DiscoverEnergy 101: We Ask The Dumb Questions So You Don't Have To
Energy 101: We Ask The Dumb Questions So You Don't Have To
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Energy 101: We Ask The Dumb Questions So You Don't Have To

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Welcome to Energy 101 with Julie McLelland and Jacob Stiller. Join us on our mission to help raise the world's energy IQ.
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The Collide team takes over Energy 101. Jazmia Henry, Canisius Rozario, Jon Slominski, and Sam Texas from Collide break down why they went all-in on Claude, how they are building AI tools specifically for oil and gas, and what agentic workflows actually look like day to day. Plus, Sam once took down Candy Crush for 15 minutes and he is still employed.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 - Intro and meet the Collide team1:27 - What everyone does at Collide3:23 - How AI has evolved over the last four years7:22 - Why Collide chose Claude over ChatGPT9:48 - Claude Code explained for non-developers16:43 - How the team uses AI outside of work23:28 - How LLMs actually handle math and numbers26:52 - Agentic workflows at Collide36:21 - Solving oil and gas problems with AI43:17 - Jacob reflects on his own AI journey at Collide45:48 - Sam's Candy Crush infrastructure disasterhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
Pressure testing, cold calls from Wendy's parking lots, and a family logo that goes back generations. Clint Wagner, Owner of Wagner Energy Services, Juan Macias Jr, Operations and Business Development Manager at Wagner Energy Services, and Peter Brecht, Commercial Insurance Broker at Falcon West Energy Insurance Solutions pull up to the NAPE edition of Energy 101 to talk about what hydrostatic testing actually looks like in the field, how TikTok comments turned into real business relationships, getting kids excited about energy careers in Ohio schools, and why the oilfield might be the most accepting industry out there for anyone willing to put in the work.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 Intro and welcome from NAPE0:37 Wagner Energy Services and what pressure testing actually is4:27 Peter Brecht and the Local Energy Podcast origin story7:04 How TikTok and LinkedIn built real oilfield connections13:38 The Wagner logo and its multigenerational family history17:34 Starting a business from your garage at 4am18:42 Being dads in the oilfield22:30 The famous crystal gauge photo and how art led to a job25:06 Social media culture in oil and gas31:26 Platform personalities from LinkedIn to X to TikTok35:41 Ohio Natural Energy Institute and getting kids into energy careers40:04 Why the oilfield is open to everyone46:14 Northeast vs Texas vs California energy talk52:15 Shout out to Macias Industries52:59 The surfer and rig photo storyhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
Sean Hanrahan, Founder and Managing Partner of Platypus Brewing in Houston, spent 25 years in global minerals and oil and gas before trading the corporate world for a brewmaster apron. From offshore exploration in Australia and the Gulf of Mexico to opening a craft brewery in the First Ward, Sean breaks down what those two worlds actually have in common.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 - Sean Hanrahan intro and background1:35 - Global oil and gas career and Australian energy landscape5:14 - Australia vs US infrastructure and energy markets13:11 - Texas and Australia culture comparisons20:36 - How Sean ended up in Houston and started Platypus Brewing25:11 - Australian Day in Houston and Chamber of Commerce28:20 - Career lessons and building relationships35:20 - Craft beer industry trends and where it's headed43:06 - Platypus Brewing operations and distribution strategy52:52 - AI in brewing and closing thoughtshttps://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
Prabhdeep Sekhon, CEO of Eclipse Energy, breaks down the hydrogen rainbow and why it doesn't tell the whole story about cost, carbon intensity, and water use. From farm boy in Canada to petroleum engineer in the Bakken to clean tech founder, Prab explains how his team is using microbes to eat leftover oil in abandoned fields and produce hydrogen without water, turning billion-dollar liabilities into clean energy assets. He walks through their first-of-a-kind California project that hit 40% hydrogen production, the West Texas deployments coming next, and why co-locating data centers in oil fields solves both the molecule transport problem and the cooling water challenge. They discuss hitting $0.50 per kilogram hydrogen by 2028, why natural gas isn't going anywhere, and how oil and gas companies are actually paying them to figure out the future of their abandoned reservoirs.