The energy sector relies on vast amounts of infrastructure data to monitor assets, ensure regulatory compliance, and manage operational risks. However, traditional data access methods that are dependent on fragmented systems, outdated databases, and manual data transfers are holding companies back, resulting in delayed decision-making, inefficiencies, and potential compliance risks.

“Two of the biggest challenges for companies are data silos and data currency. Without real-time access, they risk making decisions based on outdated or incomplete information, which can lead to serious operational and compliance issues,” says Marc Lehmann, Vice President of Business Services of GDM Inc.

In response, GDM launched Converge Data Cloud, a cloud-based, real-time data access solution that eliminates these barriers. GDM now enables companies to seamlessly integrate GDM content into their internal systems by leveraging Snowflake, a leading cloud-based data warehouse.

The new initiative included providing two energy companies with early access to GDM content via Snowflake has demonstrated the transformative impact of real-time, scalable cloud access to enriched information.

Veren Inc. and Ember Resources have been early adopters of accessing GDM content via Snowflake. Their experiences demonstrate the measurable benefits of cloud-based access and provide valuable insights for other organizations considering this shift.

Dave Lucas, Team Lead, Data Management and Architecture at Veren, reflected on the challenges Veren faced before cloud-based access and the advantages they gained through this transition.

“Data can be in physical silos that cause real obscurity, where you don’t even know where the data is, or where it’s simply inaccessible because of people and processes. Either way, these issues slow everything down and break the system,” says Lucas.

Once Veren began accessing GDM’s data directly via Snowflake, the team immediately noticed improvements, with procedures reducing from hours to minutes (and even seconds).

A high-volume well operator, Ember Resources struggled with outdated data refresh processes and bottlenecks in workflow automation. Troubleshooting failed data transfers burdened their IT and analytics teams, leaving little time for innovation and strategic improvements.

“Accessing GDM data via Snowflake provides real-time access and automation while eliminating the maintenance burden. It lets us move away from just keeping things from breaking so we can focus on improving how we work,” says Lonnie Chin, Manager, Data and Information Services at Ember Resources.

These experiences are documented in the white paper A Critical Shift from Data Silos to Smart Decisions. The paper provides proof points for energy companies considering cloud-based access to energy infrastructure data. Whether the goal is better risk management, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, or automation, cloud access to GDM Data has delivered tangible benefits for companies willing to modernize their approach to data access.

For organizations still relying on on-premises systems, manual processes, and outdated data refreshes, these case studies highlight the risks of inaction and the advantages of a cloud-first approach.

As the industry shifts toward smarter, cloud-based decision-making, GDM continues to lead the way, empowering companies with the data they need to operate efficiently, responsibly, and profitably.

To read more details of Veren and Ember’s experience of the transformative impact of real-time, scalable cloud access to GDM’s enriched information, download our white paper.

About GDM

GDM Inc. is the trusted source for energy infrastructure data in Canada. In business since 1997, GDM is relied on by industry to deliver the most complete, accurate, and current pipeline and facility, environmental incident, transportation infrastructure, utility, and frontier land data. Our data is available as part of prominent industry applications Converge, AccuMap, and geoSCOUT, in addition to being accessible via direct database connections like Snowflake and GIS-ready files.

To round out our offering, our proprietary software application, Converge, offers analytics and mapping tools, as well as modules specific to pipeline risk assessment, water crossing prioritization, and asset connectivity. We also deliver custom data reporting and analytics services to meet the unique and changing needs of the energy industry in Canada.

For more information about GDM’s solutions, visit www.gdm-inc.com