When it comes to oil production reporting software, did you know there are some oil companies that are resisting the call to mobilize their workers?

They’re saying ‘No’ to connectivity, putting restrictions of the use of employee owned tablets and smartphones, and limiting the apps and efficiencies that consumer technology can provide.

It’s crazy, but it’s true!

Before we talk about the cost or security of mobile, we must first consider the cost of not doing these things…

Cost comes in many forms. It comes in the form of attracting the right folks. It comes in the form of limiting decisions. It comes in the form of innovation that doesn’t happen and collaboration that’s forced and rigid.

Yes, change is tough – it seems nearly impossible some days – and the future is not as clear as we’d like it to be, especially in this mobile world in which we’ve found ourselves.

However, these can’t be excuses for doing nothing. The change we see is no longer optional. The change we see is not a passing fad. The change we see will disrupt, destroy, regrow, and redraw business for both new and old operators alike…

We agree: the ‘Great Crew Change’ in the industry is just another headline in a trade magazine – that is, until one of these ‘kids’ works for you.

Connectivity is a paramount to this new group – without it they’re not whole. They function at a different level than the pen and paper crowd (ahem!) and they thrive. Friends, this isn’t about multitasking or chatting on Facebook or Instagram. This is about true dissemination of data, no barriers to answers and zero tolerance for latency of information from the oilfield (all through a stupid simple oil and gas app…)

As we look to drive down the costs of our operations, we must look to enable, not restrict. Provide the tools, provide the connection, provide the trust and you’ll receive the results you’re after. Think like the results-based companies who based themselves on open access to data, resources, and sharing. It attracts the brightest who attract the best who attract the brightest.

So what about the price – someone needs to pay for this right?

Yep. There’s most definitely a price to be paid. You need to allow connectivity everywhere, you need to equip your pumpers and staff with the right tools, you need to secure those tools and then you need to manage it all without seeming to command and control. That’s the price that must be paid.

The thing is, this price pales in comparison to the price we pay should we choose not embrace this mobile revolution — viva la revolución! Viva GreaseBook!