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Prab's journey from farm to petroleum engineer03:15 - Skills oil and gas taught him for clean tech08:26 - Energy pragmatism and decarbonization economics10:30 - Breaking down the hydrogen rainbow14:01 - Green hydrogen costs and water intensity15:53 - Gray and blue hydrogen trade-offs17:55 - Natural and geological hydrogen potential21:14 - Eclipse's approach to the problem24:17 - Eating oil with microbes for hydrogen26:20 - California first-of-a-kind project results28:41 - Field operations walkthrough32:10 - Hydrogen use cases and volumes36:01 - Cost parity with natural gas38:07 - Data centers solve the transport problem43:03 - Path to commercial scale by 2028https://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
Austin Draughon spent nine years at BP keeping Gulf of Mexico wells producing tens of thousands of barrels per day from floating platforms in 6,000+ feet of water. He breaks down why offshore is ten times more expensive, takes ten times longer, and involves ten times more people than onshore drilling, from robots tightening bolts on the seafloor to the ice problem that can kill a well in eight hours. Jacob and Julie learn why you can't just build 6,000-foot concrete pillars, how Christmas trees got their name, and what happens when asphalt buildup shuts down a 10,000 barrel per day well worth the energy consumption of Montana. Plus: helicopter crash training, North Slope darkness, and why AI's best trick is turning 35-page documents into the one sentence you actually needed.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Gulf of America officially renamed01:41 - Nine years producing offshore Gulf of Mexico wells02:59 - North Slope Alaska: darkness and extreme cold survival05:06 - Production engineer managing 12 high-stakes offshore wells07:11 - Asphalt buildup can kill a 10,000 barrel per day well09:13 - Building technology to predict well failures early11:03 - From Excel spreadsheets to cloud-deployed Python scripts12:07 - Dry tree versus wet tree subsea completions explained18:19 - Wildcat exploration: finding elephants to justify $30B platforms20:09 - Blowout preventers and seafloor robots with little hands23:11 - Five-mile flowlines connecting subsea wells to platforms24:23 - Onshore takes weeks, offshore takes 90+ days minimum26:29 - Automation levels on offshore drill ships29:00 - 300+ people living on floating production facilities32:06 - ROV operators controlling robots like video games34:16 - Why offshore wells produce 1,000x more than stripper wells36:16 - Pushing spaghetti four miles to hit a four-foot target37:47 - Hydrate ice problem: eight-hour clock before well dies39:08 - North Sea waves versus Gulf of America conditions41:15 - Helicopter crash training at the YMCA pool44:17 - AI's killer use case: many to one summarization46:26 - Narrative layers surface buried statistics automaticallyhttps://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
Texas electricity is way more complicated than flipping a switch. Brittany Devlin from DOB Ai breaks down the deregulated energy market where customers can actually choose providers and save serious money, but most people just overpay out of laziness. From how the grid physically works to why your AC destroys your summer budget, she explains the whole pipeline. The real hack? Like energy aggregation companies that negotiate contracts for you, breaking deals when better rates appear. Plus: why unplugging appliances matters, how battery storage is fixing solar's sunset problem, and the truth about those "free nights and weekends" billboard scams.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - From nano photonics to energy risk management02:22 - Aviation business intelligence mirrors energy markets04:15 - Flight pricing tricks you shouldn't try07:33 - Deregulated Texas electricity explained08:15 - Why those billboard energy deals are sketchy09:14 - Fixed rate contracts beat variable pricing10:29 - How aggregators find cheaper electricity plans12:08 - The Griddy lawsuit and contract regulations13:06 - No monopolies: you can switch providers anytime15:28 - Energy Ogre cuts bills in half for $10/month18:10 - How contract switching and negotiation works22:12 - The power grid is literally all connected24:58 - Power to Choose website limitations27:31 - Energy mix and the renewable integration29:19 - California's duck curve problem hits Texas31:03 - Battery storage: use it or lose it technology32:25 - AI data centers and grid infrastructure36:31 - Natural gas fueling most Texas electricity38:01 - Why correlation between gas and electricity prices weakened40:12 - Complex gas contracts and pipeline capacity43:14 - Did deregulation actually help consumers?44:13 - Rapid fire tips to lower your electricity bill48:55 - Smart meters track usage every five minutes51:12 - Insulation and weatherstripping matter more than you think52:36 - Three story homes are wildly inefficienthttps://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
