Digital Oil and Gas

For decades, hydraulic fracturing—or fracking—has relied heavily on water and sand to crack underground rock and release oil and gas. Fracking is safe, proven, and reliable, and in collaboration with horizontal drilling, has resulted in the huge growth in hydro carbon production in the US and Canada.    But fresh water is a scarce resource particularly in arid settings, and in many places under stress because of climate change. Disposal of used water is a technical challenge and costly. The sand resource, or proppant, is both costly to mine and heavy to ship. The mechanical process of forcing water and sand under pressure down the wells and into the rock generates a substantial carbon footprint.    Enter RocketFrac, a Calgary-based innovator using solid rocket fuel to crack the status quo.   Unlike conventional fracking, RocketFrac's technology eliminates the need for water and sand, which dramatically lowers carbon emissions and site disturbance. This self-propping, solid-fuel-based technique also opens up economically stranded assets, including abandoned or underperforming wells, with potential applications in water-stressed regions like California and the Middle East. It's an innovation that could redefine the economics and environmental impact of oil extraction.   In this episode I speak with Pavan Elapavuluri, Chief Technology Officer at RocketFrac, to hear firsthand about the origin of RocketFrac's solution, the physics behind the technology, its regulatory journey, and the digital tools they're using to model outcomes and rank well candidates. From carbon offsets to offshore potential, this episode is an explosive look at what could be the next big leap in oilfield operations.   And yes, those puns are all intended!    ⸻  

Despite covering over 70% of our planet, the oceans and seas remain largely unmapped and poorly understood. Collecting useable data about the oceans is hard and expensive--reliant on specialized costly vessels, old-school technologies, and plenty of labour. The comparison to land mapping technologies (like Google Earth) is stark--we have near-total visibility of land-based infrastructure, continuously updated, and collected by satellite. Subsea infrastructure, like pipelines and cables, are managed with minimal, outdated, and isolated datasets. This gap in oceanic intelligence is an increasing problem.  We're constantly adding new subsea infrastructure—cables, pipelines, risers, platforms—to support oil and gas, power, telecoms, mining, and military operations. At the same time, owners and operators are sailing blind, relying on static years-old surveys. And sea floors are pretty dynamic, subject to tides, currents, and human activity. You can really appreciate the mounting financial and operational risks—from infrastructure damage to safety concerns to project delays. Enter Terradepth, a data-as-a-service company that is bringing Silicon Valley smarts to subsea intelligence. In this episode, I speak with COO Kris Rydberg on how they're using autonomous vehicles and cloud infrastructure to drastically cut the cost of ocean data acquisition. The best part is how ocean data is now subscription-based, with high reusability across industries. This model reduces capital risk, improves predictive decision-making, and promotes multi-sector collaboration. 

Natural gas producers have long struggled to differentiate their product in a market that treats gas as a commodity. When it comes to carbon intensity (CI), the industry is reliant on emission factors and self-reported data, and lacks a credible, data-driven approach to proving their gas carries a lower CI.  With new regulations like the Inflation Reduction Act's Waste Emission Charge and Europe's carbon border tax, the opportunity to produce verifiable low-emission gas has grown dramatically. Enter “empirical gas”—natural gas measured in real time with actual data instead of estimates. In this episode, I catch up with my buddy Mark Smith, CEO of Clean Connect, about how his company integrates AI, camera-based monitoring, and process simulation software to create real-time, third-party verifiable emissions data. This transformation not only reduces tax burdens but unlocks access to premium markets willing to pay for low-carbon gas. The implications are massive for producers, traders, and tech firms alike.

The oil and gas industry has traditionally relied on  financial instruments like futures and private equity—frameworks that have largely benefitted institutional investors while leaving little room for broader participation. But as digital assets continue to reshape capital markets, tokenization presents a new way forward. With blockchain technology and regulatory frameworks maturing, real-world asset-backed tokens are gaining traction - even in sectors once considered too complex for digital finance.  In this episode, I speak with Dave Rademacher, Co-Founder of OilXCoin a security token backed by oil and gas reserves which also provides investors exposure to their “upstream” value chains. Dave explains how OilXCoin is bridging traditional oil and gas with digital asset markets by creating a compliant, growth-focused investment vehicle that opens the sector to new types of investors. We discuss what sets OilXCoin apart from pure commodity-backed tokens, how it integrates production-based revenues, and why upstream oil and gas is ripe for tokenization.

Twenty years ago, Big Oil companies like Shell and Exxon were the stars of the capital markets. Huge revenues, stellar profits, high share prices, robust price/earning ratios and reliable dividends placed these companies among the world's best, magnets for top engineering talent and voices of influence in the halls of governments globally. But no more. They lost the market leadership crown to the digital giants, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Oil and gas concerns are still market leaders as measured by revenue, but not by other measures of value. The gap now is so vast it's hard to imagine how they might ever regain their market positioning. And now the digital companies are stretching into energy for their data centers, but not yet clean liquid energy, which creates the opportunity. In this podcast I set out several steps the industry can take to recapture its former glory.  ⚒️ Additional Tools & Resources

Industrial operations have long depended on the OODA loop—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—a military-inspired decision framework that works, but at great cost. It requires physical presence, human expertise, and often misses key variables hidden from view. This age-old method is embedded across energy infrastructure—from wells to refineries. The digital age, however, is transforming our ability to observe. With billions of video-capable devices generating colossal amounts of data, and artificial intelligence now capable of interpreting this data in real time, there's a game-changing opportunity at hand. This episode explores the staggering scale and value of video data, and how AI's emerging ability to interpret video feeds on the fly can augment, and in some cases replace, the human eye in the OODA loop. I outline some of the implications for quality inspections, site assembly checks, and future-proofing industrial operations. Additional Tools & Resources

Offshore oil and gas operations are among the most complex and remote in the world. From harsh weather to limited physical access, these environments demand reliable, high-speed communications to enable modern digital workflows and keep operations running safely and efficiently. As offshore operations become more autonomous and data-driven, the traditional telecom models fall short. Legacy systems struggle to meet rising demands for bandwidth, low latency, and mobility—especially when platforms are unmanned or vessels are constantly on the move. Tampnet is addressing this head-on by delivering a mixed-mode communication strategy that combines subsea fiber, private 5G, and satellite (LEO) into one seamless network. Their infrastructure enables everything from robotic inspections and mobile edge compute to AI-driven automation—critical for modernizing offshore energy. In this episode, I speak with Frode Støldal, Chief Digital Officer and President of the Americas at Tampnet. We explore how a hybrid telecom model is revolutionizing offshore connectivity, driving operational efficiencies, and accelerating digital transformation. From supporting 450+ global platforms to enabling real-time decision-making at the edge, Frode shares a glimpse of the offshore future—one powered by high-speed, intelligent infrastructure.

