Welcome to Energy Bytes - your essential guide to the intersection of data and energy.

Hosted by industry veterans John Kalfayan and Bobby Neelon, this podcast dives deep into the world of energy, shedding light on how data, AI, and technology are revolutionizing this sector.
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#71

EP 71: Mathias Lia Carlsen from whitson

Mathias has a knack for shaking up an industry that doesn’t exactly love change, and he’s doing it from the inside. As CEO of Whitson, he’s bringing petroleum engineering software into the cloud era, building tools that work in real time instead of waiting on clunky desktop updates. We talked about what it takes to get a traditional industry to embrace modern platforms, why seamless data integration is the real game-changer, and how Whitson Plus is helping make it happen. Somewhere along the way, we compared life in Norway to Houston, swapped taco recommendations, and even found a few similarities between fjords and tech. It’s a mix of innovation, culture, and just enough humor to remind you that oil and gas tech can actually be fun.Click here to watch a video of this episode.00:00 - Intro01:05 - Norway Geography Overview04:26 - Understanding WITSML Standards05:55 - Introduction to WITS Protocol12:45 - Data Sovereignty Explained17:15 - SOC 2 Compliance for Software17:37 - International Market Entry Advice19:58 - Software Portability Across Clouds22:06 - Strategies for Reducing Cloud Costs23:20 - COVID-19 Impact on Cloud Adoption24:10 - Cloud Provider Flexibility25:15 - Whitson Product Overview27:28 - Whitson PBT Features29:10 - Whitson Spacing Solutions34:51 - Well-by-Well Analysis39:21 - Watson Plus Overview43:37 - Data Integration Strategies47:10 - Future of WITSML and RESQML52:40 - Importance of Software Integrations54:09 - Leveraging APIs for Growth55:30 - Snowflake Data Solutions59:23 - Speed Round Q&A1:06:00 - Contacting Whitson1:07:45 - Closing Remarks1:09:33 - Unique Aspects of Collide Energy1:13:14 - Outrohttps://twitter.com/collide_iohttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/digitalwildcatters.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collide-digital-wildcatters
#70

EP 70: Michael Egan from Bunting Labs

AI and GIS might not sound like the flashiest combo, until you hear what Bunting Labs is cooking up. Michael Egan breaks it down with John and Bobby: how they’re turning old-school geologic maps into clean, digital datasets, baking large language models into QGIS, and giving non-technical folks the power to ask spatial questions like pros. From landmen to transportation planners, this episode explores how tools like Mundi are cutting down analysis time and opening up the GIS world to way more people. It’s all about smarter maps, faster workflows, and making geospatial data way less intimidating.Click here to watch a video of this episode.00:00 - Intro01:25 - Michael Egan, Bunting Labs Co-Founder03:51 - Billion Dollar Idea in Tech05:52 - Fencing Solutions in GIS07:41 - Overview of Bunting Labs09:44 - Understanding GIS Technology12:41 - Mundi and Spatial Data Interaction15:42 - Comparing Mundi and Bunting Labs19:20 - Target Audience for Mundi21:34 - Energy Use Cases in GIS23:16 - Plat Digitizer Overview24:51 - Primary Use Cases of Mundi27:58 - Embedding Mundi in Applications30:33 - Base Map Compatibility in GIS33:00 - Maximizing QGIS Utilization34:08 - Computer Vision and LLM Integration37:30 - Future of WebGIS Technology39:48 - Advancements in Computer Vision43:20 - Self-Hosting Solutions Explained46:20 - Dataset Iteration Techniques48:27 - Cursor in Oil and Gas Industry53:36 - Cursor Applications in GIS Industry01:00:03 - Exploring the Tech Stack01:02:42 - Choosing a Cloud Provider01:03:41 - Non-OpenAI Model Preferences01:04:16 - Favorite Vacation Destinations01:04:45 - YC Company Highlights01:06:44 - Where to Find Michael Egan01:07:50 - Outrohttps://twitter.com/collide_iohttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/digitalwildcatters.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collide-digital-wildcatters
#69