Brandon Wamsley from Flatirons Chemicals joins the show to explain how the $100 billion oil and gas chemical industry actually works - from killing bacteria that sours wells to keeping pipelines from corroding in minus 58 degree North Dakota winters. He shares his journey from laying tile in construction to becoming a field technician in Williston during the Bakken boom, where people literally camped in tents chasing oil field opportunities. The conversation breaks down why chemicals are cheap insurance for producers, how bacteria creates hydrogen sulfide downhole, what H2S scavengers actually do, and why the industry churns through chemical providers every 2-3 years in an expensive honeymoon cycle that Flatirons is trying to disrupt with AI-powered solutions.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Why chemicals are essential to oil and gas production03:45 Brandon's construction background and move to North Dakota08:01 Williston during the Bakken boom and tent cities11:19 Learning the chemical industry from the ground up14:08 Meeting mentor Ed and his 40 years in midstream18:01 Frack chemicals and evolving completion designs22:03 How bacteria contaminates wells and creates H2S27:11 The stream analogy for disrupting formations31:24 Turning wells on to production and artificial lift36:03 Midstream chemicals and H2S scavengers explained40:12 Innovating the chemical procurement process with AI45:09 Houston meetings and vertical integration strategy48:16 Life back in Colorado after two years in Willistonhttps://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
Joe Natale from Knight-Chemstar joins the show fresh off pulling off something pretty remarkable in Massachusetts - successfully running the first 100% renewable diesel pilot program for commuter rail locomotives in the country. He breaks down the wild logistics of moving renewable diesel from Midwest producers to New England, why heating oil is basically diesel's cousin, the bacon grease problem that happens when biodiesel gets cold, and why drop-in fuels make way more sense than ripping out all our infrastructure for electrification.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Joe's background from terminal operator to renewables08:08 Development of Providence biodiesel rail terminal14:06 Winning and executing the MBTA renewable diesel pilot20:21 Sustainable aviation fuel distribution strategy25:04 Breaking down fuel types: ethanol, diesel, heating oil33:00 Northeast heating oil versus natural gas infrastructure38:15 Renewable diesel logistics and clean heat standards43:35 Drop-in fuels versus full electrification51:05 Cloud point and the biodiesel gelling problem55:33 Future of sustainable aviation fuel and incentiveshttps://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
Building startups turns into a rapid fire philosophy session on founders, culture, money, and why velocity beats speed when Jacob asks the dumb questions we all think about. Collin McLelland of Collide breaks down how real companies get built, why talent density matters more than headcount, how power, AI, and energy collide, and what actually keeps teams motivated when the grind gets real.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Cold open and founder mindset03:00 Why founders matter more than CEOs06:00 Startup ideas and power generation10:00 Storytelling and clarity over time15:00 Culture, motivation, and communication19:00 Building a high velocity company25:00 Hiring, pay, and talent density31:00 Remote work and office culture38:00 Work ethic, burnout, and holidays44:00 Money, capital, and long term betshttps://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
Trying to make geophysics cool again, and honestly Peter Duncan from MicroSeismic, Inc. makes it easy. We bounce from a bear encounter in Newfoundland to why geophysicists are basically treasure hunters with pricey toys, then land on the simple difference between seismic and microseismic, why sound travels so freakishly well through rock, and how listening to tiny underground pops helps fracking and now geothermal get smarter without wrecking nearby wells.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. https://www.microseismic.com/2026-forum/00:00 Panel shoutout and event mention00:23 Peter’s back, making geophysics cool02:12 How he became a geophysicist07:18 Bear story in the field11:34 Geophysics shows up everywhere14:22 Geologist vs geophysicist basics23:13 Sound waves, earthquakes, and why seismic works26:05 Seismic vs microseismic explained28:11 Microseismic and geothermal’s comeback40:57 What MicroSeismic actually does in the field45:34 Frac hits and protecting neighboring wells48:52 Wrap-up and round three teasehttps://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