Pipes are the silent workhorses of the process industries—hidden in plain sight yet essential for daily operations. But what happens when these unassuming assets begin to fail? A recent catastrophic water main rupture in Calgary serves as a stark reminder that even the most robust infrastructure is vulnerable, especially when degradation hides under insulation. The challenge of inspecting and maintaining piping is immense. Facilities house millions of miles of pipe, much of it exposed to harsh climates, inaccessible locations, and made from materials with complex corrosion profiles. Layer on insulation, coatings, and the logistics of maintaining uptime, and it's clear that conventional inspection methods are no longer sufficient. This episode explores the wide range of failure modes—flaws, fractures, erosion, rust, and more—that threaten pipe integrity. The implications are serious: lost product, compromised safety, and even plant collapse. Fortunately, new technologies—robotics, advanced sensing, and improved diagnostics—are emerging to meet the challenge head-on. Tune in to hear why the process industry must rethink its approach to managing the hidden menace of corrosion under insulation, and how digital innovation offers a path forward. Additional Tools & Resources

AI is transforming oil and gas, but not all AI is created equal. Many companies have wasted millions on failed AI projects, chasing optimization without real breakthroughs. But what if AI could think like a scientist—applying physics and chemistry to accelerate decision-making and innovation? In this episode, TC Zoboroski, Head of Sales for Energy at NobleAI, explains how their science-based AI is reshaping everything from production forecasting to molecular design. Unlike traditional generative AI, which relies on pattern recognition, NobleAI operates on scientific principles, enabling faster, more accurate results for R&D, product development, and enhanced oil recovery. TC shares fascinating use cases where AI has cut R&D timelines from decades to months, optimized drilling decisions, and even created new chemical formulations in real-time. We also discuss why AI skepticism is still strong in oil and gas, how to overcome it, and why AI should be seen as a force multiplier, not a job threat. About the Guest TC Zoboroski is the Head of Sales for Energy at NobleAI, a company specializing in science-based artificial intelligence for industries like oil & gas, materials science, and biotech. With a background in technology and experience at Halliburton, Dell, AWS, and Exxon, TC brings deep insight into how AI can bridge the gap between traditional energy challenges and cutting-edge digital solutions. Connect with TC and NobleAI:

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome. In oil and gas, we do the same thing over and over, knowing the outcome will vary—but believing we're optimizing it. With billions at stake, the industry needs better ways to react in real time. As capital market pressures rise and companies consolidate, optimization is no longer optional—it's survival. The days of a “sand disposal” mentality in hydraulic fracturing are fading. Operators need data-driven decision-making to improve well performance, cut waste, and reduce risks. Enter ShearFRAC, a company pioneering real-time pressure diagnostics to transform completions. Andrew McMurray, CEO and co-founder of ShearFRAC, is at the forefront of this change. With a background in mechanical engineering and years in the service sector, he has built a company that challenges industry inertia. ShearFRAC solutions provide immediate insights to operators, allowing them to adapt on the fly—tightening performance curves, cutting costs, and increasing efficiency. Additional Tools & Resources

Energy markets are undergoing a profound transformation. With demand shifting, new energy sources emerging, and digital infrastructure consuming more power than ever, the need for accurate, data-driven decision-making has never been greater. Companies must now navigate uncertainty with smarter forecasting tools, leveraging AI and real-time analytics to stay ahead. However, traditional forecasting models often fail to capture the full picture. New energy sources like solar and battery storage are disrupting the grid, while AI-driven data centers are reshaping electricity demand. At the same time, tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are moving beyond buying power to direct energy investments, influencing market dynamics in unexpected ways. So how do we make sense of this fast-changing landscape? Joining me today is Jarand Rystad, CEO of Rystad Energy, one of the world's leading energy research firms. With a background in physics, statistics, and AI-powered analytics, Jarand has spent two decades refining energy forecasting models that are used by executives and policymakers worldwide. In this episode, we explore how AI is transforming energy analysis, the long-term outlook for global power demand, and what the rise of tech-driven energy investments means for traditional players. About the Guest Jarand Rystad is the founder and CEO of Rystad Energy, one of the world's leading energy research firms. A physicist by training, Jarand spent years at McKinsey & Co. before launching Rystad Energy, building it into a global powerhouse of energy analytics. Additional Tools & Resources

Oil and gas workers operate in extreme conditions, such as the Gulf and the Permian Basin, where the intense heat and high humidity create very hazardous conditions. You lose a lot of body moisture just surviving in those settings.    Most of us know to take a drink of water when we're thirsty, but in those places, by the time you're thirsty, you're already at risk. Is there a better way to measure dehydration risk before it becomes a safety hazard?   In this episode, I sit down with Jim Ryan, Chief Revenue Officer of Epicore Biosystems, to discuss a nifty wearable device that tracks sweat loss, sodium levels, and hydration needs in real time—helping prevent heat-related injuries before they happen.   Elite athletes like Lionel Messi and Serena Williams rely on a sweat patch from Epicore to help them complete. This technology caught the attention of Chevron, who saw the potential to protect its industrial athletes (front line workers). It's been deployed across oil fields, refineries, mining and aviation sectors, changing the way companies monitor worker health and safety.   Stuff that I didn't know:   ✔️ Why sweat is as valuable as blood for real-time health tracking ✔️ The hidden dangers of dehydration—and why most workers don't recognize the symptoms ✔️ How Chevron partnered with Epicore to develop a rugged, industrial-grade wearable ✔️ The privacy-first approach to tracking hydration without monitoring individuals ✔️ What's next for wearables in industrial safety, from muscle fatigue monitoring to ketone tracking   If you're in HSE, operations, or workforce safety, this episode is a must-listen.   About the Guest   Jim Ryan is the Chief Revenue Officer at Epicore Biosystems, the company behind this clever health monitoring technology. Jim has an extensive background in telecom, cybersecurity, and digital health, which is very useful indeed in bringing this kind of technology to the industry.   Additional Tools & Resources  

The oil and gas industry has long relied on surface data and the expertise of seasoned operators to manage the complexities of downhole operations. However, as wells become deeper, laterals longer, and conditions more extreme, the human expert can struggle to address the expanded downhole complexity. Consistency, efficiency, and precision have become increasingly difficult to achieve. This growing complexity presents significant challenges. Operators must interpret inconsistent surface data while contending with extreme pressures, weights, and temperatures. Without real-time visibility into what's happening at the drill bit, risks like unplanned downtime, tool failures, and inefficiencies sap productivity and inflate costs. To overcome these issues, the industry is turning to advanced technology, automation, and machine learning to build a more repeatable and predictable model of operation. In this episode, I speak with Brad Watson, the technology development manager with STEP Energy Services, on how his team is driving innovation with STEP-conneCT, a downhole sensor system integrated with e-coil technology. By providing real-time data on weight, torque, and motor health, STEP-conneCT is helping operators transform coiled tubing operations into a manufacturing-style process. Brad discusses how this technology is addressing challenges, reducing downtime, and paving the way for automation in oil and gas. About the Guest: Brad Watson is the technology development manager with STEP Energy Services, a leading company in the coiled tubing and pressure pumping sector. With a focus on advancing milling technology, Brad has played a key role in deploying STEP-conneCT, a leading-edge tool for real-time data acquisition in extreme downhole conditions. His work illustrates the integration of technology and engineering to address the challenges of modern oil and gas exploration. You can connect with Brad and learn more about STEP Energy Services via:

Direct air carbon capture will be required to remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere while we wind down fossil fuel combustion, and a new technology based on graphene and amine coated ceramic pearls or spheres may be the missing link. The direct air capture methods deployed to date struggle with their enormous scale, their energy intensity, and operating costs. They can require hundreds of dollars per ton of CO2 removed, large land footprints, and available geology to sequester the carbon underground. Economically, they can't pay their own way without permanent subsidies. Many entrepreneurs are working to solve the problem by working backwards from commercial principles that the technology must be economically sustainable without market support. In this interview, I speak with Samir Adams, an entrepreneur who has for several years been perfecting a commercially viable approach to direct air carbon capture. By leveraging graphene-coated ceramic pearls, he has developed a low-energy, modular solution capable of capturing and recycling carbon dioxide with market leading efficiency. Samir walks through how he and his partner conceptualized a graphene-based solution to overcoming challenges in binding CO2. He explains how his technology enables localized CO2 capture, making it practical for industries like enhanced oil recovery, agriculture, and other CO2 buyers. We also discuss the potential of AI integration, the scalability of this technology, and its ability to create new revenue streams from CO2 capture. About the Guest: Sam is a highly experienced technology executive who has led several start ups from start to finish. 

