January 14, 2025
The oil and gas industry faces increasing pressure to manage Asset Retirement Obligations (ARO) with accuracy and transparency. For Burgess Creek Exploration (BCX), an oil and gas company with a disciplined focus on conventional oil and gas reservoirs, this was a challenge. Relying on an Excel-based model, BCX struggled with issues related to data integrity, time-consuming audits, and the lack of flexibility to model various cost scenarios.
The Problem: Excel Limitations
BCX had been using Excel for ARO management, but this method presented a number of drawbacks. Excel, while powerful, proved difficult to maintain and prone to errors when used across multiple teams. The lack of transparency and the inability to track changes made auditing a lengthy and resource-draining task. Furthermore, Excel lacked the flexibility needed to adjust to varying ARO cost scenarios across different assets.
The Solution: XI Technologies’ AssetBook ARO Manager
To address these challenges, BCX turned to XI Technologies’ AssetBook ARO Manager. This comprehensive tool helped BCX transition from Excel to a robust database system for managing their ARO data. With the ARO Manager, BCX was able to:
The transition to AssetBook ARO Manager provided BCX with a more efficient, transparent, and auditable system for managing ARO. The tool’s advanced capabilities also allowed BCX to quickly assess and report on ARO data, which proved invaluable during the company’s sale process.
The Results: Streamlined Processes and Transparent Reporting
The most significant result of adopting the ARO Manager was the drastic reduction in time spent on quarterly audits. BCX went from spending hours to prepare ARO reports in Excel to completing the task in less than a quarter of the time.
Recently, XI Technologies celebrated its 30th anniversary. Going through old pictures and material, we reflected on our roots as Touch Tone Data, progressing through fax machines, DVD data sets, and current web-based platforms. The use of technology continues to streamline the effective use of data in oil and gas operations and A&D.
Who remembers data binders? Back in the day, you signed a CA, couriered or faxed it in, and patiently waited for your data set to be delivered. The and, accounting, and reserves report would be printed out and indexed into multiple binders, depending on the size of the potential deal. Advisors had small staff armies creating and collating these binders. Once the deal closed, they recalled said binders to destroy the data.
Using the printout and, later, the PDF, the reserves report would be used to painstakingly create your evaluation database so you could do your analysis, update production and land information, and vet the operating costs from lease operating statements to run price deck sensitivities. Te.Di.Ous.
Fast-forward to today, data rooms are online and effectively disseminate immense amounts of data to prospective buyers quickly, transparently, and verifiably. Among that data is a copy of the seller’s reserves database, likely in multiple formats or one that is easily input and converted between evaluation programs. It is the expected standard, allowing prospective buyers more time to focus on effectively assessing the value of an offering rather than recreating the evaluation.
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Upcoming Certification Course:
ARO Manager For Financial Tracking and Reporting Certification Course provides practical, hands-on professional development for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of Asset Retirement Obligation (ARO) tracking and reporting.
When: April 15th and April 17th at 9:00am
Space is limited so be sure to register now for the course. This is 2 x half- day course taking place in person at the XI office.
XI Technologies has moved to our NEW LOCATION:
XI Technologies Inc.
2400 – 500 4th Avenue SW (Altius Centre)
Calgary, Alberta T2P 2V6
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