Growing up in New Zealand somehow turned into mud logging the Aussie desert, rigging up deepwater tech in the Gulf of Mexico, geosteering off Scotland, helping figure out nuclear waste storage in Swiss clay, and finally landing in subsurface risk and insurance where “nothing moves without coverage” starts to make way more sense. Jacob asks the dumb questions, Rodney Garrard from Arch Insurance International answers with real world stories, and the conversation ends on a pretty grounded idea: energy realism beats wishful thinking.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 Zurich check in + quick disclaimer01:10 Rodney’s origin story in New Zealand geology03:55 Mud logging in the Cooper Basin desert days08:00 Houston and early deepwater Gulf of Mexico work10:30 UK offshore, Rosebank, and geosteering life14:20 Rotations, family life, and Norway years17:00 Switzerland nuclear waste storage in clay, granite, salt24:00 Pivot into insurance and subsurface risk work27:00 What “energy insurance” actually does, CCS examples37:10 Europe’s energy realism and the grid wake up call40:50 Writing, energy density, and “Energy Transition 2.0”https://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
Tyler Wilson at Altor Solution breaks down why corrosion quietly eats wells alive and how his team fights back by lining production tubing with stainless steel, plus a wild path from ski instructor dreams to Australia farming to freezing roughneck days in Alberta and eventually running North America ops at Tesco. We get a clean, plain English walkthrough of tubing vs casing, annular flow, why joints are 32 feet, and a few oilfield stories that make you thankful for modern safety.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. Apply today at https://collide.io/community00:00 Intro and why Tyler’s on00:22 Altor Solution and the corrosion problem01:06 Tyler’s early path and Australia02:20 Roughnecking in Alberta03:51 Tesco years and moving up06:05 Finding Altor Solution07:18 Becoming CEO08:23 How the liner works09:27 Handling corrosion before10:41 Stopping production and planning12:24 Early results and lifespan gains14:19 Running tubing basics17:00 Safety then vs now20:19 Pipe length and reuse23:03 Why 32 foot joints24:19 Casing vs tubing27:36 Inside vs outside flow31:03 Stainless grades and chemistry33:01 The shop and automation35:21 Why Houston36:49 Basins and customers38:52 Field stories and wrap uphttps://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
Seismic data is basically ultrasound for the Earth, and once you hear how it works, you can’t unsee it. Colton Dudley from richroc consultants breaks down how sound waves travel underground, bounce off rock layers, and come back with clues about what’s hiding below, oil, gas, faults, and everything in between. From thumper trucks and geophones to how geophysicists turn squiggly lines into real decisions, this conversation keeps things simple, visual, and occasionally funny. It’s a plain-English look at the science beneath our feet and how modern tools (including AI) are changing the way we explore and understand the subsurface.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro00:55 - What is Seismic Data?04:21 - 2D vs 3D Seismic Imaging09:16 - Seismic Data Collection Methods14:33 - Visualizing Seismic Data17:49 - Interpreting Seismic Data20:54 - Processing Seismic Data24:07 - Applications of Seismic Data27:46 - Seismic vs Coring Techniques30:40 - Future of Seismic Technology33:26 - Offshore Seismic Exploration36:05 - Seismic Data Under Ocean Floor37:40 - Depth Capabilities of Seismic Data39:30 - AI in Seismic Analysis44:05 - Time-Depth Conversion Explained45:27 - Fault Interpretation Techniques47:30 - Velocity Modeling in Geophysics49:00 - Post-Stack Inversion Processhttps://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