Pipelines are often thought of as simple logistics channels, but in reality, they operate more like sprawling processing plants. This complexity has long been underserved by outdated control systems that lack the sophistication of modern software. The challenge is clear: legacy systems are hindering efficiency, sustainability, and even talent retention as younger generations expect better tools in the workplace. How do we overcome this inertia? In this latest episode I catch up with Vicki Knott, Co-Founder and CEO of Crux OCM, whose exciting work is transforming pipeline control rooms with analytics and automation tools designed for the modern era. Vicki shares how her team is delivering measurable gains in throughput, emissions reductions, and energy efficiency—without a single piece of new steel. We cover some of the biggest questions shaping the future of pipeline control systems: 1️⃣ Why have pipeline control systems been left behind by digital innovation? 2️⃣ How does Crux OCM's technology deliver real results for operators? 3️⃣ What role does trust in cloud-based systems play in accelerating adoption? 4️⃣ How does Microsoft's involvement amplify Crux OCM's vision? 5️⃣ What lessons has Vicki learned about driving transformation in a traditional industry? Crux OCM recently closed a $17M Series A funding led by Microsoft, who recognizes the importance of the shift to zero-trust, cloud-based control room solutions that are reshaping the energy industry. About the Guest: Vicki Knott is the Co-Founder and CEO of Crux OCM, a company dedicated to modernizing pipeline control systems. With a background in chemical engineering and a sharp focus on industry needs, Vicki is driving digital transformation for pipeline operators around the globe. She has led Crux OCM through key milestones, including a $17M Series A investment backed by Microsoft's M12 Fund. Contacting the Guest

The petrochemical industry has traditionally been slow to adopt new technologies, often hindered by legacy systems, risk-averse cultures, and scattered data. However, as global competition and sustainability pressures mount, companies like Nova Chemicals are turning to digital transformation to drive operational efficiency and sustainability. Nova Chemicals recognized the untapped potential in its decades of operational data and began its digital journey with a bold vision. By leveraging advanced tools, such as AI-driven predictive maintenance, the company has revolutionized its approach to reliability, maintenance, and operational performance. NovaChem's strategy involved carefully piloting digital solutions on redundant equipment to mitigate risks and build confidence, leading to transformative value—four times the initially estimated impact. In this episode, I speak with Ahmed Musa, Digital Transformation Leader at Nova Chemicals, who shares insights into how the company has structured its digital initiatives through its Digital Factory and corporate priorities. From overcoming challenges with legacy data systems to fostering a culture of innovation through “Nova Nature,” Ahmed reveals the actionable strategies and lessons learned on NovaChem's digital journey.  What impressed me the most was how digital tools not only reduce costs and emissions but also empower employees, enriching their roles with data-driven insights. About Ahmed Musa Ahmed Musa is an experienced Digital Transformation Leader with a deep background in chemical engineering. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and has extensive practical experience in reliability, maintenance, and turnaround management. Since joining Nova Chemicals in 2014, Ahmed has been highly involved in the company's digital transformation initiatives, focusing on leveraging AI, data contextualization, and advanced analytics to enhance plant reliability and operational efficiency.  Contacting the Guest

The fuel products supply chain is long and complicated, handling the movement of massive volumes of fungible, dangerous, and valuable products in millions of small lots. Despite its criticality, this part of the industry is often overlooked, but can benefit from the modern tools that are finding their way into many industries. I was curious just how deeply our modern digital tools have penetrated the supply chain.  There's no one better to discuss this topic than Ken Evans, VP and General Manager of Energy and Refined Fuels at DTN. DTN touches some 85% of the liquid fuel molecules in the US, which affords them a unique perspective on the supply lines.  Ken outlines the current state of digital adoption across North America and globally, touching on gaps in data usage and the challenges of creating unified digital standards. We get into the ongoing reliance on legacy tools like Excel, the growing importance of real-time data sharing, and the opportunities promised by AI. Ken speaks strongly to the importance of robust data governance to enhance supply chain reliability while maintaining compliance with antitrust safeguards. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear just how important data now is to the fortunes of the supply lines. Data might well be the new oil.  #DTN #OneDTN #oilandgas About the Guest: Ken Evans is the Vice President and General Manager of Energy and Refined Fuels at DTN, where he leads efforts to enhance the efficiency of the oil and gas supply chain through innovative digital solutions. With a background in chemical engineering, Ken has held pivotal roles in operations management, corporate strategy, and technology development, including leadership positions at SAP. His extensive experience in automation and data systems has made him a key advocate for the transformative power of digital adoption in energy logistics. Contact Ken!

The energy industry faces a dual challenge: addressing the growing skills gap as experienced workers retire, and attracting a tech-savvy younger workforce. Meanwhile, digital transformation is reshaping the landscape, introducing complex tools like AI and automation into traditional workflows. In this episode, I interview Ron Crabtree, CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, about bridging the workforce gap. The interview considers how companies can identify critical skills for the future, implement effective mentorship programs, and create the kinds of roles that attract and retain young talent. We flag the “wisdom gap” caused by retiring baby boomers and consider steps to build a digitally capable workforce. Ron has worked across a broad range of industries, and brings this experience from a career in lean Six Sigma, digital transformation, and talent solutions. I like this episode because energy leaders are already grappling with workforce sustainability in a competitive and evolving market. About the Guest Ron Crabtree is the CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, a leader in lean Six Sigma and talent solutions. With over two decades of consulting experience across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and energy, Ron specializes in digital transformation, workforce optimization, and process improvement. A Master Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, he has authored five books and designed training programs used by leading corporations worldwide. Ron also hosts the MetaPod podcast, tackling business challenges in tangible goods sectors. ✨ Connect with Ron:

Safe operations in industries like oil and gas, water utilities, and construction are a non-negotiable priority. However, achieving these high safety standards often creates inefficiencies, as organizations adopt low-error tolerance systems and time-intensive compliance processes.   Field teams face growing pressure to balance safety, productivity, and quality, while adapting to emerging challenges like digitization and net-zero goals. As these demands intensify, field operations continue to struggle with outdated approaches. Excessive paperwork, lack of real-time visibility, and disjointed communication between field teams and managers result in unnecessary downtime, missed opportunities, and increased operational costs. How can industries modernize field operations to meet these high safety and performance standards while driving efficiency? In this episode, I'm joined by Karl Simons, Chief Futurist at FYLD, to explore how AI-driven solutions are revolutionizing field operations. FYLD's platform uses visual analytics, natural language processing, and predictive reasoning to digitize fieldwork, automate reporting, and deliver actionable insights.  Some of the questions we discuss include: • How can industries overcome safety and productivity challenges in field operations? • What role do AI-powered tools like visual analytics and predictive reasoning play in modernizing operations? • How does digitization support organizations in achieving net-zero goals? • What are the key barriers to adopting AI solutions in field operations, and how can they be addressed? Reference Links For FYLD

