SMART IT AND ESG 36 | COVER STORY In a never-ending quest to perfect operational efficiency, Laredo Petroleum is applying cloud computing and artificial intelligence to meet its sustainability goals in ways that also strengthen its balance sheet. The company's ongoing robust digital transformation is contributing to its focus on ESG as well as revenue generation. As Laredo focuses its digital efforts on areas such as optimizing artificial lift system performance, well operators' daily activities and other critical tasks, the Permian Basin producer demonstrates how powerful modern technologies can be when they are supported by a commitment to high-quality data. by Brandon Brown 44 | Emissions Declining Even Without Regulations As EPA's new methane rules loom, statistics show that the industry's greenhouse gas emissions are shrinking as output grows. SURVEILLANCE FOR EMISSIONS 46 | Versatile Drones Help Producers, Pipelines Find and Fix Methane Leaks by Colter Cookson By deploying unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct fast and thorough inspections, the oil and gas industry is minimizing emissions and delivering more gas to market. COMPUTING AND CYBERSECURITY 52 | Cloud-Based Suites Speed Vital Work by Colter Cookson As cloud software transforms once-tedious tasks into a few clicks, infrastructure providers, developers and end users are making shrewd investments in cybersecurity. NORTHEAST INFRASTRUCTURE 60 | Creative Approaches Help Simplify Permitting for Much-Needed Pipelines by Gary Cruse Transcontinental Pipeline's Regional Energy Access project may be the proving ground for a pragmatic strategy to overcoming the litigation and bureaucratic finagling that have stymied so many pipelines to New England. DEPARTMENTS 9 | Calendar 10 | Oil & Gas Counts 12 | Industry Digest 84 | Industry Focus 89 | Classified Advertising 90 | Advertisers Indexhttp://www.polymerior.com