David Brunnert serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Office of Environmental Management (EM) at the U.S. Department of Energy where he leads strategic operations and mission critical initiatives to drive execution and performance across the EM enterprise.
Brunnert is an accomplished leader and engineer with extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in safety, operations and well-site technologies. His innovative contributions are evidenced by over 40 patents covering the entire life cycle, from well construction, through intervention, to asset retirement.
His career includes significant leadership roles such as vice president of operations at Black Knight Energy LLC. Brunnert has also held senior leadership positions across prominent organizations in the energy sector, including chief operating officer and senior vice president at Key Energy Services, senior vice president of the Western Hemisphere at Frank’s International N.V. and chief operating officer and executive vice president at Express Energy Services. His 16-year tenure at Weatherford International included the role of vice president of Drilling Tools and Intervention Services.
Brunnert holds a Master of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He is also a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas. His distinguished military career includes service as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and a Ranger School graduate. He led a platoon during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
He maintains active involvement in professional and community organizations, including the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the West Point Society of Greater Houston, various veteran organizations and the National Ataxia Foundation. Brunnert has been married to his wife, Holly, for 28 years and has three daughters.