The Renegade Way in Laurel, Mississippi – Deep Roots, Decades of Experience
Laurel district prioritizes consistent leadership, support to provide top quality work for clients throughout the Gulf region.
Trees darken the horizon and stretch the shadows, their roots held deep from years of solid dirt. Their leaves compete for sun, rising above the next, with plenty of room to grow. Much like the landscape, the Renegade team in Laurel, Mississippi is built on strong experience and values. They are kept strong by a culture of treating people like humans, not numbers. The district has earned a reputation for quality and trust that continues to strengthen with time.
The Laurel district was built to meet the realities of the Mississippi oilfield head-on. Established to serve a geographically distinct market, in many ways, the district operates as a standalone yard, relying on local knowledge, experienced crews, and long-term relationships rather than proximity to sister districts. The team provides a full range of wireline services, responding around the clock with crews and equipment prepared to handle whatever the job requires.
“Every oilfield is different, and Mississippi is no exception,” said Glenn Holloway, sales manager in Laurel, Mississippi. Holloway brings 48 years of experience to the Laurel district, and the team has more than 100 years of experience combined.
The presence of Renegade crews in and around the gulf region began when Steve Gray, at Gray Wireline, saw the value of work in and around Laurel, Mississippi—that’s also when Steve met Chris Blackledge.
“I started out on the back of a truck and I worked my way up,” Blackledge says of his beginnings at Renegade.
When Renegade was founded, it wasn’t long until the board, including Steve, knew they wanted to recapture the market in the gulf region. Steven knew just the guy for the job.
Chris Blackledge and his wife Robbie stand outside the Laurel district shop. Chris began his career in wireline working on the back of a truck and later helped establish the Laurel district, while Robbie supports daily operations and serves in a regional human resources role. Together, they have shaped the culture and continuity of the district from its earliest days.
“When I left, he hugged my neck and said, ‘Welcome to the family.’ That told me everything I needed to know. We prayed about it, and it just felt right. This is where we knew we belonged,” Robbie said.
Robbie still remembers the prayer and consideration that went into the couple’s decision.
Robbie manages the day-to-day operations of the Laurel district as an administrative assistant. She is who the guys turn to when they need help or run into any problems in the yard before heading out to the field. She also holds a key role in company-wide operations as the director of human resources for the gulf region.
“I’m a people person. You have to listen, and you have to be there,” Robbie said
Most of what Robbie does revolves around supporting the employees to do the best job they can every time they’re called out on location. She and Chris operate as a well-oiled machine to keep things moving efficiently in Laurel.
“We tell our guys, when you go on location, you’re there to do your job. Everything else gets pushed aside,” Robbie said. “Committed to quality, dedicated to service. That is not just a motto for us.”
COMMITTED TO QUALITY–DEDICATED TO SERVICE
Every morning, Robbie and Chris line out jobs and crews. The guys load the trucks, and either head out to location, or sometimes wait on standby for jobs that are up to five and even six hours away. This is where Chris says the company places an emphasis on safety.
“Our guys spend a lot of time on the road, so you cannot be too careful. We stress that from the very beginning,” Chris said.
Out of the Laurel yard, crews handle a wide range of wireline work tailored to the needs of Mississippi and the surrounding region. Much of the everyday operations center on production logging, injection profiles, and perforating work, with additional focus on cased-hole logging, mechanical services, and recovery jobs when conditions demand it.
“We’re very strong in recovery, cased-hole logging, and mechanical services,” Chris said. “If it’s something new, we step up and figure it out. We don’t just get it done, we do it right.”
The district operates multiple profile and big-line trucks, allowing crews to shift quickly between job types as schedules and priorities change.
Robert Blackledge, left, and Preston Odom prepare equipment inside the Laurel yard before heading out to a job. From loading tools to final checks, preparation in the shop sets the tone for the work performed in the field.
Ben Blackledge works inside a wireline truck while Kevin Trigg supervises and trains. As the son of Laurel district manager Chris Blackledge, Ben is continuing a legacy built on hands-on experience, steady mentorship, and learning the work from the ground up.
“We’ve got a lot of experience, and everybody can do a lot of different things…We all lean on each other,” Holloway said of the team’s experience. “If we can do it, we will; if we can’t, I’ll tell them that. Honesty always goes a long way, too.”
Because the yard functions as a standalone operation, teams are equipped to manage projects from start to finish, providing clients with a single point of contact rather than coordinating services across multiple locations.
“When they call, we roll,” Robbie said.
That flexibility has made the Laurel district a reliable option for operators who need experienced crews capable of responding around the clock and adapting to the varied geology and operational challenges found across Mississippi, Louisiana, and nearby Gulf Coast areas.
“Being a standalone yard, you’ve got to be ready to handle whatever comes,” Chris added.
