EP 63: Vicki Knott from CruxOCM

What happens when a control room engineer gets fed up with clunky old systems and decides to rebuild them from the ground up? You get CruxOCM, a company shaking up pipeline automation with tools like PipeBot and GatherBot that sound like sci-fi but are very real (and very efficient). Vicki Knott shares how she went from pulp and paper mills to leading a tech company that blends first-principles engineering with machine learning to make pipelines safer, faster, and smarter. We talk outdated SCADA, automation that actually works, and how merging physics with AI is unlocking massive ESG potential in midstream.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 - Intro00:50 - Best Places to Build Software Companies03:20 - Evaluating Canadian Tech Talent06:15 - Vicki's Journey to Krux14:14 - IIoT vs SCADA Explained15:27 - Overview of Krux's Services17:50 - The Journey of Krux19:34 - Pipet Technology Insights20:35 - Data Access Solutions23:35 - Historic vs Modern Architecture26:50 - OUTRO27:01 - Krux vs Competitors Analysis28:30 - Understanding the Technology Stack29:30 - Onboarding New Clients Effectively34:00 - Krux and Microsoft Fabric Integration36:10 - Optimizing Maintenance with Krux37:23 - Krux's Connection to SCADA Systems39:14 - Impact of AI and LLMs on Business43:37 - Focus and Task Management Challenges44:29 - ESG Benefits in Energy Sector47:54 - Optimizing Energy Infrastructure Strategies49:25 - Understanding the Energy Sector50:55 - Silicon Valley's View on Energy Industry54:28 - Recommended Books for Entrepreneurs55:09 - Exploring Canadian Snacks56:24 - Dining Recommendations in Calgary57:20 - Favorite Vacation Destinations58:01 - Understanding Canadian Slang58:34 - Connecting with Vicki Knotthttps://twitter.com/collide_iohttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/digitalwildcatters.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collide-digital-wildcatters