Episode 8 - Why Offshore Procedures Fail in the Real World

Episode 8 - Why Offshore Procedures Fail in the Real World

In this episode of I Speak Subsea, Kyle sits down with Michael Fry to discuss the gap between offshore procedures and real-world execution, and how data, real-time monitoring, and human reliability are shaping the future of the industry. Chapters: Trailer – 00:00 Introduction & Mike Fry Background – 01:18 The Gap: Perception vs Reality – 02:26 Culture vs Procedures – 03:54 Inconsistencies Across Rigs – 05:31 Risk & Bias in Operations – 07:10 The Experience Gap – 08:46 Human Error & Supervision – 10:49 Situational Awareness – 13:33 Data vs Reality – 15:20 Industry Knowledge Gaps – 17:48 RTM & Offshore Insight – 19:21 RTM Data Challenges – 21:21 Data-Driven Decisions – 23:29 Trust & Accountability – 25:40 Maintenance & Failures – 27:08 Testing Practices – 29:05 Data vs Regulation – 30:51 Proving Reliability – 33:31 Industry Adoption – 34:16 Investigations & Root Causes – 36:11 System vs People – 38:57 Documentation Matters – 41:13 Understanding Data – 43:44 Preventing Incidents – 45:03 Training the Workforce – 47:36 RTM Misinterpretation – 49:31 Communicating Risk – 52:10 Downtime & Culture – 54:28 Lessons from Macondo – 56:19 Regulations & Reality – 59:33 Future of Data & AI – 01:01:23 Adopting New Tech – 01:03:11 Final Thoughts – 01:05:28

Episode 7 - A New Standard for Pressure Testing

In Episode 7 of I Speak Subsea, Kyle Puls sits down with Eric Fritts to break down the reality of pressure testing, why the industry is moving toward extended test cycles, and how data is driving safer, more efficient offshore operations. They dive into real-time monitoring, failure propagation analysis, and the shift from time-based to condition-based maintenance—along with what it will take for the industry to fully adopt it. Timestamps 00:00 Episode Trailer 01:15 Introduction & Episode Overview 01:42 Current Pressure Testing Regulations 02:25 Extending to 21-Day Testing 03:04 Requirements for Extension 03:19 Real-Time Monitoring & Analysis 04:08 Failure Propagation Explained 04:38 Proving to Regulators 05:44 Data vs Assumptions 06:52 Benefits of Extending Testing 07:33 Economics 08:48 Safety 09:40 Reliability 11:19 Industry Data & Reporting 13:13 Global Adoption 14:32 Operator Benefits 15:33 Data-Driven Case Building 17:10 Condition-Based Maintenance 18:10 Failure Insights 19:30 Maintenance Risks 20:23 Limitations & Challenges 21:52 Predictive Data Use 24:03 Why Not 28 Days? 26:00 Modern Data Capabilities 28:00 Aquila’s Edge 28:42 Future Outlook 32:32 Wrap-Up Kyle Puls⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/] Eric Fritts⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/] Watch this episode on YouTube ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHE⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHE] Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcasts ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687]

Episode 6 - The Future of Offshore Innovation

In Episode 6 of I Speak Subsea, Kyle Puls sits down with Eric Fritts, Aquila’s Compliance, Reliability, and Service Delivery Manager, to discuss his journey through offshore operations and into leadership. Eric shares how a phone call from a Navy friend unexpectedly launched his offshore career, the experience of working with drilling contractors and operators, and how those lessons shaped his approach to engineering, reliability, and service delivery. Chapters 00:00 – Episode Trailer 01:07 – Introduction & Eric Fritz’s Role at Aquila 01:47 – How Eric Got Into Oil & Gas 02:14 – Offshore Career & Moving Into Projects 03:14 – Day-to-Day Responsibilities at Aquila 04:18 – Market Conditions & Offshore Work Outlook 05:39 – What Makes Aquila Different 07:05 – Technology, Innovation & Staying Ahead 10:08 – Innovation vs Industry Buzzwords 11:30 – Building Solutions Through Customer Relationships 13:17 – Field Experience Driving Product Development 14:20 – What Motivates Eric in His Role 15:21 – Leadership, Mentorship & Helping Others Grow 16:50 – Where Aquila Is Headed in the Future 18:57 – Career Challenges & Lessons Learned 20:42 – What Kind of People Thrive at Aquila 22:19 – Growth Through Diverse Perspectives 23:49 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up Kyle Puls https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/] Eric Fritts https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/] Watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHE] Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687]