Lawyers are the behind-the-scenes operators who make energy projects actually happen, and Kerry McGrath broke down what that world really looks like. She’s spent more than 15 years helping companies get pipelines, wind farms, mines, nuclear plants, pretty much anything that produces or moves energy, through the maze of permits, regulations, and agency sign-offs. We talked about everything from negotiating with federal regulators to dealing with endangered species rules to how legal teams keep up with new tech like carbon capture. It’s a side of the industry most people never see, but it’s the difference between a project idea and a project that actually gets built.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro02:16 - First Step in Project Management06:41 - Initial Steps in Drilling Process10:02 - Offshore Project Initiation11:48 - Overview of Offshore Wind Energy15:24 - Nihilism in Energy Discussions18:53 - Political Landscape of Energy Policy23:30 - Reasons for Delays in Energy Projects26:09 - High Performance Computing in Energy28:45 - Insights on Nuclear Energy30:28 - Current Developments in Energy Sector35:16 - Carbon Capture Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) Explained39:24 - Learning About Emerging Energy Industries42:15 - Importance of Rare Earth Minerals44:45 - Blunt Nosed Leopard Lizard in Energy Context47:10 - Houston as the Energy Capital of the Worldhttps://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
Rare earths, battery tech, and global supply chains sound intimidating, but Dr. Robert Miles somehow makes all of it feel like story time, with the occasional plot twist involving AI, robotics, and why China basically owns the rare earths game. We got into the headaches of lithium-ion batteries, the promise of modular recycling, and what the future of critical minerals really looks like, all while Jacob and Julie asked the wonderfully dumb questions the rest of us are too afraid to say out loud. It’s nerdy, funny, and surprisingly easy to follow, exactly the kind of energy talk that actually keeps you listening.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro04:47 - Rare Earth Minerals Overview10:25 - Momentum Technologies Explained12:28 - Lithium's Role in Energy18:21 - Mining Processes and Challenges22:15 - Geopolitical Importance of Rare Minerals26:17 - Will We Run Out of Rare Minerals?27:45 - Importance of Recycling Rare Materials34:28 - Energy Transition vs. Petroleum Era40:00 - Tesla Cybertruck's Impact on Auto Industry44:40 - Deep Sea Mining Exploration49:28 - Molten Salt Reactors Explained54:08 - Wrapping Up the Discussion55:51 - 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
Diana Elizabeth Lima Sagui’s story takes you across borders and industries, starting in Mexico, winding through Germany, and landing in North America with a perspective you don’t hear every day. She breaks down what it’s really like building a career in the chemical world, finding her footing in oil and gas, and navigating culture shock while proving herself in STEM. It’s a mix of grit, curiosity, and those “figure it out as you go” moments that shape a career more than any degree ever could. Her path is full of leadership lessons, cross-cultural surprises, and a refreshingly honest take on what success actually looks like when you stop chasing titles and start trusting your own direction.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro00:57 - Diana’s Background03:17 - Vink Chemicals - The Beginning05:09 - What are Chemicals?12:40 - Advantage of Speaking Spanish in Germany13:35 - First Job Experience19:30 - Working Internationally and Multilingualism23:52 - Career Path Overview28:10 - Mergers and Acquisitions in Business29:15 - Moving to the US for Work34:53 - Why Choose Houston?39:34 - Defining Success in Business41:18 - Importance of Personal Branding45:18 - Understanding Success51:00 - Insights from Women’s Conference52:52 - The Rude German Experience56:25 - Women in the Energy Industry58:47 - Perceptions of Houston Before and After01:03:11 - Enjoying Conversations01:04:56 - Paying It Forward in Business01:05:19 - Mexican Food: LA vs Houston01:06:30 - 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
LA has its own flavor when it comes to venture capital, and Andrew Chan breaks down exactly why it works. Instead of trying to copy SF or New York, LA mixes deep tech, robotics, space startups, and pure creative chaos into one ecosystem that actually makes sense once you see how it all connects. We got into the quirks of raising money there, why energy investing hits different in LA, and how the city’s culture shapes the kinds of companies that thrive. If you’ve ever wondered how beaches, studios, and space hardware all end up in the same conversation, this is the one.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro01:19 - Geography05:17 - Venture Capitalist Insights07:06 - Office Space Dynamics12:18 - Understanding Venture Capital Rounds14:55 - Definition of Money17:30 - Investment Risk Factors24:07 - VC vs Angel Investor Comparison26:10 - Becoming an Investor29:30 - LinkedIn Networking Etiquette29:50 - Fiduciary Responsibilities31:40 - The AI Bubble Explained39:50 - Energy Sector Overview45:53 - Investing in Energy Opportunities51:09 - Current Projects Discussion55:40 - Closing Thoughts and Reflections55:58 - Why Choose LA for Business01:01:19 - Texas Business Landscape01:05:37 - Best Restaurant in America01:07:32 - Taste of Texas Overview01:07:48 - Taste of Texas Experiencehttps://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
