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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#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
#66

EP 66: Cam Sinclair from SmartChain

SmartChain is on a mission to kill off the chaos of clunky contracts in oil and gas—and they might actually be pulling it off. We caught up with their co-founder Cameron Sinclair, who’s turning heads with a platform that automates the mess out of invoicing, closes those dreaded “leakage” gaps, and makes cash flow way less of a guessing game. From aligning incentives between operators and vendors to building smarter, data-driven performance contracts, Cameron breaks down how SmartChain is flipping the script on old-school processes and dragging them into the digital age. If you've ever dealt with contract nightmares (or just want your ops to run smoother), this one’s worth a listen.00:00 - Guest Intro01:15 - Cam’s Background07:28 - Starting SmartChain10:36 - Origin of SmartChain13:18 - Overview of SmartChain17:47 - Challenges in Digitizing Field Tickets23:00 - Impact on Cash Flow24:40 - Understanding DSO and Its Importance26:42 - Average DSO & DIR Analysis28:44 - Case Study 1: Offshore Drilling Insights30:49 - Case Study 2: Performance Contract Overview32:40 - Strategies for Creating Better Contracts39:37 - Addressing Pushback and Objections41:15 - Mutual Benefits for Operators and Service Companies46:15 - Charging Models Explained48:42 - Successful Oil and Gas Startups50:35 - Role of Blockchain in Energy57:17 - Closing Thoughts57:58 - Favorite Rugby Team58:10 - Book Recommendations58:54 - Favorite Speculative Crypto01:00:34 - Favorite Vacation Spot01:01:31 - Connecting with Cameronhttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@digitalwildcatters
#65

EP 65: Brandon Davis from AFE Leaks

We're lifting the curtain on the mysterious world of energy data transparency with the guy who's shaking things up at AFE Leaks. He's on a mission to break open the hidden details around oil and gas costs and operations, think: cracking open dusty old filings and turning them into something everyone can actually use. He chats about the wild ride of starting a data-driven company in an industry ruled by giants, spills some truth about the headaches of digitizing mountains of paperwork, and gives us a peek at how AI is quietly changing the game. Plus, hear what’s really happening behind the scenes in the ultra-competitive lower 48 data market and how clear, accessible data might just be the industry's next big revolution.00:00 - Intro01:29 - Enverus Acquisition $6B05:49 - Competing with IHS & Drillinginfo07:05 - Selling Strategies in Energy Sector11:02 - Role of Geologists in Industry13:07 - Understanding Reserves in Energy15:22 - AFs and AFEs Explained23:00 - Data Extraction from PDFs24:34 - Optimizing Lease Operating Expenses (LOE)28:13 - Business Education for Engineers31:40 - Learning to Code for Professionals34:21 - Choosing the Right Model in Energy35:48 - Building Your Tech Stack39:57 - Data Insights and Interesting Findings43:28 - Sourcing Reliable Data45:54 - AFE Leaks’s Unique Business Model47:15 - Accessing AFE Leaks’s Data Resources48:20 - Identifying Target Customers51:30 - Entrepreneurship Journey Insights54:01 - Recommended Books for Entrepreneurs55:01 - Favorite R Packages for Data Analysis56:43 - Top Vacation Destinations57:59 - Best Restaurants Recommendations1:00:06 - Community Engagement1:02:22 - Connecting with Brandon Davishttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@digitalwildcatters