience, Luke has worked in the oil fields of Texas as a floor hand to derrick man. With his father, Bill Smithwick, as the location analyst, the Smithwick brothers in the '70s had great opportunities to enter the oil field. Working for Hughes Texas Petroleum, Luke worked over 35 gas and oil well sites as pumper/gauger across southern and midwestern Texas sites.

This was the perfect transition into the Marine Surveying business with VIP Cargo Surveys for over the next decade. With ship captains, chief officers, loss control representatives and oil company traders as his professors and mentors, the years were spent managing lighterings, transfers and loss control troubleshooting from Texas to Louisiana to New York Harbor, down to the islands of the Netherland Antilles and across the Atlantic to Italy while representing major oil and trading companies.

Working for the next twenty eight years with Valero Marketing and Supply provided Luke with incredible mentorship, managing opportunities and every imaginable situation concerning demurrage, measurement, vessel, refinery and terminal issues that needed addressing and resolved. The traders, managers, schedulers, refinery leadership and operators with Valero and associated clients and contractors provided experience and training throughout the years.

Smithwick Consulting now helps companies strengthen processes, reduce losses, and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Industry tenure

40 years

Valero Marketing & Supply

28 years

Petroleum inspection

12+ years

Focus

Demurrage reduction, cost savings, volume dispute resolutions and inspection audits.