The energy sector is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by advancements in geospatial technology and the unrelenting evolution of digital innovation. Traditional geotech methods are giving way to LiDAR, GPS, drone and satellite imagery, and the industry now collects more data than ever before. But how do you make sense of this crazy data-rich landscape while holding to the oil and gas ideals of accuracy, efficiency, and safety? Adding to this data overload challenge are the siloed information holdings and the need for skilled professionals who can interpret and leverage geospatial insights. From pipeline monitoring to asset management, the applications of these tools are becoming table stakes, not nice-to-haves. To be competitive, today's energy companies need to rethink how they manage geospatial data, build up predictive analytics, and break through organizational barriers to data sharing. In this episode, I speak with Lonnie Upton, an account manager at NV5 and a seasoned expert in geospatial data for oil and gas. Lonnie shares his journey from field surveying to becoming a leader in the use of cutting-edge remote sensing technologies. Together, we discuss how geospatial tools are driving efficiency, improving safety, and reshaping operations. Some of the questions we explore include: • What problems do technologies like LiDAR and AI-powered tools solve in the energy sector? • How can organizations overcome challenges of data overload and departmental silos? • What steps should companies take to ensure data quality and real-time decision-making? • Why is geospatial data a key driver for the future of energy operations? If you're unfamiliar with how geotech can make a difference, you'll really appreciate this episode  on the potential of geospatial technology and its impact on the future of energy. #NV5 #geospatial #GIS #digitaloilfield #O&G #oil&gas Reference Links For NV5

#ETRM #CTRM One of the last remaining domains of energy yet to fully embrace the cloud is Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM). Despite the key role it plays, the broader oil and gas sector (producers, supply houses, traders, agents) cling to old legacy ETRM  systems—clunky, costly, and a pain to integrate into complex application portfolios. Trading is a high stakes game with few users, and the risk of modernizing these systems is very worrisome. However, the energy sector is now overdue to tackle ETRM, driven by rapid changes in commodity markets and global geopolitics. The emergence of new commodities such as renewables and the realignment of supply chains because of sanctions and conflicts, really requires systems that can adapt quickly and efficiently. Legacy ETRM systems, rigid and isolated, struggle to cope with these new realities. Cloud-based solutions, however, offer the agility to address rapid growth in renewables and the complexity of modern energy trading. In this episode I speak with Sameer Soleja, the Founder and CEO of Molecule, who set out to disrupt this stagnant landscape. Sameer launched a new ETRM solution that  improves the user experience through an emphasis on ease of use, automation, and reliability.  Reference Links For Molecule

SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) has a critical mission: producing the frontline workers that keep the energy industry running. But as the sector evolves—shaped by decarbonization, digital technologies, shifting demographics, and immigration rules—so too must the workforce. According to Dale Hansen, dean of SAIT's MacPhail School of Energy, the institution's role is to stay several steps ahead of these trends, making sure graduates are ready to meet the future. Dale faces an unenviable but exciting challenge: anticipating where the energy market is headed years before it happens.  SAIT works to identify the skills the industry will need, refresh its curriculum, and recruit educators—all while navigating rapid changes. This isn't just about tweaking course content; it's about rethinking what it means to be an energy professional in a world increasingly shaped by new solutions and technologies. The future energy worker won't just turn wrenches or operate rigs—they'll need to innovate, adapt, and problem-solve in ways that the industry has yet to experience.  Dale highlights how SAIT is taking a proactive approach to build this next-gen workforce, seeing that the energy sector has the talent it needs to thrive in a decarbonized, digital-first future.  About Dale Dale Hansen is the Dean in the MacPhail School of Energy at SAIT, providing strategic leadership for its academic programs that span across the energy industry. Prior to joining SAIT, Dale spent 25 years in the oil and gas and mineral resource sectors. Through the course of his career in oil and gas, Dale filled a wide variety of leadership roles across many functions, including time spent in field locations such as the Oil Sands near Fort McMurray. This has provided him with a well-rounded perspective on the industry and an absolute passion for energy in all of its forms. Dale is an experienced facilitator and speaker who holds a Chartered Professional Accounting (CMA) designation and a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Royal Roads University.  Reference Links For SAIT

Oil and gas managers often view every decision as high-stakes and irreversible, but in the digital world, not all choices carry that weight. Jeff Bezos's concept of “Type One” (irreversible) and “Type Two” (reversible) decisions offers a powerful framework for rethinking decision-making in the energy sector. While some digital investments—like SCADA integrations or major cybersecurity upgrades—are genuine Type One decisions requiring caution, many can be structured to minimize risk. In this episode, I explore practical approaches like pilots, modular designs, and SaaS solutions that help reframe digital investments as low-risk, high-reward opportunities. By distinguishing between true Type One decisions and those that only seem that way, oil and gas companies can accelerate adoption cycles, manage risk effectively, and unlock value faster. Additional Tools & Resources:

With your company being acquired, what happens to the digital innovation you helped pioneer? Sadly, its days may be numbered. The unfortunate fate of digital innovations in the oil and gas industry following acquisitions is really depressing. Even groundbreaking technologies—despite their proven value—are often tossed to the curb by acquiring companies and their old-guard leaders. The structural and cultural barriers that stifle innovation in oil and gas can kill off winning ideas without remorse. That's the story in this episode--the rise and fall of a remarkable digital transformation program that unlocked huge value for a company on the brink, but was left behind after an acquisition by a more traditional player in the industry. Fortunately, I share the steps digital innovators must take to safeguard their work and survive in an acquisition. Sometimes the upside can be huge. Additional Tools & Resources:

Stitching a new energy trading and risk management (ETRM) system into a modern systems environment is a substantial and risky undertaking. ETRM as a business function is notably complicated and the challenges an integrator faces are legion. Energy trading is perhaps the most complicated of all of the various functional areas one encounters in the oil and gas industry. It is a high risk, high stakes, high cost, highly dynamic, complex function with strong ties into operations and finance, relatively few actual transactions, and carried out by a small number of people who have deep industrial insight. What could go wrong? The successful integrator will promote an open and collaborative environment for the multiple technology and business teams to address the many integration challenges. While the stakes are high, the benefits of a well-designed and executed integration are well worth the investment. Additional Tools & Resources:

Are you curious how the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) might impact the global oil and gas industry? It will indirectly, thankfully, but in a specific instance and for a specific fuel type, very directly.  The fuels industry is on a mad rush to decarbonize its fuel products, under pressure from regulators and customers both of whom are seeking fuels that produce far fewer damaging emissions. One way to decarbonize fuels is through the development and adoption of sustainable fuels that are produced by converting biomass (such as corn, sugar cane, soy, rapeseed, straw, wood chips) into ethanol, bio diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel. Bio fuels, the product of converting biomass to a fuel, is the fuels industry's answer to the circular economy. Biomass is basically a vector to recycle atmospheric CO2, by first converting C02 into plants (Nature's contribution), then turning the plants into bio fuel (a humankind speciality), and burning the biofuel as energy, releasing the CO2 back into the atmosphere where it then is converted back into a plant. Bio fuels, depending on their origins, fall into the category of derivative products for the purposes of the EUDR. A clever way to track and trace the provenance of a specific fuel product, including one that is blended, traded, and stored, is to accompany the product with a digital passport or record of the life of the bio fuel. Additional Tools & Resources:

#private5G #smartfactory #energy #petrochemicals Market-leading companies with complex plant operations, such as oil refineries and petrochemical plants, are turning to private 5G network technology to gain an industrial edge. In the oil refining and petrochemical sectors, inadequate connectivity is a growing challenge that hampers further drives to improve operational efficiency, safety, and communication. Traditional solutions like Wi-Fi just won't cut it in the uncarpeted world of industry, and wired networks can't easily meet the needs of a dynamic, mobile workforce. The result is safety risks, frustrated workers, stranded data, and higher cost operations. In this podcast, Mehmet Yavuz, the founder and CTO of Celona discusses how Private 5G offers a powerful solution, providing robust, reliable wireless coverage tailored to the industrial enterprise, to support the unique demands of large-scale facilities, offering seamless connectivity across refinery and petrochemical plant sites. Reference Links For Celona

