Her Story
About Andrea
Andrea Fernanda Cadena serves as Subsurface Manager for the Canadian Onshore Assets at Murphy Oil Corporation, based in Houston, Texas. With a strong foundation in geology and petrophysics, she leads a multidisciplinary team of geologists and reservoir engineers responsible for subsurface evaluations, development planning, and technical assessments supporting oil and gas projects in Canada. Her expertise encompasses reservoir characterization, sequence stratigraphy, petroleum geology, petrophysics, log and core integration, and the interpretation of subsurface data to support well performance and development decisions.
Cadena began her professional career in Colombia with a six-month internship at BP, followed by approximately three years working in the Colombian oil and gas industry. She subsequently moved to the United States to pursue a master's degree in geology at the University of Oklahoma, specializing in sequence stratigraphy and petroleum geology. Following graduation, she spent nearly four years as an onshore petrophysicist with Marathon Oil, where she worked across several unconventional plays and contributed to exploration, reservoir characterization, and subsurface evaluation initiatives. She joined Murphy Oil in 2019 as a Staff Petrophysicist and progressed through increasingly senior technical and leadership roles, ultimately becoming Subsurface Manager for the Canadian Onshore Assets.
Beyond her technical responsibilities, Cadena has demonstrated a strong commitment to professional development, collaboration, and community engagement. For approximately four to five years, she has held leadership responsibilities with the Colombian Geoscientist Network in Houston, helping foster professional connections and showcase the technical expertise and contributions of Colombian geoscientists. She is passionate about mentoring colleagues, sharing knowledge, and encouraging continuous learning within the geoscience community. Cadena attributes much of her success to the values instilled by her parents, particularly resilience, perseverance, independence, and the determination to keep moving forward. She also credits her Colombian heritage for cultivating a strong work ethic, ambition, and drive to embrace challenges and pursue continued professional growth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the values instilled in me by my parents from an early age. My father taught me the importance of resilience, reminding me to get back up, dust myself off, and keep moving forward rather than giving up when faced with challenges. My mother emphasized the importance of financial independence and encouraged me to build a strong sense of self-reliance. Those lessons have remained with me throughout my career and have shaped my determination, work ethic, and willingness to keep pursuing new opportunities. I also draw inspiration from my Colombian heritage, which has instilled in me a strong drive, perseverance, and commitment to continuous growth.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the oil and gas industry is to be confident, speak up, and never hesitate to take a seat at the table. While the industry has historically been male-dominated and can sometimes feel intimidating, it is important to recognize the value you bring and trust in your knowledge, skills, and perspective. Do not be afraid to share your ideas, take on challenges, and make your presence known. Women bring diverse experiences, approaches, and ways of thinking to the industry, and those differences can be a meaningful strength and a valuable contribution to any team.
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