What if the same CO₂ that’s warming the planet could actually become the stuff we use every day? Jacob and Julie sit down with Aaron Fitzgerald from Mars Materials to break down how their tech flips captured CO₂ into carbon-negative chemicals like acrylonitrile, the backbone of everything from carbon fiber to water treatment to, yes, diapers. Aaron walks us through how this process slashes emissions, opens the door to making fresh water from thin air, and why the future of materials might look a lot cleaner than the past. We even ran a live flocculant experiment that somehow landed somewhere between science class and stand-up comedy. It’s a fun, surprisingly hopeful look at turning a problem molecule into a superpower.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro01:13 - What is Mars Materials02:08 - What is Acrylonitrile06:40 - Memory Techniques for Complex Information09:44 - Testing Carbon Fiber Strength10:55 - Understanding the Business Model13:18 - What Does Carbon Negative Mean?19:07 - Acrylonitrile Overview24:34 - Fresh Water Production from Acrylonitrile32:05 - Acrylonitrile Compared to Flour36:30 - The Classic Clip38:05 - Addressing Big Oil Concerns41:20 - Why Houston for Business?45:15 - Why Mars Materials?47:00 - 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
Public data in energy is basically the Wild West, a mix of outdated systems, inconsistent reporting standards, and layers of bureaucracy that make it nearly impossible to use efficiently. In this episode of *Energy 101*, Jacob and Julie chat with John Ferrell, the brains behind WellDatabase, to unpack how all this chaos came to be. From dusty microfiche records to confusing state databases that can’t agree on formats, John breaks down why accessing “public” data often feels like solving a puzzle with missing pieces. He also explains how WellDatabase is cleaning up the mess—turning scattered, messy datasets into tools that actually help operators, analysts, and decision-makers get work done. It’s a surprisingly entertaining look at how something as boring-sounding as data can make or break the energy industry.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro01:50 - Starting WellDatabase03:53 - Public Data Challenges08:27 - Storage of Public Data10:15 - Quality Issues in Oil and Gas Data11:59 - Enverus Data Cleanup Process16:45 - Founding Enverus18:10 - AI in Data Cleaning23:28 - Personal Learning and Growth25:40 - Public Data Reporting Gaps31:44 - Essential Data for E&Ps35:10 - Public Data's Importance for Investors36:05 - Significance of Accurate Data38:20 - Scale of Data Operations40:30 - Keeping Data Current42:58 - Selecting the Right Team44:45 - Creating a Video Game49:33 - Personal Anecdote50:50 - Final Thoughtshttps://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
Ever wondered what really goes into keeping oilfield workers safe? We put an HSE specialist on the spot with all the “dumb” questions, like what happens if there’s H2S in the air, or whether bison herds are actually a thing on site. David Valerio from DNOW breaks down safety in plain English, mixing serious insight with plenty of laughs. From OSHA rules and environmental compliance to the realities of working in the freezing North Dakota fields, he explains how safety shapes everything in oil and gas. It’s part education, part storytelling, and totally eye-opening for anyone curious about how the industry protects its people and the planet.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro00:22 - What is HSE (Health, Safety, Environment)05:55 - Day to Day of an HSE Professional09:58 - Long-Term Projects in HSE13:38 - Understanding OSHA Regulations16:40 - Politics in Health and Safety19:37 - Historical Safety Practices22:24 - Safety Culture in Oil & Gas Industry28:47 - Achieving Zero Incidents in Safety30:26 - New Technology and Innovation in Safety33:40 - Environmental Considerations in Energy38:35 - Balancing Pro-Environment and Pro-Energy41:49 - Solutions to Global Energy Problems42:46 - Seeking a Balanced Energy Approach44:37 - Actions You Can Take for Safety47:06 - Future of World Energy Mix55:40 - Net Zero by 2050: Reality or Myth?57:48 - Energy Transition vs. Energy Addition01:03:26 - North Dakota Energy: Oil, Gas, Renewables01:06:33 - Overview of North Dakota Energy Landscape01:11:30 - Winter Challenges in North Dakota01:13:59 - Life in Small Towns01:14:37 - Alma Cook's Contributions01:17:15 - Population Growth vs. North Dakota's Future01:19:05 - Discern Earth: Environmental Insightshttps://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
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