Suicide is a significant and overlooked issue in various industries. Among the sectors most affected are construction and trades, installation, maintenance and repairs, and agriculture, particularly for men. These fields face high stress, long hours, and job insecurity, which can contribute to mental health struggles. Within oil and gas, the reliance on construction and skilled trades to build infrastructure links this sector closely with some of the highest suicide rates. Many oil and gas workers hail from farming backgrounds.  In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in workplace attitudes toward mental health, with younger leaders increasingly recognizing its connection to overall performance and safety. This change has led to a stronger demand for mental health initiatives, particularly in high-risk industries. By building basic suicide prevention skills across these sectors, workplaces can become more prepared and supportive. Offering employees and managers the tools to recognize warning signs and engage in compassionate conversations is a crucial step in addressing mental health challenges and preventing potential crises before they escalate. My guest, Tara Adams, is a specialist in workplace health and wellness with a focus on the highest-risk industries for suicide. Taking a pragmatic, hands-on approach, Tara provides training and coaching to help businesses create safer workplace environments where suicide prevention is a priority. By making these skills accessible through remote and mobile training, she aims to equip employees with the confidence to support their peers and foster a culture of care and awareness. Connect with the Guest:

Successful change management in oil and gas is dependent on having the right mindset about the change. Many years ago, I was involved in implementing a new computer system for a remote field office. The managers assured us that all they needed to do to guarantee a successful implementation was to order the employees by memo to use the system. Change management? Tick. We dutifully couriered to the field office a laptop with the system installed, which was returned to us a couple of days later, crushed flat and with freshly laid-down tire marks visible on the cover. So much for management's efforts to win over hearts and minds. Change management rarely considers the mindset of those driving change and those expected to embrace change, which inevitably brings conflict to the adoption process. How people show up matters. In this podcast I interview Jeff Perry, a leadership and career expert who helps individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their potential in all facets of life. Given his background in engineering, business, and leadership, he specializes in working with engineering and technical professionals, but the principles he shares are universal. He is the author of the bestselling book, "The Intentional Engineer: A Guide to a Purpose-Driven Life and Career for Engineers and Technical Professionals." Connect with Jeff:

It's never been easy for energy products to demonstrate they are sustainable because such products are not easily traceable through the supply chain. Commodity products such as energy, plastics, carbon, and fuels are fungible, voluminous, and blended with each other. The supply chains are not segregated, leading to possible cross contamination when a sustainable fuel passes through infrastructure that is shared with traditional fossil fuels. However, regulatory efforts are putting pressure on organizations to address this using new digital solutions, leveraging machine generated data, blockchain trusted ledgers, cloud computing, and analytics. Concepts like digital passports that accompany physical cargos allow supply chain participants to track the movements of cargos and trace their chain of custody from feedstock to the consumer, and back through the waste stream as they reenter the manufacturing loop. These ideas do not apply solely to fuels. Minerals such as lithium, which have very high value and are recyclable, are also benefiting from passports that provide assurance that the minerals are responsibly sourced and properly handled. One of the key technologies that the energy industry uses for this purpose is called Marco, a kind of middleware technology for digital ledgers that provides for easy solution building. In this interview, I speak with Noslen Suárez, account executive with Finboot, on how Finboot's solutions allow petroleum, petrochemical, and energy companies deliver sustainable products. Noslen has a background in Physics, and holds a PhD in quantum mechanics. Connect with Noslen:

    Managers in oil and gas rely on various rules of thumb to accelerate decision making, but at times these biases get in the way of making better decisions. Biases that were at one time helpful are now a kind of risk. Examples include the emphasis on production above all else, the preference for proven over novel solutions, and the preference for those innovations that originate in the industry. These lingering biases explain why the fortunes of oil and gas companies now dramatically lag the index leaders whose market values are now in the trillions.  Correcting for these biases is not hard, but it does take concerted effort, particularly using some change management tactics.   When times are stable, biases are perhaps a convenient way to facilitate decisions and gain unanimity at the management table. However, the industry is facing far greater complexity than in the past, and such biases are now a risk to be managed. Additional Tools & Resources:

Imagine that the year is 2034. How will the world of oil be digitally different from the way things are in 2024? Some things won't have changed much. Demand will still be strong. We will still be consuming a lot of oil. This is baked in. There is plenty of supply. Costs will have crept up but productivity will more than make up for that. Digital will have utterly transformed how we run the industry thanks to: the circular economy and full life cycle monitoring of our assets digital twin solutions for optimizing production and operations remote control, robots and automation that take out human workers cloud solutions that make everything online all the time mobile connectivity to all mobile people and gear voice interfaces whereever possible. The future is coming quicker than we think. Preparing for it costs no more than running a few trials of a small number of innovations. Additional Tools & Resources:

Digital entrepreneurs face many worrisome perils, and oil and gas poses its own unique set. In my view, the single greatest challenge facing technology companies when dealing with oil and gas is the lack of a clear pathway from the outset of the relationship to scaling up or gaining an enterprise commitment to adoption. The level of fragmentation of decision making inside oil and gas means that a lot of managers get to weigh in on technology that might impact their unit. But for the technology company, that fragmentation also translates into heroically long decision cycles, long waits between meetings, and time spent unproductively helping decision makers get to a decision. Slow cash payment cycles hurt the economics. Change management isn't seen as valuable. The industry shies away from any publicity, even the positive kind that helps digital innovators. It's all about the culture.  Additional Tools & Resources:

A brand new digital bludgeon whose nearly sole purpose is to beat up on the oil and gas industry, is about to be launched. As usual, this is both bad and good news. The global oil and gas industry is the single largest source of avoidable methane emissions, emitting 80 million tons per year through venting, flaring, and unintentional losses (fugitive emissions). These Scope 1 emissions represent the fastest pathway for the gas industry to meet pressing climate targets.  MethaneSat will be able to detect emissions at lower concentrations, from smaller sites, more frequently, and with greater accuracy than previous satellites. And here's the kicker. The data collected by MethaneSAT will be made publicly available, unlike many other data from satellite sources. Companies have already developed the algorithms to sift through the petabytes of survey data that such satellites produce (and like many algorithms, some will be in the public domain), so that the analysis will be swiftly available. What could possibly go wrong? Additional Tools & Resources:

The upcoming changes to mobility fuels are important enough that Boards should be paying close attention, and challenging management with keeping pace. For the first time in my life, there are now really big changes coming to the fuel industry. These changes will impact every single participant in the mobility fuel supply chain, from producers to consumers. The level of investment required in new mobility fuels to meet global demands are creating opportunities for wealth creation that have no parallel in history. Never before has mobility experienced such an upheaval. Fortunes will be made. Simplistic answers to the challenges of mobility fuel change are simply not good enough. This is a complex hard to solve problem in a huge, highly fragmented market with participants at dramatically different levels of readiness. If you're serving on the Board of an energy company, your role is to see that management is taking the transition away from fossil fuels seriously. This podcast highlights the questions you might want to ask at the next quarterly. Additional Tools & Resources:

Process industry professionals have long known about the risks of failure hidden in piping infrastructure, but robotic inspections are poised to solve this safety and risk problem. The pipes with the highest risk profile are undoubtably those used in the petroleum industry, and detecting and assessing their condition under layers of coatings and insulation is one of the most important challenges for the industry. Piping can fail for a variety of reasons, and inspections are expected to detect a broad range of conditions and potential failure points. Most of the more insidious piping weaknesses are not visible to the eye, which can mislead managers into thinking that pipe integrity is assured. Piping failure in a refinery context can be truly catastrophic. Hydrocarbons are toxic and explosive, carry enormous safety implications, and considerable financial risk. A failure of a non-redundant pipe can result in total plant collapse. Suffice to say, the scale of piping infrastructure, the complexity of the material science at stake, the logistical challenges involved, and the nature of the microscopic problems under scrutiny combine into a major undertaking for plant owners keen to avoid substantial financial and safety risks. Better solutions are now available, and feature such innovations as robotic operations, better sensing under insulations, and dramatically improved diagnostics. Dianna Liu is the founder & president of ARIX Technologies, a robotic inspection company using pipe-crawlers and a data analytics software platform to help manufacturing companies better manage corrosion and schedule maintenance. Prior to founding ARIX, Dianna was an engineer for ExxonMobil with roles in logistics/operations and engineering. She has also had R&D experience in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries and prior entrepreneurship experience in founding and managing a 23-year-old online horse game. Dianna holds dual mechanical and biomedical engineering degrees from Duke University and an MBA from Yale University.   Additional Tools & Resources: Connect with Dianna!

