Trailhead Exploration, LLC Management Team

Led by a highly talented Management team with proven and broad-based technical experience, the leadership team at Trailhead Exploration represents a new generation of oil and gas asset management expertise that have grown up during the modern technological advances of the last 20 years.

russell english

Co-founder / Chief executive officer

Russell began his career at XTO Energy, which later became a subsidiary of ExxonMobil.  Russell has worked in a number of Land and Business Development roles spanning multiple basins.  He has stewarded leasing, acquisitions, and development programs over the Arkoma basin, the Fayetteville Shale, as well as the Ardmore and Marietta Basins of Southern Oklahoma.  Additionally, Russell managed the negotiation, due diligence, and execution of acquisitions in multiple areas of the U.S., including several large-scale acquisitions in the Permian region.  Prior to co–founding Trailhead, Russell facilitated sales and trades in multiple basins across the lower 48 as part of a portfolio enhancement program with XTO’s Acquisitions & Divestitures team.

Russell’s experience in negotiating deals and his ability to develop productive business relationships drives Trailhead’s capability to build its enterprise.  Russell received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Energy Management from the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma where he played football and earned first team All-Big 12 Academic honors.  He later obtained his Master of Business Administration from the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.  Russell is a Certified Professional Landman through the American Association of Professional Landmen.

bryant kopriva

co-founder / Executive Vice President

Bryant Kopriva is co-founder and serves as Executive Vice President of Trailhead Exploration, LLC.  Bryant began his energy career at XTO Energy (ExxonMobil) as a Development Geologist in the Williston Basin where he was involved in a multiple rig Bakken development program. In this role Bryant contributed to multiple full-field reservoir studies, development optimization, as well as stewarding well planning and regulatory work. During his time in the Williston Basin, Bryant provided geological supervision for the drilling of over 75 horizontal wells.

Most recently as an Exploration Geologist over the Mid-Continent region Bryant lead evaluations of current and emerging plays across the Anadarko and Ardmore basins. In this role he guided multiple leasing programs and was involved in numerous acquisition and divestiture evaluations. Prior to co-founding Trailhead, Bryant initiated a multiple rig exploration drilling program across the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma targeting multiple horizons and plays.

Bryant specializes in the identification of early stage new drill development opportunities as well as improvement and optimization of existing production. Bryant received his Bachelor of Science in Geology from the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas and a Masters of Science in Geology also from the University of Texas.

Josh Duvall

Co-founder / Chief Operating officer

Josh Duvall is co-founder and serves as Chief Operating Officer of Trailhead Exploration, LLC. Josh began his career at XTO Energy as a Completion and Operation Engineer in the Mid-Continent region. In this role Josh evaluated drilling and completion prospects and oversaw production operations throughout Oklahoma, SW Kansas and the Texas panhandle. Josh specialized in production enhancement and recompletion opportunities, as well as extending economic field life through maximizing operational efficiencies, well optimization and cost reduction capture. 

Later with XTO Energy as a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, Josh transitioned to a Reservoir Engineering position for XTO Energy Canada, working the company’s first international asset in Western Alberta, Canada. He played a leading role in evaluating the company’s Duvernay Shale position, taking the asset from the initial appraisal phase to execution of full field development. During this time, he was responsible for drilling and completing over 30 horizontal wells, performing resource and reserves analysis, volume forecasting, planning and budget outlook, and guidance for facility and gathering expansions. Josh also evaluated over $100 million in trades and acquisitions to actively grow the company’s Duvernay position to over 75,000 acres. 

Prior to co-founding Trailhead, Josh was promoted to Planning Advisor. In this role he was involved in forecasting and planning XTO Energy’s corporate volume profile for crude and condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids. 

Josh’s experience and insight in project management drives Trailhead’s ability to successfully execute large scale operations, from initial delineation through full field development. Josh received his Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy at the University of Oklahoma and is in his 15th year as an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

ty zieman

Chief financial officer

Ty Zieman joined Trailhead Exploration, LLC in May of 2019 and serves as the Chief Financial Officer.  Ty began his career in the Energy Investment Banking group of Wells Fargo Securities, where he was involved in a wide variety of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets financings and strategic advisory assignments for clients across the upstream oil and gas, midstream and oilfield services sectors.  During his time with Wells Fargo, Ty worked on over $15.5 billion of closed capital raises and more than $1.3 billion of closed M&A transactions. 

Most recently, Ty was the CFO at Elevation Resources, a Midland-based private equity-backed E&P with operations focused across the Permian Basin.  From 2013-2019, he worked in roles of increasing responsibility focused on finance and business development where he coordinated and assisted the planning, strategy, A&D, marketing, midstream and land functions.

Ty holds a B.B.A. in Finance and a minor in Accounting, graduating with High Honors from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.