Oilfield Strong

How can AI agents help businesses work smarter and leverage their workforce?

Scott Marmoll, founder of Second Mind Systems, joins Oilfield Strong to break down how AI agents move beyond basic chat tools to actually perform tasks, connect systems, and automate repetitive workflows. From managing email and processing data to supporting highly technical business processes, Scott explains how companies of any size can use AI to increase capacity while keeping human judgment in the loop.

Could California’s oil industry be a warning for Texas?

Reservoir engineer Dwayne Purvis, Founder of Purvis Energy Advisors, joins Grant to examine what is driving California’s production decline and why regulation is only part of the story. From geology and economics to idle wells and billions in plugging liabilities, the conversation explores what Texas can learn from California’s experience and why addressing aging wells now could help prevent a much larger problem later.

What should the Texas Railroad Commission’s role be in strengthening the oil and gas industry while holding operators accountable?

Grant sits down with Texas State Representative and Railroad Commission candidate Jon Rosenthal to discuss his vision for one of the state’s most important regulatory agencies. Drawing on his engineering background, decades of oil and gas experience, and four terms in the Texas House, Rosenthal shares his perspective on supporting responsible operators, addressing orphan and inactive wells, modernizing the Railroad Commission, and finding common ground between industry and government.

The conversation also tackles some of the biggest issues facing Texas energy today, including natural gas reliability, flaring, produced water, property and mineral rights, aging regulatory systems, and the resources needed to effectively oversee a rapidly evolving industry. Grant and Rosenthal also discuss the balance between working with industry, independently regulating it, and what that relationship could look like under a different approach at the Railroad Commission.

In this episode of Oilfield Strong, Grant Swartzwelder speaks with Jim Winchester, Executive Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, about the association’s concerns regarding the state’s new financial-assurance and well-bonding requirements. They discuss how the requirements could affect marginal wells, independent operators, asset transfers, plugging obligations, and the businesses and communities that support oil and gas production.

The conversation also covers changes to New Mexico’s Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund under House Bill 80, the Environment Department’s proposed methane-abatement rule, and continuing debate over the treatment and reuse of produced water.

This episode is sponsored in part by Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.

How far can horizontal drilling technology push the limits and what happens when today’s “extreme” well becomes tomorrow’s standard?

Horizontal drilling has evolved from simple directional techniques into complex U-turn and J-hook wells. This talk explores the technologies making longer laterals possible, including mud motors, PDC bits, rotary steerable systems, MWD/LWD technology, and real-time geosteering.

From four-mile laterals to AI-driven and increasingly autonomous drilling, where is the industry headed next?

Power reliability isn’t just critical—it’s mission-critical, especially as AI data centers demand near-perfect uptime. Josh Evans, CEO of High Volt Energy, shares how his company’s innovative midstream power solutions are transforming electrification in oilfields and beyond, delivering clean, dependable power where the grid can’t. Tune in to discover how behind-the-meter infrastructure is shaping the future of energy reliability and meeting the explosive growth in data center power needs.

Federal regulation may be waning, but state-level oversight in Texas and New Mexico is tightening—especially around inactive and orphan wells. Join the PBERS 2026 Panel Discussion as industry veterans unpack evolving bonding requirements, permitting complexities, and the critical need for collaboration between land, drilling, and regulatory teams. Tune in to navigate these regulatory shifts and safeguard your operations in today’s dynamic oilfield landscape.

What if Texas’s abundant oilfield expertise could unlock a new, reliable energy source right beneath our feet? Barry Smitherman, chairman of the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance and former Railroad Commissioner, dives into how geothermal power—using deep wells and hot rock—could transform the Lone Star State’s energy future while tackling orphan well challenges. Tune in to explore the potential of dispatchable, clean energy that’s scalable, efficient, and closer than you think.

With Permian oil prices soaring yet production hurdles mounting, Michael Lozano of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association breaks down the critical challenges—from electricity infrastructure and water management to the rising threat of oilfield theft. Tune in to hear how these complex issues shape the future of Texas energy and what it means for producers navigating this high-stakes landscape.

Texas faces a water challenge unlike anything in its history, and according to Texas State Senator Charles Perry, the solutions must start now. In this special Oilfield Strong presentation, Senator Perry discusses the future of Texas water policy, the role of produced water as a new water supply, desalination, aquifer storage, infrastructure funding, and the planning required to meet the state's growing demand. He explains why produced water represents both an environmental solution and a potential long-term water resource for communities across Texas. Whether you're involved in oil and gas, water management, agriculture, economic development, or public policy, this is a discussion you won't want to miss.