Operating in the Mississippi oilfield brings a unique set of challenges that have shaped the Laurel district’s approach to work and competition. The region is highly competitive, with fewer active operators and little margin for error, placing pressure on crews to perform consistently and adapt quickly.
“It’s competitive here, but when things get hard, they know who to call,” Chris said.
The district overcame the setbacks rising from the implementation of procedures and safety protocols related to Covid-19, along with the financial setbacks from the oil market crash in April 2020.
“We stayed together and stuck it out,” said Robbie, reflecting on the months when the path forward was unclear. “People didn’t know what to expect, and you had to be there for them.”
As activity gradually returned, rebuilding was approached deliberately rather than quickly.
The district prioritized experience, cross-training, and workflows that created value for both the company and its employees. Engineers and operators took on expanded roles, reinforcing a culture of shared responsibility and adaptability.
That adaptability continues to shape how the Laurel district operates today. Hiring decisions emphasize long-term commitment, safety, and versatility, while crews remain focused on efficiency and reliability in a competitive market. Holloway, who oversees sales and operations support, noted that trust earned during difficult periods has lasting impact.
“A lot of it comes down to experience and honesty,” Holloway said.
More than a recovery, the post-pandemic period has become an opportunity to strengthen the district’s foundation. By refining workflows, investing in people, and maintaining clear standards, the Laurel district continues to rebuild with resilience in mind.
“You’re not a number here,” Blackledge said. “We invest in people who want to stay and grow with us. If you care about Renegade, Renegade will always care about you.”
Through each shift in the market, the strength of the Laurel district has remained tied to the people who lead it and the crews who continue to show up, job after job.
“I can’t give the guys enough credit,” Chris said. “They’re the ones who show up and do the right thing, day in and day out…We’re like a small family here.”
Family runs deep throughout the Renegade corporate structure, with branches intercrossing despite location. Korbin Gray, David Gray’s son and Steve Gray’s grandson, began his career in wireline on a truck at Laurel.
“We love Korbin, he was just a kid then,” Robbie remembers fondly. Now, Korbin is an operator at the Carlsbad yard in New Mexico.
Chris and Robbie’s two sons currently work at the district in Laurel, reinforcing the importance of strong family values that support the district’s dedication to taking care of its people.
At the center of that continuity is Robbie. While much of the work at the Laurel district happens on location or behind the wheel of a truck, the culture that keeps people connected often starts with her. Known for her steady presence and open-door approach, Robbie has become a constant point of contact for employees navigating both the demands of the job and the realities of life beyond it.
Robbie’s role extends far beyond operations or administration. As someone who describes herself simply as a “people person,” she approaches leadership through listening first, understanding that trust is built through time and consistency rather than authority alone.
Set against the Mississippi pine forest that defines much of the region, the Laurel district district anchors operations across the Gulf Coast. From left to right: Kevin Trigg, Robbie Blackledge, Caleb Kittrell, Preston Odom, Ben Blackledge, Eric Reon, Glenn Holloway, Dade West, Craig Hancock, and Robert Blackledge.
“You can’t just trust anybody overnight,” Robbie said. “You have to build a relationship.”
That relationship-centered approach has shaped how the Laurel district functions day to day. Employees know they can reach out when challenges arise, whether those challenges are work-related or personal.
“If something happens, they know they can call me any time,” Robbie said.
Her leadership reflects a broader legacy within the company, one rooted in compassion and accountability.
“You have to be the kind of person that if they need something, you’ll go do it,” she said.
For Robbie, supporting the people behind the work is not separate from the work itself. It is foundational to it. In an industry where most positions are still male-dominated, she sees her responsibility as both supportive and stabilizing.
“My role is to have his back so he can do his job,” Robbie said, describing the partnership required to keep operations running smoothly.
Beneath the people-first culture and regional familiarity is an operation built on technical capability and precision. The Laurel district supports a wide range of wireline services, including injection profiles, flowing production logs, BHP surveys, cased-hole logging, and eLine services, along with specialized recovery, mechanical, slickline, and braided line work.
Crews regularly handle complex jobs requiring adaptability and problem-solving, supported by tools such as downhole cameras, licensed cutting technology, and advanced handling and safety systems designed for high-pressure environments.
Proprietary and specialized technologies, including the Local Expander™ and NuWav downhole camera, allow the district to respond to challenges in the field with efficiency and accuracy. It is this blend of experience, versatility, and technical readiness that reinforces the Laurel district’s reputation as a reliable, full-service operation in a demanding regional market.
While other markets demand volume and velocity, Laurel succeeds by meeting Mississippi on its own terms with local knowledge, technical versatility, and crews prepared to handle complex work without hesitation or backup.
That balance gives the district a clear competitive edge in a tight regional market, while reinforcing the broader Renegade standard nationwide. Rooted in experience, driven by people, and built to respond when it matters most, the Laurel district reflects how consistency and capability set the bar.
