By Curley Thomas, Chevron, Standards and Certification, Work Group Leader
Certain milestones redefine an industry, and we’re on the cusp of one right now. The Open Group OSDU® Forum is days away from releasing the OSDU Data Platform Standard Version 1.0 that has been quietly reshaping the energy ecosystem from the inside out.
Version 1.0 represents a stable subset of the current OSDU Data Platform release capabilities by defining detailed, consistent behaviors for a defined set of APIs. It involves a set of guidelines created by The Open Group OSDU Forum, and it is meant for companies in the energy industry to better manage and use their data. Further providing a clear and predictable interface between applications and conformant OSDU Data Platform implementation instances, enabling greater interoperability across Cloud Providers and Vendor Applications.
Think of it as a big, organized digital library for all the information a company has about its operations, wells, equipment, and more. The goal is to help companies store, find, and use their data more easily, safely, and efficiently, no matter what technology or cloud provider they use. It is designed to break down “data silos”, which means making sure information isn’t trapped in separate departments or systems, but is available to everyone who needs it.
Why is this important?
- Interoperability by design – Applications built against the Version 1.0 standard can rely on consistent API behavior across conformant OSDU Data Platform implementations
- Stability and confidence – By focusing on the well-defined, tested, and demonstrated platform capabilities, the standard supports reliable integration and reduces the need for custom, one‑off solutions or adapters
- Foundation for certification – Version 1.0 forms the basis for the OSDU Data Platform certification program, supported by a well-defined behavior and associated conformance requirements
In the past, different teams or companies might have kept their data in different formats or systems, making it hard to share or analyze. The OSDU Data Platform Standard Version 1.0 gives everyone a common way to organize and access data, so it’s easier to collaborate, innovate, and make better business decisions.
What Version 1.0 is — and is not
The OSDU Data Platform Standard is not tied to a specific community implementation release. Instead, it intentionally lags the Forum, managing the development, testing, and assurance of capabilities through to full maturity. This approach allows continued innovation in the open source activities of the Forum while providing the industry with a standard-based stable, certifiable basis for adoption and beneficial use.
What does the Standard include?
- A list of the main services and features the platform must have (such as secure access, search, file management, legal conformance, and much more)
- Rules for how these services should work together
- A “maturity model” that helps companies and developers know which parts of the platform are fully ready and which are still being improved
Who benefits
- Operators gain increased choice and reduced integration friction across applications and platforms
- Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) can build once against a defined standard with confidence their applications will behave consistently across certified platforms
- Platform and service providers have a clear, transparent pathway to demonstrate alignment with the OSDU Data Platform Standard, a standard of The Open Group, through certification
It’s like a blueprint for building a modern, open, and secure data system for energy companies. It helps everyone speak the same “data language,” so information can flow freely, safely, and efficiently across teams, companies, and technologies.
We appreciate the continued collaboration and contributions from operators, suppliers, and technology partners that are making this milestone possible.
Thank you for your ongoing engagement and support of the OSDU ecosystem.
Curley Thomas | Strategic Product Owner, Work Group Lead, The OSDU Forum – Standards & Certification
Curley leads data governance for subsurface data at Chevron. He was previously the Manager of Enterprise Data Performance, reporting to the Chief Data officer at Chevron where he was responsible for data governance across the Chevron enterprise which also includes data quality and enterprise data metrics. Curley joined Chevron in 2013 in the Gulf of Mexico business unit and has held positions in Drilling operations, Production operations and Upstream Data Foundations. He has been instrumental in moving the corporation towards a more data product culture.
Curley has over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and has held multiple roles at Chevron but also previously for ExxonMobil and Hess. He has supported offshore platforms as well as onshore production and drilling operations and grew into leadership roles based on his vast experience. At Chevron he mentors young professionals and is very active in multiple employee networks.
Curley formerly served as a board member of PPDM and currently chairs the Standards & Certification, and Business Model & Outreach workgroups in OSDU (formerly Open Subsurface Data Universe). Curley believes that data is the lifeline and the key to more informed decision making in the energy industry. He also an alumni and an active recruiter at Howard University for Chevron. He enjoys golf, fishing and skiing and loves a good science fiction book.