There is a new career pathway now available, that of the digital engineer. This career pathway is open to any engineer who is curious how digital innovations intersect with the traditional engineer job, creating this new role of the digital engineer. Identifying and discovering these new roles is not hard, but for most engineers, it will take them out of their comfort zone to confront some uncertainty, some risk. In essence, it's about risk seeking rather than risk mitigation. In this podcast I interview Philip Black, a professional engineer, and oil and gas expert, because he has successfully transitioned his traditional chemical and processing background to become a digital expert. He pivoted his career without losing his momentum and crafted for himself a new career as a digital engineer. He was sought out by the most senior people in his company to learn more about digital innovations and how they impact the oil and gas industry. Phil has pivoted his career several times and has codified what he has learned to do in a way that any engineer can easily follow. Learn more at his website and pivot your own career into digital or new roles in your company, or into entirely new fields. Engineer Career Pivot!

Upskilling of oil and gas professionals in the digital era is a topic everywhere, including the Caribbean island economies. Upskilling means the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, and in digital, this means topics such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, app development, and sensor technology. It's tough enough to acquire new capabilities and stay current in big metropolitan centers. Imagine the challenges in smaller oil and gas producing economies, such as those found in the Caribbean. On-line and distance learning help, but that's not enough. The formal education sector has to play its role, as does industy. But how does this happen? In this podcast, I'm in conversation with Hamlyn Holder, a sessional lecturer with the University of the West Indies and an employee of the oil and gas industry, based in Trinidad and Tobago, one such oil production nation in the Caribbean. Hamlyn has over 20 years of both upstream and downstream engineering experience with nearly a decade of this time dedicated to serving Methanex Trinidad Ltd. Methanex Corporation is the world's largest producer and supplier of methanol to major international markets in North and South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Methanol is a clear liquid chemical used in thousands of everyday products, including plastics, paints, cosmetics, and is a clean-burning, cost-effective alternative fuel. As the Site Reliability Engineer, he ensures the optimal functionality and performance of critical plant assets and is committed to continuous improvement and innovation in the asset management of their methanol plants and air separation units. He currently serves as a Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Engineering Faculty and also at the Caribbean Institute for Quality training the Caribbean workforce in ASQ courses such as Six Sigma Black Belt, Quality Management and Reliability Engineering. He holds a Master's in Engineering and Asset Management from the University of the West Indies, is CAMA Certified and co-founded Cube Root Farms, a company that helps local farmers, schools and communities to adopt modern smart and sustainable agricultural techniques. He is also well versed in developing, enhancing and launching many enterprise management softwares and is a member of many industry bodies such as API, ASQ, PMI , IEEE, ASME and APETT.  Additional Tools & Resources:

It's rare to hear directly from a business leader who has a broad range of oil and gas experience, coupled with a personal front-line role in leading digital adoption, but today's podcast offers just that. Lewis Gillhespy is a former senior leader with Suncor, including roles as Global Chief Geologist, major asset developer, head of a major acquisition, R&D, and lastly, digital transformation leader for the subsurface areas. He describes how oil and gas companies are the children of the Industrial Age. They are reflective of the massive scale of operations that grew out of the enormous demands for energy. Their breadth and diversity of operations, international reach, technology diversity, and emphasis on innovation has created very complex organizations with customized ways of working that are in turn dependent on skilled managers with personal relationship skills to navigate. This business model has rendered them hugely profitable, but highly vulnerable to the digital revolution. Lewis highlights how the adoption of lean methods of working, that simplify complex processes that in turn allow managers to control data and technologies and systems, creates more nimble companies that can quickly embrace change. The reason is that processes tend to be more stable than IT, data or people. Tackling just the data or IT means you miss the process opportunity. The business pressure is that the case for digital is an exponential one, and is now outracing the industrial model. This exponential business case is predicated on high quality data. Driving down cost, driving out waste to achieve low cost operatorship; Producing compelling metrics, delivering analytics from data, applying AI on data, and deriving insights such as benchmarking; and, Innovating new ways of working that deliver dramatic productivity gains. This forces a need for leadership to be actively engaged in the transformation, as uncomfortable as that may be, to promote the new ways of work, and model the right behaviours. These days, Lewis works as a consultant in Geoscience, Digital Transformation, Project Management, and Commercial M&A to the Energy Industry. He holds an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from Imperial College, a BSc. in Geological Science from Leeds University and attended the Harvard Business School Leadership Program in Boston.  Additional Tools & Resources:

Emissions management in energy is in drastic need of improvement. Carbon management is not carried out in an auditable and transparent way, is not standardized for the energy industry. As a result, carbon measures are subject to misinterpretation, claims reversal, misstatements, and greenwashing. Trust in the industry has eroded. A number of leading energy companies embarked on a journey to transform the practices of the industry by adopting new modern digital technologies. Forming a consortium called Blockchain for Energy, the companies set out to design and deploy common interoperable solutions that addressed the industry's more intractable problems. One of its first products is called B4E Carbon, and is a new cutting edge emissions management solution. The solution provides an end to end mechanism for measuring and reporting carbon emissions, for compliance, regulatory, and commercial needs. Data is captured at source, ingested, transformed and stored immutably in an accessible database. The leader of the Consortium is Rebecca Hofmann, an experienced energy executive with a background in multiple dimensions of the oil and gas sector. The Blockchain for Energy (B4E) consortium provides its members with forward thinking learnings and solutions. It collaboratively drives digital transformation by providing members with opportunities to accelerate their digitalization journey. Through collective synergies, B4E seeks to resolve, reinvent, and transform the industry's standard ways of working with external parties. Blockchain for Energy is a safe venue to create transformational change – for the energy industry – by the energy industry. Current B4E members and collaborators include Chesapeake Energy, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy, ExxonMobil, Repsol, Saudi Aramco, Schlumberger, Enovate AI, Emerson ZEDI, Hedera, GBBC/IWA and Tolam Earth. B4E Carbon was developed with the assistance of Enovate AI, founded by Camilo Mejia. With a background in Petroleum Engineering, Data Science, and Business Administration, Camilo has held global executive positions in corporate environments. Enovate AI delivers business and operational process optimization for decarbonization and energy independence through digital engineering and automation. Enovate AI's proven technology model is enabled by the capacity to deliver digital solutions that accelerate a clean, efficient, and diversified energy supply. Enovate AI supports oil and gas, renewables, and CCS operations with an end-to-end digital package from optimization to monetization. Enovate AI supports a cleaner, more efficient, and diversified energy industry through the deployment of effective AI solutions. At Enovate AI we realize the full potential of process autonomy to create a more profitable, sustainable, and environmentally responsible energy industry across the globe. Contacting the Guests:

