The Future of O&G A&D: Speed Matters

The Changing O&G Landscape 

O&G A&D in the industry in 2024 and beyond is expected to be driven by an accelerated pace of consolidation, particularly in shale-rich regions like the Permian Basin. Recent major deals, such as ExxonMobil’s acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources and Chevron’s purchase of Hess Corporation, have set a tone of strategic shifts toward securing high-quality drilling sites. This trend is not just about expanding portfolios. It’s also about adapting to a rapidly changing market. One where agility and informed decision-making are key to staying ahead. 

Speed as a Competitive Advantage 

In such a high-stakes marketplace, the speed of evaluating large amounts of data is crucial. Analyzing deals more quickly can significantly impact a company’s market position. Traditional methods of data analysis and decision-making in O&G A&D are increasingly inadequate in this fast-paced environment.  

The ComboCurve team has been in the trenches. That’s why the platform delivers faster prediction algorithms and advanced modeling techniques that accelerate the decision-making process without sacrificing accuracy. 

Scott Baker, a senior reservoir engineer at Validus Energy, was an early adopter of ComboCurve for O&G A&D analyses. He captures the spirit of this industry shift, saying, “A lot of the time, there is just so much work to be done, there is no time to just think through the outputs, figure out if it makes sense, and identify what really matters. Being able to save three or four days in that three-week timeframe [to evaluate a deal] is so valuable. It may not always change the end product, but it changes the confidence that you have in it. And finding those areas that truly matter might allow you to differentiate yourself.” 

An All-in-One Solution 

ComboCurve rapidly processes large volumes of data and provides accurate and comprehensive analyses in a fraction of the time required by legacy platforms. This efficiency is crucial, as the number of large-scale deals and the complexity of transactions continue to grow. 

“I’ve done a basin-wide evaluation of 8,000 wells, that was my base starting point. That’s a couple of weeks of work to do a forecast of an entire basin [using legacy workflows]. In ComboCurve the forecasts were done in a few minutes,” says Caliber VP of Engineering Justin Wheeler.  

Caliber is also using the platform to run asset under-management reports on thousands of wells. Calbier forecasts in ComboCurve and then pushes to Aries for bank reporting. ComboCurve tailors conversion support and integrations to each user.   

Comprehensive Evaluations for Better Deal Decisions 

The O&G industry is facing new challenges such as new methane regulations and an increasing number of supermajors and large independents looking for acquisitions with lower carbon profiles.  Carbon tracking and planning could impact future deals, and ComboCurve is the only platform with an integrated carbon module, ComboCarbon, that addresses cost savings related to carbon and easier tracking of emissions spending.    

Add to this the ability to run real-time analytics, advanced forecasting tools, and a user-friendly interface that anyone can learn. O&G A&D teams can perform comprehensive analyses in one platform, get better insights into potential deals, and act with greater confidence. 

Caliber CEO Shilpa Abbitt is a testament to ComboCurve’s ease of use despite the complexity of its analyses. As CEO, she typically doesn’t run forecasts, but she occasionally needs to jump in and run numbers. She estimates it took less than 15 minutes to log in and get the information she needed the first time she used it. 

Confidence Amongst the Whole Team

“I can honestly say it was pretty easy when they told me what I needed to do to forecast. Compared to when I had to do it in Aries, there was maybe one step I needed to take in ComboCurve versus five things in Aries,” she says. “The advanced forecasting algorithms, that’s what intrigued us to the point where we wanted to try it. It’s so much easier to share and review work now. It allows you to go through forecasts in significantly less time than any other tool. So you can evaluate more deals. Plus, it’s easy to use and people can learn it fast and run with it.”  

As O&G continues to be driven by deals and acquisitions, the need for speed and accuracy in decision-making has never been greater. The advanced analytics found in ComboCurve aren’t just nice to have, they’re increasingly becoming the norm as more O&G A&D companies discover the power of switching from legacy systems.