Robert Daniels
EOG RESOURCESAbout Robert P. Daniels
Robert P. Daniels (age 66) has served as an independent director of EOG since 2017, with a 32-year career at Anadarko Petroleum culminating as EVP, International and Deepwater Exploration (2013–2016) and earlier senior roles in worldwide exploration and E&P . He also serves as an independent, non‑executive director at MicroSeismic, Inc., sitting on its Audit and Nominations & Governance Committees (private company) . Education is not disclosed in the proxy; his core credentials emphasize deep technical and leadership experience in upstream exploration and executive committee governance .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anadarko Petroleum | President, Anadarko Canada | 2001–2004 | Executive Committee member; governance/risk oversight liaison |
| Anadarko Petroleum | SVP, Exploration & Production | 2004–2006 | Executive Committee representative to Board Governance & Risk Committee |
| Anadarko Petroleum | SVP, Worldwide Exploration | 2006–2013 | Executive Committee member; led global exploration |
| Anadarko Petroleum | EVP, International & Deepwater Exploration | 2013–2016 | Executive Committee; deepwater strategy leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroSeismic, Inc. (private) | Independent Director | Since 2010 | Audit; Nominations & Governance |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board has affirmatively determined Daniels is independent under EOG bylaws, NYSE and SEC rules .
- Attendance: The Board met eight times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings, and all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Committee membership and activity:
- Audit Committee member; 8 meetings in 2024; all members “financially literate” (NYSE requirement) .
- Compensation & Human Resources Committee member; 5 meetings in 2024 .
- Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee member; 4 meetings in 2024 .
- Chairs (for context): Audit—C. Christopher Gaut; Compensation—Julie J. Robertson; Nominating—Janet Clark .
- Committee independence: All standing committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee/Meeting Fees ($) | All Other Compensation ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 100,000 | 0 (no meeting/chair fees are paid) | 100,000 (charitable matching) | Deferral Plan available for cash fees |
| 2024 | 110,000 | 0 (no meeting/chair fees are paid) | 100,000 (charitable matching) | Deferral Plan continues (flex/phantom stock accounts) |
- Deferral Plan: Directors may defer cash fees into a flexible account or a phantom stock account (treated as purchases of EOG stock at closing price; dividends reinvested) .
Performance Compensation
| Grant Year | RSUs Granted (Units) | Grant Date | Grant Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Deferral Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,838 | May 30, 2023 | 199,993 | 100% after 1 year | RSUs/dividends can be deferred into phantom stock |
| 2024 | 1,589 | May 28, 2024 | 199,976 | 100% after 1 year | RSUs/dividends can be deferred into phantom stock |
EOG’s director equity awards are time‑vested RSUs without performance conditions; market values cited in the proxy reflect year‑end prices (not shown above for Daniels individually) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to EOG | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| MicroSeismic, Inc. | Oilfield services (private) | The Board’s independence review considered transactions with entities in oil & gas where directors are affiliated and determined relationships were not material and did not impair independence (applies generally; no specific transaction with MicroSeismic disclosed) . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep upstream exploration leadership (international/deepwater) and executive committee governance experience from Anadarko .
- Audit Committee member—meets NYSE “financially literate” requirement (Board determination); not designated as the committee’s “financial expert” in the roster .
- Industry experience aligns with EOG’s exploration and development profile; ongoing board education and management presentations on risk, regulatory, environmental, and safety topics .
Equity Ownership
| Measure (as of 3/15/2025) | Amount (Shares) |
|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 0 |
| SARs Exercisable by 5/14/2025 | 0 |
| Total Beneficial Ownership | 0 |
| RSUs, Performance Units, and Phantom Shares | 28,584 |
| Total Ownership (incl. RSUs/Phantom) | 28,584 |
- Director Stock Ownership Guidelines: Non‑employee directors must hold EOG stock (shares and/or phantom stock) equal to 5× the annual cash retainer, with compliance required within 5 years of the later of initial election or April 30, 2019; sale limits apply if not compliant (status for Mr. Daniels not disclosed) .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with substantial upstream leadership; serves on all three core committees, supporting board effectiveness across audit, pay, and governance .
- Solid engagement: Board held eight meetings in 2024; directors met attendance expectations and participated in annual meeting .
- Pay mix is shareholder‑friendly for directors: fixed cash retainer plus time‑vested RSUs; no meeting/chair fees; optional deferral into phantom stock enhancing alignment .
- Broader shareholder support context: Say‑on‑Pay received ~95% “For” at 2024 annual meeting, signaling investor confidence in compensation governance framework .
- Watch‑items/Red Flags:
- Zero directly beneficially owned shares as of March 15, 2025; ownership comprised of RSUs/phantom shares. While within EOG’s framework, some investors prefer direct share ownership for stronger “skin‑in‑the‑game” optics (compliance status with 5× guideline not disclosed) .
- External affiliation with an oilfield services company (MicroSeismic) inherently requires ongoing monitoring for related‑party exposure; the Board’s assessment found no material relationships impairing independence (no specific transactions disclosed) .
- Not designated as the Audit Committee’s “financial expert”; however, he meets NYSE financial literacy requirements and contributes relevant operating expertise .
Overall, Daniels’ industry depth and committee coverage bolster board oversight and strategy execution, with alignment mechanisms via RSUs and phantom stock. The absence of directly held shares and private oilfield services affiliation merit periodic review, though current independence determinations and attendance record support investor confidence .