The world of consumer loyalty for fuel brands is undergoing tremendous change because of data. With the huge penetration rate of mobile phones, the rise of app stores, and always-on websites, fuel retailers have a new opportunity to create a tighter link to their customers for fuel and other services.  Even in the Middle East, where fuel prices are historically very low relative to other countries, consumers are becoming much more price sensitive. To attract them to a fuel pump means more than having the lowest price. It means crafting an ecosystem of in-demand services, and offering the consumer deals for those goods and services in exchange for loyalty points that can be redeemed for value.  Consumers are not just individuals but also fleet operators, such as Careem (an Uber-like service), taxis, and delivery services. Effective service programs for fleet operators drive a 90% penetration rate for loyalty programs. Better data allows for deeper segmentation of the consumer behaviour and drives more impactful insights into relevant partners for the eco system (such as hotels, travel, tourism, shopping experiences, and more).  Even in the future, if traditional fuel is not the anchor reason to visit the fuel station, the consumer may still visit for vehicle servicing, getting morning coffee, picking up groceries, and holding meetings. Which services they covet is revealed in the data collected by the ecosystem and co-brand information, which in turn drives the decisions for investing in new partners and other relevant services.  Tourists may even be courted via such loyalty programs by becoming the must-have app on the phone when visiting the UAE, which is a tourism hub for the region.  This is all revealed in this podcast conversation with Suryaveer Singh, the Head of Loyalty, CRM, and  Data Analytics for the YES Rewards program.  YES Rewards has digitized the fuel purchase loyalty card allowing for instant earn and burn capabilities, cross promotion across Fuel and Non-fuel brands, subscriptions for coffee, carwash, oil change, Digital receipts, and many other features.  Key to YES's success is a unified customer experience using a highly capable technology platform.  The UAE, with its relatively small geography, wealthy citizens, high technology usage, and strong telecom networks, create a unique place to actualize a new relationship with the energy consumer. Nimble economies are best positioned to prepare the way for the electrification of transportation, the hydrogen highway, the sustainable fuel revolution, and the next generation energy consumer. Additional Tools & Resources:  

Description Turnarounds, shutdowns and outages in heavy industry are key processes for keeping industrial infrastructure running at peak performance. Some plants, such as oil refineries, will plan and execute annual turnarounds, during which time accumulated work orders are tackled, substantial repairs or upgrades are executed, and regular maintenance activities are executed. LNG facilities, which are processing a much simpler and cleaner commodity (natural gas), might only experience a turnaround every few years.  Outages can be both planned and unplanned. A planned outage is carefully scheduled so that teams can carry out routine maintenance or equipment inspections. Unplanned outages, which can be caused by fires, equipment failure, or even intense storms, require a more urgent, unplanned and more costly response.  The execution of these key processes (shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages or STO) is very different from normal operations. The workforce for STO is often contingent. Work planning is more demanding. Scheduling and coordination takes on a greater priority. The costs for STO can be exceptionally high, particularly considering the cost of lost production.  Needless to say, STO attracts specialized firms that focus on bringing best in class processes and practices to assist industrial companies improve their STO execution. In this interview, I speak with Ross Coulman, the Managing Director at IAMTech, a company at the forefront of innovative asset management and technology solutions.  For over twenty years, Ross has been leading the industry in simplifying complex industrial processes through cutting-edge technology and software solutions. His hands-on approach and deep understanding of the operational challenges faced by these sectors originated years ago when he first joined an industrial company on a temporary assignment, only to discover the extraordinary level of waste and inefficiency that can plague the industrial asset owner.  Ross is a regular speaker at industry conferences and events, where he shares insights on the future of asset management, digital transformation, and the importance of sustainable industrial practices. Additional Tools & Resources:  

In this episode, I'm in conversation with Serge Guzenko, Founder and CEO of Wezom, about custom code. With over 24 years of experience in the industry, Serge has led WEZOM to become an international IT company known for its innovative solutions and client-centric approach in developing custom code. Wezom is a global custom code business. I'm really interested in this niche and critical role of custom software development, particularly within the oil and gas industry. I start by asking Serge to explain the unique advantages of custom software. It's not obvious to oil and gas professionals, who view their businesses as generally undifferentiated, why they might value the flexibility and features that address the unique needs of the oil and gas sector. Custom solutions can be tailored to enhance operational efficiency, integrate with existing systems, and handle complex data management tasks that generic software often cannot. The discussion highlights several key factors to consider when opting for custom software, such as the specific operational needs of the company, unique requirements, and cost effectiveness. Serge points out areas within this sector that particularly benefit from custom solutions. We talk through cost of delivery, the need for ongoing maintenance, and the availability of skilled developers familiar with the industry's nuances. Looking forward, Serges shares his view of the future of custom software development, featuring increased integration of AI tools that can further enhance the capabilities and efficiency of custom solutions. AI's role in supporting coding work is only just starting. This episode not only highlights the persistent relevance of custom software development in a world dominated by generic ERP solutions but also illustrates its strategic importance in industries where customization can lead to significant competitive advantages and operational improvements. Serge is deeply passionate about his work and is dedicated to delivering exceptional results for his clients. Throughout his career, Serge has demonstrated strong leadership skills, overseeing a team of over 250 employees and delivering more than 1000 IT solutions for companies, enterprises, startups, and government entities. Wezom worked with projects of such companies as Metinvest, Aptiv, CooperHunter, and JohnDeer. Additional Tools & Resources:  

Where Energy meets Facts: Empowering People to Reduce Energy Costs The average western consumer has no idea how much energy they use. It's not really their fault — the energy system was never designed to give the consumer visibility into their energy consumption. We even measure energy in many different and confusing ways. Gasoline is in gallons. Power is in kilowatt hours. Propane is in pounds.  Structurally, energy companies are not incentivized to provide their consumers with data about their energy use. Collecting the data is a huge exercise in building integrations from various data sources to build up a picture of energy use. Households have many different energy suppliers (power and gas utilities, gasoline retailers), and there are many individual buyers.  It's not clear consumers will pay for that insight.  Jotson is setting out to challenge that problem and fix it. To quote Mark Little, the CEO and co-founder, it's baffling that mankind can put people into orbit around the planet, and land astronauts on the moon, but the average household can't figure out how much they're spending on energy. By giving consumers real data about their energy use, Jotson hopes to empower people to take charge of their energy consumption and to make better personal choices to reduce their demands on the energy system.  In this interview, I speak with Mark about his start up,  Jotson, and his mission to empower Canadians to manage household energy cost and consumption.  Mark has more than 35 years of leadership experience in the Canadian energy industry, including 23 years at Imperial/Exxon, and most recently as President & CEO at Suncor Energy. During his career, Mark has led large complex organizations working on multi-billion-dollar energy projects, from the conceptual design, development, and project implementation through to operations and maintenance.  Mark has led the startup and operation of large wind, solar, and biogas projects, and is one of the founding CEOs of Pathways Alliance, an initiative that sets the six largest oil sands companies in Canada on a path to reach net-zero CO2 emissions.   He is a board member of General Fusion, and an advisor to both the Coalition for a Better Future and Cycle Capital.  Mark holds two degrees – one in computer science from the University of Calgary, and one in applied petroleum engineering technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He is also a graduate of the advanced management program at Harvard Business School.  From 2003 to 2007 he served as Honorary Colonel for the 409 and 441 Tactical Fighter Squadrons at 4 Wing Airforce Base in Cold Lake, AB; a role that reflected his commitment to the relationship between the Air Force, the community and industry. Mark was also the Recipient of the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business' Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Relations 2024. Additional Tools & Resources:  

