I Speak Subsea

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 – 00:00Introduction & Mike Fry Background – 01:18The Gap: Perception vs Reality – 02:26Culture vs Procedures – 03:54Inconsistencies Across Rigs – 05:31Risk & Bias in Operations – 07:10The Experience Gap – 08:46Human Error & Supervision – 10:49Situational Awareness – 13:33Data vs Reality – 15:20Industry Knowledge Gaps – 17:48RTM & Offshore Insight – 19:21RTM Data Challenges – 21:21Data-Driven Decisions – 23:29Trust & Accountability – 25:40Maintenance & Failures – 27:08Testing Practices – 29:05Data vs Regulation – 30:51Proving Reliability – 33:31Industry Adoption – 34:16Investigations & Root Causes – 36:11System vs People – 38:57Documentation Matters – 41:13Understanding Data – 43:44Preventing Incidents – 45:03Training the Workforce – 47:36RTM Misinterpretation – 49:31Communicating Risk – 52:10Downtime & Culture – 54:28Lessons from Macondo – 56:19Regulations & Reality – 59:33Future of Data & AI – 01:01:23Adopting New Tech – 01:03:11Final Thoughts – 01:05:28

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.Timestamps00:00 Episode Trailer01:15 Introduction & Episode Overview01:42 Current Pressure Testing Regulations02:25 Extending to 21-Day Testing03:04 Requirements for Extension03:19 Real-Time Monitoring & Analysis04:08 Failure Propagation Explained04:38 Proving to Regulators05:44 Data vs Assumptions06:52 Benefits of Extending Testing07:33 Economics08:48 Safety09:40 Reliability11:19 Industry Data & Reporting13:13 Global Adoption14:32 Operator Benefits15:33 Data-Driven Case Building17:10 Condition-Based Maintenance18:10 Failure Insights19:30 Maintenance Risks20:23 Limitations & Challenges21:52 Predictive Data Use24:03 Why Not 28 Days?26:00 Modern Data Capabilities28:00 Aquila’s Edge28:42 Future Outlook32:32 Wrap-UpKyle Puls⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/⁠Eric Fritts⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/⁠Watch this episode on YouTube ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHE⁠Subscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcasts ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687

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.Chapters00:00 – Episode Trailer01:07 – Introduction & Eric Fritz’s Role at Aquila01:47 – How Eric Got Into Oil & Gas02:14 – Offshore Career & Moving Into Projects03:14 – Day-to-Day Responsibilities at Aquila04:18 – Market Conditions & Offshore Work Outlook05:39 – What Makes Aquila Different07:05 – Technology, Innovation & Staying Ahead10:08 – Innovation vs Industry Buzzwords11:30 – Building Solutions Through Customer Relationships13:17 – Field Experience Driving Product Development14:20 – What Motivates Eric in His Role15:21 – Leadership, Mentorship & Helping Others Grow16:50 – Where Aquila Is Headed in the Future18:57 – Career Challenges & Lessons Learned20:42 – What Kind of People Thrive at Aquila22:19 – Growth Through Diverse Perspectives23:49 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-UpKyle Pulshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-puls-622aa554/Eric Frittshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-fritts/Watch this episode on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo1yHezusHESubscribe to I Speak Subsea on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-speak-subsea/id1858617687

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

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

In Episode 3 of I Speak Subsea, Massiel Diez joins Kyle Puls as a guest co-host for a candid, wide-ranging conversation that explores offshore careers, Aquila’s evolution, and what it really takes to build momentum in today’s energy industry.This episode flips the script, and Kyle shares his path from roustabout to subsea professional, the realities of offshore life, and the transition from the rig to a technology-driven organization. Together, they dig into leadership, discipline, personal branding, talent development, and why action - not ideas - is what drives real growth.This episode offers an honest look at careers, culture, and the direction of subsea technology, from both sides of the mic. Chapters:00:00 – Intro00:15 – Massiel Joins as Guest Co-Host00:44 – Career Beginnings & Entering Oil & Gas02:06 – Transitioning from Operations to Marketing04:28 – Aquila’s Origins & Service Evolution06:19 – Kyle’s Path: Military to Offshore08:03 – Offshore & Subsea Career Progression10:32 – What a Roustabout Really Does11:15 – Offshore Life: Rotations, Travel & Family13:05 – Living Offshore: Facilities & Connectivity15:01 – Moving Onshore & Joining Aquila16:08 – Personal Branding & First Impressions18:44 – Discipline, Consistency & Career Growth20:54 – Fatherhood & Motivation24:07 – Why I Speak Subsea Was Created27:57 – What to Expect from the Podcast in 202629:21 – Becoming a Guest on I Speak Subsea30:48 – Talent, Technology & Digital Skills33:14 – Aquila’s Global Footprint35:44 – What’s Next for Aquila: Land Operations36:12 – Episode Wrap-Up

In Episode 2 of I Speak Subsea, host Kyle Puls is joined by John Kalfayan (collide.), along with Trey Vincent and Luciano Pinheiro from Aquila, for an in-depth conversation on AI in offshore operations.This episode moves past the buzzwords to unpack what AI actually is, how it differs from traditional automation, and where it delivers real value offshore. The discussion spans data quality, safety workflows, decision support, and why human expertise remains central in high-risk, high-consequence environments.

In this episode of I Speak Subsea, host Kyle Puls sits down with Eric Fritts, Adams Braly, and Keith Dunnam to explore how offshore drilling has evolved since Macondo. They break down the impact of digital monitoring, real-time data, and AI-driven insights on BOP reliability, safety culture, and day-to-day subsea operations.From extending BOP testing windows to improving troubleshooting through remote access and trend analysis, the team shares how digital transformation is reshaping offshore efficiency, and what the next decade of automation and robotics could mean for the oil and gas industry.