Digital Innovations in Oil and Gas with Geoffrey Cann

In this week's podcast, I am interviewing Ian Burgess, CTO of Validere. An AI-based optimization company, Validere provides services to both Midstream and E&P oil and gas companies. Validere is based in Toronto, and handles logistics, trading, and midstream operations through AI and IIoT platforms. Today we talk about the difficulties of validation, quality assurance and communication, and what analytics can offer to help mitigate them.

Part 1 of 2

Duration: 20m 15s

Drones (or autonomous equipment) are finding a receptive market in the oil and gas sector. Of all the digital technologies drones deliver superior, triple bottom line benefits. Moreover, it is in many oil and gas basins' best interests to accelerate autonomy solutions. Here's why.

Duration: 10m 45s

I've recently chaired a panel discussion about the impacts that digital innovation are having on the oil and gas industry.  I am invited to speak at many events, but I am particularly intrigued about this conference because it was virtual—it took place entirely online. What questions did the panel address?

Duration: 10m 24s

I accept the science of climate change and that human activity is having an effect on the climate. I also observe that the fossil fuel industry has been instrumental in bringing prosperity to much human existence. If your goal is to tackle climate change with all the tools at your disposal, what digital tools should hold a spot in your arsenal?

Duration: 11m 27s

Analytics are now de rigeur in many industries. Alberta's oil and gas sector has all the characteristics to make it an ideal place to apply analytics to its key problems. In my view, there are eight big categories of performance optimisation available by applying analytics.

Duration: 11m 21s

With the Canadian pipeline industry struggling to gain speedy approval for new infrastructure, the oil industry is turning to rail transportation. The rail network is very extensive, with lines reaching out into every nook and cranny of the country. Could digital innovation make a difference to rail's performance?

Duration: 10m 20s

We don't trust machines…and we will need to change that.

Kevin Frankowski, a specialist in helping companies with innovation, and I are exploring the evolving world of work. We see the early signs of how work is changing as we increase the level of automation in the work place. We question the readiness of industry to address these changes and the attitudes of workers towards rising levels of automation.

Duration: 10m 58s

How susceptible is the Alberta business model to disruption from digital innovation? Much of my professional career has been spent toiling in Alberta's oil sector, and the sector is facing a compounding set of headwinds that show few signs of eventual abatement. A few digital technologies will be key to helping the Alberta business model react to primary disruptions by targeting cost and productivity prospects.

Duration: 11m 39s

Data is emerging as the new unspoken battleground for oil and gas supremacy.  The oil and gas industry is exceptionally data rich, and generates terabytes by the minute. Why is this happening and should it be a concern? I clearly see the emerging outline of a war for data.

Duration: 10m 52s

How do you know if your organization is ready to embark on changes enabled by digital innovation? Why not collect some data?As you work on a digital strategy, you need to get a handle on how ready your organization is to cope with the outcomes of the digital strategy, and for this you need data. 

Duration: 9m 26s