Episode 5 - Lessons from Offshore Life

In Episode 5 of I Speak Subsea, Kyle Puls sits down with Aquila surveyor Keith Dunham for a candid conversation about offshore life, career evolution, and what it really takes to build a long-term career in subsea.Keith shares how he started at the bottom as a roughneck, how helping a subsea engineer changed his career trajectory, and what 17+ years working for drilling contractors taught him about work ethic, leadership, and personal growth.This episode is an honest look at offshore sacrifice, family life, career longevity, and why loving the job matters more than chasing the paycheck.Chapters:00:00 – Episode Trailer00:40 – Introduction & Getting Into Oil & Gas02:09 – From Roughneck to Subsea04:22 – 17+ Years with Drilling Contractors05:13 – Offshore Travel & Culture07:55 – Why Move to Third-Party Surveying?10:31 – The Reality of Being a Surveyor13:47 – Aquila, Technology & Real-Time Monitoring16:07 – Digital Pressure Testing & Industry Evolution17:42 – Where Aquila Is Headed19:17 – Leadership & Offshore Mentorship20:15 – Advice for Breaking Into Offshore21:49 – Work Ethic, Commitment & Going the Extra Mile22:36 – A Day in the Life of an Aquila Surveyor28:56 – Living Conditions & Rig Culture32:27 – Advice for Someone Wanting to Go Offshore35:10 – The Mental Side of Offshore Work36:31 – Family Sacrifice & Providing a Better Life37:51 – Don’t Do It Just for the Money39:42 – Lessons Learned & Career Reflections40:13 – Final Advice & Wrap-UpKyle Puls - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/ Keith Dunnam - https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-dunnam-62210b59/Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3xg2OcrvtuRdvKOjD71gyH?si=e1d9b53aae1e4516Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687

Episode 4 - Managing Digital Risk

In Episode 4 of I Speak Subsea, Kyle Puls sits down with Garrick Rogers, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at Aquila, for a deep dive into cybersecurity — what it really is, what it isn’t, and why it matters more than ever for offshore and critical infrastructure operations.Garrick walks through practical frameworks, training realities, AI’s role on both sides of the threat landscape, and how Aquila approaches cybersecurity for extreme environments. The conversation closes with actionable advice for companies of any size looking to protect what matters most.Chapters: 00:00 – Episode Trailer & Intro00:44 – What Cybersecurity Is (And Isn’t)02:09 – The CIA Triad Explained (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)05:08 – Frameworks, Zones & Managing Risk06:16 – Threat Actors: Who Attacks and Why08:30 – Threat Modeling & Layered Defense09:33 – Cyber Threats Are Growing Exponentially10:04 – Phishing, Smishing & Human Risk12:22 – Monitoring, Alerts & Incident Response14:40 – AI as an Expanding Attack Surface16:28 – AI-Powered Attacks vs AI Defense Tools18:16 – Using AI to Respond Faster to Threats23:11 – Cybersecurity as an Arms Race26:39 – Nation-State Attacks & Constant Pressure29:27 – Cybersecurity in Oil & Gas Operations30:07 – Protecting Deepwater Rigs & Extreme Environments33:58 – How Aquila Supports Offshore Cybersecurity34:54 – Protecting the Business’s Most Valuable Asset37:43 – Redundancy, Resilience & Business Continuity40:26 – Training, Awareness & Culture42:44 – One Piece of Cybersecurity Advice45:57 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-UpKyle Puls - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/ Garrick Rogers - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrick-rogers-cissp-a5b70651/ Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@ISpeakSubseaSubscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687