This month Calgary.tech named a few local startups worth eyeing at the Global Energy Show Canada. Held at the newly expanded BMO Centre in Stampede Park, the show recognized some of those startups for their achievements.
This included Calgary’s PrePad which offers cloud-based software focused on revolutionizing drilling. The cleantech upstart was named Disruptive Digital Innovator for its advanced simulation capabilities, which enable clients to move beyond traditional spreadsheet-based approaches.
PrePad’s win builds on a strategic investment secured recently, in April 2024. That came from Devon Energy Corporation, a $30-billion oil and gas company in the U.S. boasting a portfolio headlined by acreage in the Delaware Basin.
Beyond capital, the transaction sparked a partnership that sees PrePad’s simulation technology being integrated with Devon’s decades of expertise.
Sean Hervo, co-founder and CEO of PrePad, called “the alignment of the two companies’ visions for PrePad’s potential truly exciting.”
Kyle Haustveit, a manager with Devon Energy Ventures, described PrePad as “a trailblazer in time and cost simulation within the energy sector. Insight into time and cost dynamics is indispensable in our operations, and we have full confidence in PrePad’s ability to augment our capabilities.”
PrePad’s mission is to empower customers with optimized drilling strategies, according to Hervo. In an era marked by dynamic shifts in the energy landscape such as volatile commodity prices, his startup’s software offers an intelligent solution to replace spreadsheets.
“Collaborating with Devon Energy and gaining access to their expertise will provide the PrePad team with invaluable insights to enhance our go-to-market approach as we continue building a valued product for Devon and for the wider industry,” Hervo said.
Other industry clients for PrePad include companies such as Shell Canada, Coterra Energy, and Artis Exploration.
The company was recognized earlier this year by Darcy Partners, the provider of technology-focused market intelligence to the energy sector, as a Top Innovator in the Completions category.
PrePad was co-founded in 2021 by Hervo and Brandon Eidson, who both had worked at Shell Canada. The company boasts an experienced advisory board and received support from Alberta Innovates in its early stages.
Leave a Reply