Tuesday, April 7, 2026
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Room: Level 2, Ballroom
Opening Keynote Session: Connect, Consider, and Consequence
Speaker: Dale Peterson
This three part keynote will show:
- The coming explosion of connections to and from your IT and OT security systems, and the importance of your personal connections to curate your information feed.
- Considering what OT good practice security controls to implement and what to defer.
- The importance, and often priority, of reducing consequence if your OT systems is under complete control of adversaries.
 | For over 20 years Dale has been on the leading/bleeding edge helping security conscious asset owners effectively and efficiently manage risk to their critical assets. He and his team have a long list of firsts in the ICS security arena. In 2007 Dale created the S4 Events to showcase the best offensive and defensive work in ICS security and build a community. S4 is now the largest and most advanced ICS event in the world. Dale is constantly pushing and prodding the ICS community to move faster and get better |
10:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Galleon I
Understanding What’s Different About LTE and 5G
Speaker: Cristine Korowajczuk, Celplan
This in-depth training session provides a comprehensive technical foundation for understanding why LTE and 5G differ from other wireless technologies and from each other. The course examines air interface design, spectrum access models, network architecture, and traffic handling in detail. Emphasis is placed on tradeoffs, limitations, and design implications rather than product recommendations. Participants leave with the knowledge needed to assess wireless technologies for both current and long-term deployments.
- Describe the key architectural and operational differences between LTE, 5G, and other wireless technologies used in oil and gas.
- Compare wireless technologies using consistent technical criteria, including spectrum, mobility, and performance behavior.
- Support informed, requirements-based wireless technology selection for oil & gas applications.
Session Track: Infrastructure / Wireless
 | Cristine Korowajczuk, Celplan Cristine holds a BS in Computer Engineering and has over 20 years of experience in RF planning, software development, and technical training. She has worked with CelPlan’s tools since their inception, contributing to specifications, testing, and documentation. Her hands-on customer experience shaped a strong understanding of real-world operational needs. This background led her to a commercial leadership role within CelPlan. Cristine bridges technical and business perspectives, particularly for non-telecom verticals. She specializes in guiding utilities on technology and spectrum selection, network design, and optimization. |
10:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Galleon III
Scaling Industrial Edge Computing with AI-Driven Tools (2 Hour Training)
Speaker: Mo Moore, Industrial Networking Solutions INS & Greg Ratliff , Industrial Networking Solutions INS
Please join INS for an important session focused on leveraging the power of AI tools to support edge compute technologies. The industrial manufacturing market is predicting up to a 40% annual increase in manufacturing and production data, driving the need for consistent and reliable edge computing solutions. To manage this growing data volume, organizations require standardized architectures, including structured MQTT aligned with Unified Namespace (UNS) standards and a well-defined broker model. INS will highlight the rapid deployment of edge compute technologies using Claude AI–developed tools, demonstrating how unified code can be deployed quickly across large organizations. This approach supports the creation of secure, reliable, and scalable networks designed for modern industrial environments. This session will include both presentation and example configurations for an example solution.
- Understand how AI-driven tools accelerate edge computing deployments
- Learn best practices for managing exponential industrial data growth
- Explore strategies for building secure, reliable, and scalable edge networks
Session Track: Compute / Edge
 | Mo Moore, Industrial Networking Solutions INS Leverage education, diverse work experience, and technical expertise to deliver strategic planning, architectural direction, and software and systems engineering guidance, while providing structured leadership to IT and development teams to maximize outcomes and return on investment for automation, SCADA, MES, and supply chain initiatives. |
 | Greg Ratliff, Industrial Networking Solutions INS |
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Room: Spinnaker
Advances in distributed private networks for secure and reliable OT networks
Speaker: Joe Walsh, Heddian | Jonathan Polly, Cal Poly
Distributed private wireless networks are emerging as a practical, standards-aligned approach to modernizing operational technology (OT) communications across energy, water, public safety, and transportation domains. This panel will bring together academic researchers and industry practitioners to compare use cases, evaluate 3GPP-based architectures for grid-style deployments, review resiliency testing underway at Cal Poly with Heddian, and surface actionable zero-trust security technologies for distributed environments. The discussion will translate technical design choices into deployment-ready guidance for utilities, airports, and public-safety agencies, and will highlight lessons learned from testing and real-world deployments.
