In this week's episode of the Local Energy Podcast, veteran directional driller Brandon Vidrine reveals why the U.S. rig count has plummeted from 2,000 to 500 while drilling production hits record highs. With over 20 years in oil & gas, Brandon breaks down the industry's radical transformation through automation, remote operations, and the shift from exploration to manufacturing. Brandon is a good dude and a true drilling professional who cares deeply about providing proper context and information. Brandon shares his unique journey from Navy interior communications electrician to offshore wireline operator to remote drilling expert managing 6 rigs simultaneously from a single control center. He explains how modern drilling automation eliminates human variability, why "weight-to-weight time" is the metric that matters, and what it really means that drilling has become a manufacturing operation.Key Topics Discussed:The dramatic decline in rig count (2,000 to 500) since 2012How automation is revolutionizing drilling operationsRemote drilling operations and managing multiple rigsOffshore vs onshore drilling realities ($1M/day deepwater operations)Why smaller operators resist automationThe evolution from wildcats to manufacturingDirectional drilling in the Marcellus & Utica ShaleWhy experience still matters in an automated worldFrac plugs, dissolvables, and completion strategiesTimestamps:00:00 Introduction & Brandon's Navy background04:00 First oil & gas job: Offshore wireline in the Gulf07:30 Current role: Remote automated directional drilling09:30 Automation eliminating human factor in drilling11:33 Making connections & weight to weight time12:30 Managing 6 rigs simultaneously15:36 Why directional drilling expertise takes years to develop19:53 Oil & gas as a manufacturing operation20:36 The rig count revelation: Never hitting 1,000 again23:29 Company man vs driller: Who's most stressed?25:50 Frac plugs discussion & dissolvablesAbout Brandon Vidrine:Brandon is a directional drilling consultant currently working with major operators in the Northeast's Marcellus and Utica Shale plays. His career spans from offshore Gulf of Mexico operations to implementing cutting-edge automation technologies with companies like Nabors. He brings a unique perspective on how technology is fundamentally reshaping the energy industry while maintaining that deep domain expertise remains irreplaceable.About Local Energy Podcast:Hosted by Peter Brecht and Wade Spear, the Local Energy Podcast delivers educational content about drilling operations, energy economics, and technical industry discussions. We talk to the people doing the real work in oil & gas.The views expressed in this podcast are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the positions of their employers or affiliated organizations.