Nearly three decades ago, David Hernández began his journey at Tenaris. Today, as he retires as Senior Technical Sales Manager in Villahermosa, Tabasco, he looks back on a career defined by his passion for learning, teaching, and problem-solving, while inspiring and guiding many engineers along the way.
“I studied at the Vocacional, which was a technical high school, in the Construction program. I started working very young in the cinemas of Mexico City as a projectionist, but I never stopped studying,” David recalls.
After earning his Petroleum Engineering degree from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, he entered Pemex, where he was sent to offshore platforms in Ciudad del Carmen. “During that period, they gave me a contract as a drilling assistant while I continued studying.”
By 1985, he had joined the drilling division in Villahermosa, the beginning of a path that would lead him into the heart of Mexico’s oil operations.
Hernández spent more than a decade at Pemex, advancing from field engineer to drilling superintendent. It was during this time that he first collaborated with Tamsa, Tenaris’s seamless mill in Veracruz, Mexico, on a new logistics model now known as Rig Direct®, Tenaris’s digitally integrated service model for oil and gas operations.
Eventually, a former colleague encouraged him to join Tenaris. “I’ve always believed that when life presents you with challenging choices, the right thing to do is make the decision. Over the years, you might regret not having done it,” he says.
Among his proudest achievements at Tenaris is the prontuario, a technical handbook for customers. “I gave momentum to the prontuario, which already existed, but it only included casing and tubing. Today it includes casing, tubing, line pipe, drilling, connections, technical information, and forms.”
Hernández also collaborated with clients and Tenaris’s R&D team on numerous research projects, with his technical work shared globally. “I participated in more than 30 technical papers presented nationally and internationally. For example, in 2023 we went to a congress in Beijing, China, to present one of these works.”
For Hernández, one of the most rewarding parts of his career has been training others. “Tenaris has given me the opportunity to travel to several countries, meet many friends and colleagues from other Tenaris plants. I had the chance to train young people, and I’ve always said that I have a good eye, because those I train become managers or directors.”
David Hernández leading a training course. Tenaris
His teaching extended beyond Mexico; he had the opportunity to deliver these courses in Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. “Being exposed internationally was very good for me; it helped me grow personally and professionally during these 29 years at Tenaris,” he notes.
Now entering a new chapter, Hernández approaches retirement with curiosity and calm. “First, I need to take a pause, because I think to start a new stage it is necessary to stay a little still for a while.”
He plans to rest for a few months before continuing to teach part-time and explore his interests in new fields. “My wife is a therapist, and we have always taken courses on topics like philosophy. Now I am taking a course on human development and psychology, because I am going through a transition in my life and I want to be prepared for that change.”
Family remains at the center of his plans; he wants to enjoy life with his wife, two sons, his daughter, and the newest addition to the family: his granddaughter. “My wife and I plan to stay in Villahermosa to be close to my granddaughter.”
After 29 years at Tenaris, Hernández leaves a legacy of technical excellence, mentorship, and global collaboration, ready to embrace this next chapter with joy and purpose.
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