- Overlaying 3GPP architectures on OT network needs for resiliency and latency
- Test results of various resiliency architectures and pros/cons
- Lessons learned for remote NOC operations in a distributed network architecture
Session Track: Infrastructure / Wireless
 | Joe is CEO at Heddian focusing on communications for critical infrastructure industries including energy and utilities, airports, public safety, etc. with a focus on securing, simplifying, and reducing the cost for reliable communications networks. Prior to founding Heddian, Joe was VP of Smart Grid Advisory and Networks for NRTC, the technology extension for the nation’s rural electric cooperatives. He worked with over 100 cooperatives across the country to develop smart grid technology roadmaps including communications plans. |
 | Jonathan Polly is Chief Technologist of Innovation Programs at Cal Poly, leading the university’s private cellular CBRS network with experience spanning airports, utilities, and energy infrastructure. He was previously employed by Chevron in Bakersfield, CA. |
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Room: Harbor
From “Set and Forget” to Sustained Security: A Framework for OT Network Tuning
Speaker: Zach Zachmeyer, UTSI
As cyber threats proliferate across both enterprise and Operational Technology (OT) networks, organizations increasingly recognize the necessity of robust network monitoring. However, many acquire specialized OT monitoring tools under the flawed “set it and forget it” assumption, expecting immediate, “out-of-the-box” effectiveness without further intervention. Moving beyond passive installation to a mature, tuned network monitoring ecosystem produces better security outcomes and a more resilient OT posture. Dismantle and Challenge the “Set and Forget” Misconception Outline and Standardize a Cross-Functional Tuning Framework Demonstrate the Correlation Between Refinement and Resilience/Successful Outcomes
Session Track: Networking / Security
 | Zach Zachmeyer, UTSI With 30 years of experience in the Oil & Gas sector, Zach brings deep OT Cybersecurity expertise, shaped by 23 years at Chevron where he held multiple OT and PCN leadership and advisory positions across Houston, China, Angola and California. He led and oversaw a network monitoring initiative at Chevron, developing a tuning framework for optimal results. |
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Room: Yacht
The Purdue Model is Dead; Long Live the Purdue Model. Building Zero Trust Edge Architectures for Oil & Gas
Speaker: William Behn, Neeve & Andrew Hinz, Autosol
As we reach the tipping point where legacy “air-gapped” thinking collides with mandatory cyber resilience, OT and IT leaders face a critical choice. Join us to discover how modern edge architectures eliminate the traditional security-versus-agility tradeoff. We will unpack how to replace dangerous VPN sprawl with identity-based Zero Trust access, while leveraging edge computing to feed actionable data into enterprise systems. Featuring real-world examples of securing remote, distributed assets while enabling real-time cloud data transport, this session delivers practical strategies for safely flattening the crumbling Purdue model to future-proof your industrial operations.
Learn how to flatten the rigid Purdue Model, replace hardware and VPN sprawl, do more at the edge all under a context of enterprise level cybersecurity.
Session Track: SCADA / Automation
 | Whether training fighter pilots in Asia or scaling disruptive tech globally, Bill Behn operates at the bleeding edge of high-stakes environments. Known industry-wide as the architect who brought Tosibox out of Northern Finland and made it an automation standard, Bill is now leading his next major market shift with Neeve. He is finally uniting IT and OT teams by introducing the world to the first fully-integrated Industrial SASE platform. With Neeve, Bill is bringing enterprise-grade cybersecurity, Zero Trust architecture, and edge computing directly to the SCADA space—collapsing the outdated Purdue model to power the future of industrial data. |
 | Andrew Hinz, Autosol |
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | Room: Clipper
Bridging the AI Connectivity Gap in Oil & Gas Operations
Speaker: Will Hurlburt, Future Technologies
AI adoption in oil and gas promises significant gains in efficiency, safety, and asset performance, but scaling beyond pilot projects often faces a critical barrier: connectivity. As AI expands into real-world operations—from well sites and processing facilities to pipelines and logistics—organizations must support real-time data flows between growing numbers of field devices, edge platforms, and cloud systems. This surge in connected assets is exposing a gap between advanced AI capabilities and traditional enterprise networks not designed for the scale, reliability, and performance AI requires. This presentation explores how modern connectivity architectures, including private 5G, can bridge this gap and enable scalable, AI-driven operations across energy infrastructure.
- Understand the AI Connectivity Challenge
- Explore Modern Connectivity Architectures
- Enable Scalable AI in Field Operations
Session Track: Networking / Security
 | Known as the “Tallest man in Telecom”, I have been a part of the Telecommunications industry since 2016 and have developed a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges associated with modernizing oil field operations. Currently, I focus on leveraging emerging technologies such as IoT, advanced analytics, and edge computing to address the unique challenges faced by oil field operations. My expertise lies in translating complex technical concepts into actionable strategies that improve operational efficiencies. |
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Clipper
The Quantum Countdown: Future-Proofing the Physical World (OT) for the Quantum Age
Speaker: Shaun Six, UTSI
Critical Infrastructure (CI) Operational Technology (OT) systems rely on classical cryptography in (RSA, ECC) in order to establish secure zero-trust architectures, which will be rendered obsolete by quantum computers leveraging Shor’s algorithm. This “quantum threat” is compounded by a less-understood vulnerability: the use of low-quality, predictable randomness from conventional Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNGs) and classical hardware sources, compromising the foundation of all cryptographic keys. CI must urgently achieve Quantum Readiness (QR).