Marketplace Launched! The upstream oil and gas supply chain is about to get a much needed boost in procurement efficiency with the launch of a new e-commerce marketplace. Such marketplaces are very common in the consumer industry (Amazon being an example), but rare to non-existent in oil and gas. Despite years of investment in big enterprise systems, buyers of goods for the upstream industry still have to wrestle with supplier-specific ordering portals and search, complex and out of date company product catalogues, which hampers price discovery, procurement efficiency, and price discovery. Time-pressured oil and gas project managers just bypass the agreed procedures, and order directly using procurement cards, which erodes the value of strategic sourcing agreements.  Imagine the possibilities of a marketplace specific to Canadian upstream oil and gas. Oilfield Marketplace Canada (or OFMP.ca) is a descendent of the very successful Oilfield Marketplace solution in the US but specific for the Canadian marketplace, with items that are certified for use in Canada and with Canadian prices and availability.  Check out this conversation with Steve Copeland, the general manager of the new Canadian Oil Field Marketplace. Steve spent 12 years with Cameron, and later with SLB after their acquisition of Cameron in 2015. Steve is from Calgary, and had an early career in field service gradually progressing to the role of National Sales Manager at Cameron. Additional Tools & Resources:  

Australia is the lucky country when it comes to energy transition. The country is blessed with ample non-renewable energy resources, including gas, coal, uranium, lithium, and oil. In addition, the country is bathed in sunshine, surrounded by coastlines and tides, and is largely empty, suitable for wind farms. The LNG sector is now incredibly important to the national economy. Australia is 20-25% of global LNG production, one of the top 3 largest producers, and operates 10 gigantic plants serving mostly Asian markets. However, the country's energy resources are struggling with energy transition challenges. The historic basins that provided the populous southeast with natural gas are drying up and the country hasn't been able to mobilise a suitable replacement. The demand for Australia's energy products is creating upward price pressure on the domestic market. The country is at risk of not growing its LNG trade past its current size. In this interview, I speak with Jody Rowe, a commercially-focused specialist who has a strategic view of the broader Australian market. Jody has worked in agriculture, mining, and oil and gas industries in roles that span commercial, contracts and procurement at a number of multinationals including Barrick Gold and Rio Tinto, in both Gold and Uranium commodities. Her work has included executive roles on one of Australia's pioneering coal seam gas to LNG projects. Additional Tools & Resources:

About the Episode The world of geospatial analytics is transforming how we manage industrial infrastructure. In this interview with Sean Donegan, the CEO of Satelytics, we discuss the use of satellite data to tackle major challenges like methane leaks, water contamination, and infrastructure damage with cutting-edge AI technology.  The traditional methods of inspecting linear infrastructure (pipelines, roads, forestry operations, power lines) by driving around or flying are outdated, costly, and harmful to the environment. Satellite data is a modern solution to quickly and accurately detect problems before they escalate. This not only saves money and prevents environmental damage but also protects companies from regulatory and reputational risks. Algorithms look at satellite images and the sun's reflectance on various surfaces to identify and quantify issues with incredible accuracy and speed (as in 3 hour turn around). This ultra rapid detection and quantification capability allows for near immediate (same day) action, reducing potential fallout from incidents like oil spills, subsurface leaks, and vegetation encroachment. We also discuss the importance of early adoption and the transformative potential of satellite data in managing infrastructure and environmental challenges. For energy and infrastructure companies who are struggling to maintain a daily grasp on their operations and their risks, satellite data and the algorithms that interpret that data present a huge cost saving and a step change in responsiveness. Additional Tools & Resources:  

In this interview with David Khani, we discuss pipeline tariff negotiations and how regulatory analytics can help shippers win big. Policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act are reshaping energy infrastructure, along with global events, such as the Ukrainian conflict. Natural gas market dynamics are changing rapidly, and systemically. Dave and EQT leaned heavily on Arbo to help with complex negotiations and understanding the growing demand for natural gas. Dave also covers how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulations influence pipeline operations. Another key factor is decarbonization, which has an impact on pipeline throughput. Companies like EQT Corporation navigate tariff increases and negotiations with shippers, with outside specialized help. The future of energy includes coal and nuclear power within our evolving energy mix, and to succeed, companies have an indispensable need for data science in regulatory negotiations. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for anyone involved or interested in the energy industry. Listen to the end to stay informed about the shifts shaping our energy future. About Dave: Until recently, Dave was the CFO at EQT Corporation, a big US independent gas producer. Prior to joining EQT Corp., Dave served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of CONSOL Energy and as CFO and as a board member of its affiliates, including CNX Midstream Partners LLC and a joint venture with Noble Energy. Dave developed a deep understanding of the commodity markets through almost 2 decades as a financial analyst on Wall Street. He holds a B.A. in biological sciences from State University of New York—Binghamton and an M.B.A. in corporate accounting and finance from the University of Rochester and has been a chartered financial analyst (CFA) for 25 years.

Where are oil and gas prices going, and why. That's the focus of this wide-ranging interview I had with Andrew Botterill, head of Deloitte's chemicals and oil and gas industry vertical. Deloitte produces a regular price forecast for oil and gas, and we provide the context, covering the turmoil and volatility in global markets, heavily influenced by geopolitical conflicts and policy shifts.  We touch on the adoption of sustainable practices, including hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels. Policy moves, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, create both challenges and opportunities in the U.S., but with ramifications globally, particularly from major consuming geographies, incuding the EU and Asia.  We also discuss the future of energy demand in growth economies like India and continental Africa, highlighting the complex relationship between advancing technology and addressing energy poverty. Digital technology plays a key role in enhancing cost efficiency, resilience, and safety within the industry, setting the stage for a more sustainable and flexible energy landscape. Additional Tools & Resources:

AI innovations are helping transform regulatory processes by providing access to data that has been beyond analytical reach. AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, and CoPilot are revolutionizing how energy firms and professionals tackle complex regulatory data, especially in sectors like energy infrastructure. These generative AI tools ingest the huge volume of documents and commentary associated with energy infrastructure submissions to regulators (briefs, complaints, dockets, applications), providing fresh insight into what makes for a successful application, and why some fail to gain acceptance. These tools also transform the way experts prepare regulatory documents, analyze dynamic regulatory environments, and address energy transition policies like those outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act. In this podcast, I help you understand the business value from AI gained from analyzing regulatory content and creating new, efficient pathways for submissions and compliance. If you're an energy industry professional, regulator, or advocate interested in understanding how AI can be used in regulatory areas, this podcast will be very helpful. Additional Tools & Resources:

In the US lower 48 states, between $200 billion and $400 billion are spent in the supply chain every year and are still run with practices designed decades ago. The energy sector's supply chain is broken and needs a new vision to take it to the next level. In this interview podcast with Joshua Trott from WorkRise, we'll look at the outdated practices of supply chain management in oil and gas, explaining why many projects go over budget and schedule. Josh is the Chief Revenue Officer of WorkRise, an industry-leading labor business and a leading supply chain platform used by many of the biggest energy companies in the world. WorkRise's innovative solution is aimed at completely overhauling the industry's supply chain model rather than just tinkering with point solutions or with narrow scope. This concept emphasizes the power of data-driven decisions and efficiency to revolutionize project management and execution. We uncover the major issues impacting the current supply chain system, and how WorkRise plans to mitigate these challenges by putting in place a streamlined, cost-effective approach to project lifecycles. Modern technology and methods play a huge role in helping overcoming the obstacles in the industry. If you are responsible for overseeing end to end operations of an oil and gas company, you have the potential to capture very significant benefits through a rethink of your supply chain management. Josh is a lifelong soccer player and fan, he lives in Austin, Texas. Additional Tools & Resources: