Operational Excellence in Oil and Gas Blog

Jonathan Alexander, Global AI and Analytics Lead for Manufacturing Excellence shares a pragmatic view on how AI is reshaping manufacturing and the realities leaders must address to scale it successfully.

Discover how Albemarle:

• Avoids treating AI as a "silver bullet," focusing instead on realistic use cases grounded in operational value
• Builds AI on strong data foundations, recognizing that "garbage in, garbage out" still applies, even in the era of GenAI
• Keeps humans in front of AI, not behind it, using analytics to augment decision‑making rather than replace operator judgement
  

Jody Garcia, Surface Operations Director shares how Occidental Petroleum Corporation is building a practical digital transformation roadmap that delivers near‑term value, while protecting long‑term asset performance.

Learn how Occidental:

• Delivers near‑term savings without compromising 1-3 year asset value
• Uses AI and ML to extend equipment life and target high‑cost failures
• Scales automation responsibly, preserving core operational knowledge

William Speer, Former Vice President of Transformation outlines how California Resources Corporation (CRC) is using disciplined integration and technology deployment to drive operational excellence amid rapid AI adoption and market volatility.

Read how CRC:

• Targets >2× industry‑average synergies, aiming for >6% EBITDAX through operational and staffing efficiencies
• Uses digital and AI tools to lift workforce efficiency by 10-30%, enabling faster "fail‑fast" decisions
• Scales AI‑driven operations, with remote monitoring and alarm management cutting alerts by up to 98%

Margarita Panzer, Senior Director of Digital Transformation explores her strategic approach to leading digital initiatives and navigating organizational change in an era of rapid technological advancement.

Discover how Marathon Petroleum:

• Scales digital change, with a dedicated change team supporting 40+ initiatives at once
• Drives adoption faster using phased pilots and real "day‑in‑the‑life" use cases
• Builds digital capability at scale, delivering a 65% uplift in digital understanding through targeted, bite‑sized learning
  

Matthew Bernstein, Vice President, North America, Oil & Gas at Rystad Energy describes the challenges that face the core business model of many US publicly traded E&P firms.