- Reframe the Quantum Threat: Beyond Encryption Obsolescence
- Review/Evaluate Performance: QRNG vs. Classical Sources in SCADA Lab Experiment Framework for a Quantum Readiness Roadmap
Session Track: Compute / Edge, SCADA / Automation
 | Shaun Six, UTSI Shaun Six is President of UTSI International, a leader in OT Cybersecurity. A three-time entrepreneur with 20+ years of expertise, he specializes in OT innovation and compliance for critical infrastructure and the DoD/DoE. An industry authority and speaker, Shaun leads UTSI in partnering with multinationals to assess, modernize, and secure OT environments, defending against sophisticated cyber threats while enhancing operational awareness and resilience. |
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Spinnaker
Where IT meets OT: The new engine of the oilfield
Speaker: Ammar Sabbagh, Ericsson |
Where IT meets OT: The new engine of the oilfield. The convergence of IT and OT in the oil and gas industry is unlocking a new era of operational innovation, bridging the physical and digital worlds. Private 5G delivers the reliable, high-performance connectivity needed to power these digital capabilities across every critical oil and gas use case.
– IT & OT challenges – Solution to the challenges – How have we done it
Session Track: Infrastructure / Wireless
 | Ammar Sabbagh, Ericsson Ammar Sabbagh is a seasoned technology professional with over 25 years of experience driving development, international business building, and startups. He has a technical and business background that enables him to develop and advise on 5G private network & IOT solutions for business and industry. Currently, Ammar serves as the Global Head of Industry & Partnership for Energy industries at Ericsson, where he leads strategy, business development, and industry partners management. Prior to this, he held various roles in professional services, business development and sales for smart sustainable cities. Ammar holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Portland State University and an MBA in Management from Marylhurst University USA. |
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Harbor
Overlay Networks in Modern IT/OT Integrated Operations
Speaker: Andy Piatek, Novus Technical Services |
Many industrial networks are no longer isolated or built around a single transport. As OT environments expand across fiber, Wi-Fi, microwave, and cellular networks, maintaining end-to-end isolation between critical systems becomes increasingly difficult. Overlay networking approaches are emerging as a practical way to preserve segmentation and operational boundaries across shared, heterogeneous infrastructure. This session examines where traditional OT network designs begin to fall short and how encapsulation-based overlays, such as VXLAN and tunneling techniques, are being used in real industrial environments. Using practical examples from mining operations and multi-service industrial campus networks, the session highlights where overlay networks add value, the operational considerations they introduce, and the trade-offs engineers face in modern IT/OT integrated networks.
- Understand why traditional OT network isolation approaches become harder to sustain as OT and IT traffic increasingly share infrastructure across multiple transport technologies.
- Learn how network overlay approaches can be used in industrial environments to maintain end-to-end segmentation across heterogeneous networks.
- Review real-world OT use cases to understand the trade-offs involved with overlay networks, including operational impact
Session Track: Networking / Security
 | Andy Piatek, Novus Technical Services Andy is a technology leader with over 25 years of experience designing secure, scalable networks and advanced connectivity solutions across enterprise and OT environments. He currently works as Digital Solutions Director at Novus Technical Services, an EPC focused on providing telecommunications solutions for the energy sector. Andy previously served as Chair of the Industrial Connectivity Technical Committee within the ISA SMIIoT Division. He holds advanced certifications including CCIE, JNCIE, and CISSP, along with credentials in cloud and data technologies. |
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Room: Yacht
From Polling to Publishing: Building a Resilient Energy Data Backbone
Speaker: Andrew Hinz, Autosol
Energy organizations are under increasing pressure to move operational data beyond traditional control systems and into analytics, enterprise, and cloud platforms—without compromising reliability or security. However, legacy polling-based architectures were never designed to scale efficiently across distributed assets, constrained networks, and modern data consumers.
This presentation examines the transition from polling to event-driven publishing using an advanced, energy-optimized MQTT broker. We will explore how publish/subscribe architectures reduce network load, decouple data producers from consumers, and enable resilient data delivery across edge, DMZ, and enterprise environments.
Attendees will gain an understanding of how a modern MQTT-based data backbone improves system efficiency, enhances operational visibility, and supports digital transformation initiatives—while preserving the deterministic behavior and safety requirements essential to energy operations.
Session Track: SCADA / Automation
| Andrew Hinz, Autosol
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