Operators are under pressure to do more with less, and the future of completions lies in data-driven decision making. In this episode of Nerdin' Out, hosts Alex Fortin and Derek Mathewson sit down with Sean Hervo, co-founder and CEO of PrePad, to explore how physics-based simulation helps operators design completions smarter, faster, and more profitably.Sean shares how PrePad enables operators to simulate completions in minutes, optimize for economics (not just cost and time), and integrate seamlessly with Cold Bore’s real-time SmartPAD data. Together, they dive into the digitization of oil & gas, the shift from spreadsheets to simulation, and the opportunities for operators to unlock six-figure value per well.If you’re looking for insights on how completions data, real-time optimization, and lifecycle economics are transforming oil & gas, this episode is for you.👉 Learn more: www.PrePad.io👉 Explore Cold Bore Technology: www.coldboretechnology.com👉 Subscribe for more conversations on the future of completions.Sean Hervo is the co-founder and CEO of PrePad, a completions simulation platform that enables operators to make faster, smarter, and more profitable decisions. With nearly 15 years of experience in oil & gas, including 12 years at Shell where he led completions engineering teams in Canada’s Montney and Duvernay plays, Sean brings deep technical expertise and business acumen to energy technology.Originally trained as a mechanical engineer specializing in aerospace, Sean pivoted into energy and later co-founded PrePad to solve a critical gap in completions planning: replacing manual spreadsheets with physics-based, real-time simulation. Today, PrePad helps leading operators maximize free cash flow, reduce emissions, and deliver long-term value across the entire well lifecycle.00:00 – When things go wrong at 4 a.m.01:19 – Introduction to the episode01:42 – Meet Sean Hervo, CEO of PrePad02:38 – From aerospace engineering to oil & gas03:57 – Entrepreneurial leap: founding PrePad05:13 – Moving beyond spreadsheets in completions07:10 – Starting PrePad outside Shell08:12 – From cost-cutting to true value optimization10:27 – Linking subsurface and completions data12:10 – Aligning drilling, completions & production teams13:46 – Wrong incentives in silos15:18 – Digitization as the next frontier in oil & gas18:27 – Learning from biotech & manufacturing22:03 – Why investors demand digitized workflows23:48 – What data surprises operators most26:28 – Cold Bore x PrePad: A powerful synergy30:04 – Towards real-time completions decision-making33:57 – Doing more with less in a shrinking workforce35:22 – The impact of AI data centers on energy demand39:11 – LNG exports and global energy geopolitics41:06 – Chevron’s triple fracking in the Permian43:40 – The scale of simultaneous fracking challenges45:14 – Dealing with water & infrastructure bottlenecks47:04 – Cold Bore adapting to multi-well frack operations49:09 – Building robust data models for scalability50:16 – PrePad’s simulation challenges & solutions53:00 – Scaling PrePad with U.S. operators56:17 – Running a software company without being a software engineer58:14 – Building the right team to scale PrePad59:58 – Where to find Sean Hervo