The basic formula for increasing oil well production is pretty clear to me: the more the pump runs, the more oil it pumps. The real issue is how to reduce downtime, so that it runs more, and pumps more.

What wasn't clear to me is why on earth about 100,000 pumpjacks in the US alone are not monitored, other than by someone driving all the way out to the well site every couple of days. With that method, a pump may have been down, or even worse leaking for a day or so before it’s noticed by anyone. That’s several hours of production time that can never be recovered.

Things used to be so much simpler. Every home had one phone line. Every store took cash or checks, and almost every well had a rod pump over its whole life span. Then again, everything used to be way more work to 'do' anything at all; pump oil, or just grocery shop.

Complexity though, can be really great for your bottom line, and doesn't have to feel complex.

With cell phones, we can call for help from just about anywhere. Debit cards are way faster than check writing. And using a series of unconventional lifting methods on unconventional wells is unlocking much stronger potential for oil and gas production—and profitability that we could only dream of a few short years ago.

Albert Einstein, as you may recall, was pretty good at understanding complex stuff like, say, the makeup of the universe, quantum physics and the like. It’s interesting that he’s the one who said that if you didn’t understand something well enough to explain it to your grandmother, you didn’t really understand it.

Well, I like to think of myself as knowing a thing or two about tech like IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), SaaS (Software as a Service), and even SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and I‘m even able to successfully explain it all to a Grandma without issue. So, if you're interested in learning three easy steps to help your operations digitally step up to the plate read on...

What if we could help you know about production issues instantly, anywhere in the world? 
What if all relevant personnel got that information in an easy-to-read dashboard at the same time? 
What if that same information system helped valves and pumps self-monitor so they required less oversight?

You’re probably familiar with remote monitoring and control through hardware and software that collect and analyze data then issue reports. Collectively this is known as the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT.  It allows people and machines to maximize efficiency, boosting production and reduce the people hours involved so you can focus on more important things.

SCADA and other remote monitoring systems introduced a step change to the industry in the area of operational efficiency by providing a positive impact on run-time, production and reduced operating costs. However, with low commodity prices and lower producing wells, there is still a challenge for business cases to justify putting monitoring on all assets.