EP 69: Bella Kelada-Khalil from Midnight Marketing

AI isn’t just showing up in oil and gas, it’s kicking the door down. We hung out with Bella Kelada-Khalil from Midnight Marketing, who’s diving headfirst into petroleum engineering and AI after starting in sales and events. She’s asking the smart, unfiltered questions you wish you could, and we’re here for it. We swap stories on how AI is automating the boring stuff, making data wrangling less painful, and helping teams actually trust what they’re looking at. From LangChain setups to sketchy data rooms, it’s all on the table. This one’s for anyone wondering how tech and tradition can play nice in the field.00:00 - Intro01:40 - Flipping the Table07:00 - Journey to AI Adoption13:34 - Understanding AI, ML, and LLM15:37 - AI vs Machine Learning vs LLMs Explained17:23 - The Power of LLMs20:55 - Starting Platforms for AI22:24 - Free vs Paid AI Models28:15 - Starting Points in Petroleum Engineering30:06 - Essential Learning Before AI31:42 - Building a Data Foundation34:40 - LinkedIn's Data Insights37:25 - AI-Generated Video Content41:10 - Authenticity in AI Creations44:35 - AI in Due Diligence Processes49:00 - Training Duration for AI Models51:15 - Optimal Efficiency in AI54:51 - Successful AI Use Cases in Production58:50 - Tech Stack Essentials1:03:04 - Data Accessibility Challenges1:08:24 - Barriers to AI Adoption in Oil & Gas1:12:15 - LLMs vs Other Tech Hypes1:17:46 - Outrohttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@digitalwildcatters
#68

EP 68: Cameron Snow from Danomics

Tired of clunky geoscience software that feels like it was built in the '90s? Same. That’s why we brought on Cameron Snow from Danomics to talk about how his team is shaking things up. He’s built a platform that actually makes life easier for geologists and engineers, no more wrestling with legacy tools just to run a few thousand wells. We got into how Danomics uses AI (without going full robot overlord), how the cloud isn’t just buzzword fluff, and why data management doesn’t have to suck. If you’ve ever cursed at reservoir modeling software, you’ll want to hear this one.00:00 - Intro01:00 - EOG Acquires INNO03:39 - Understanding Danomics07:18 - Importance of Cloud for Danomics10:38 - Cloud First Strategy14:17 - Data Residency Explained15:42 - Founding Danomics17:34 - Coding Journey22:54 - Programming Languages Overview25:14 - Managing Complex Equations29:05 - Handling Customer Requests32:54 - Significance of UI/UX Design36:40 - Meeting User Expectations38:54 - Software Integration with Applications43:25 - Data Management and Organization50:07 - Coding for Geoscientists and Engineers59:48 - AI's Impact on Oil and Gas Industry01:00:02 - AI's Limitations in Oil and Gas01:05:25 - Speed Round01:09:10 - Contacting Cam01:10:00 - Outrohttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@digitalwildcatters
#67

EP 67: Jeff Krimmel from Krimmel Strategy Group

If you've ever wrestled with messy datasets, legacy code, or trying to get executives to actually *use* data, you’ll get a kick out of this one. We sat down with Jeff Krimmel from Krimmel Strategy Group to talk shop about how he’s helping energy companies turn their mountain of data into real-world strategy. We hit everything from making peace with Fortran (yep, still kicking) to getting smart about tools like Snowflake and Databricks, and even why asking better questions matters more than the data itself. Jeff’s got a sharp eye for cutting through the noise—and a knack for blending cold, hard numbers with human behavior. Whether you geek out on AI trends or just want your data dashboards to make more sense, this convo's got something for you.00:00 - Intro04:05 - Snowflake Summit Insights06:22 - Data Utilization by Jeff11:28 - Over-engineering in Decision Making14:08 - Effective Forecasting Techniques15:21 - Understanding Variable Importance16:18 - Confidence in Decision-Making Processes19:20 - Engineering vs Energy Industry Decisions21:20 - The Role of Assumptions in Analysis22:50 - Proof of Work Explained23:30 - Managing Risk and Uncertainty in Energy27:17 - Overview of Crudele Strategy Group27:31 - Typical Project Workflow27:37 - Tools Used by Matt31:17 - Foundations of Energy Sector32:56 - Value of Third-Party Perspectives34:40 - Data Abundance in Energy Sector35:55 - Jeff's Data Acquisition Methods38:30 - Understanding OData41:40 - Challenges with APIs43:20 - Google Sheets Scripting Techniques46:40 - Integrating DuckDB with Google Sheets48:37 - Chart Visualization Insights50:49 - Cost of DIY Solutions52:47 - Trusting AI in Decision Making58:18 - Speed Round Discussion58:20 - Jacob’s Startup in Energy58:29 - Would You Rather: C++ vs Fortran59:10 - Favorite Houston Restaurant Recommendations1:00:08 - Favorite Scripting Language Choices1:04:36 - Cancun Travel Insights1:07:21 - How to Connect with Jeff1:08:03 - Collide Platform Overview1:09:39 - Building a Community: The Grind1:10:27 - Growth Strategies for Collide1:11:09 - The Endless Journey in Software Development1:11:35 - Conclusion on Software Development Challenges1:11:50 - The Ongoing Nature of Developmenthttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@digitalwildcatters