Open Comments: S3 - Mini Episode - The Open Group News Corner: The OSDU® Data Platform Standard, Version 1.0 with Curley Thomas

In this mini episode (part of The Open Group News Corner for the Open Comments podcast), we sit down with Curley Thomas to break down the OSDU Data Platform Standard version 1.0 and why it sets a stable, technology-agnostic baseline for subsurface data platforms. We focus on how consistent API behavior reduces one-off integrations and points the ecosystem toward real vendor and application certification. 
• What the OSDU Data Platform reference architecture aims to standardize 
• Why a stable API baseline improves interoperability across vendors and clouds 
• How common models replace disconnected tool-specific data approaches 
• What “frictionless” data integration means in practical platform terms 
• How the verification matrix supports conformance testing today 

The OSDU® Data Platform Standard, Version 1.0 

This document specifies the OSDU® Data Platform as a technology-agnostic data platform reference architecture with application standards, enabling applications to run on any platform instance and leveraging industry data standards for frictionless integration and data access.

Read Curley's blog from The Open Group Blog site here: https://blog.opengroup.org/2026/04/07/exploring-the-upcoming-osdu-data-platform-standard-version-1-0/

About Curley Thomas

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.

Copyright © The Open Group 2023-2026. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Welcome And Series Context

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to Open Commons with me Ash. In this mini-series titled The Open Group News Corner, we will be exploring the latest standards from the Open Group in more detail. Today we will be exploring the OSDU Data Platform Standard version 1.0 with Curly Thomas, strategic product owner, workgroup lead for the OSD Forum Standards and Certification, who will be taking us through all, having been part of bringing this standard together.

What The OSDU 1.0 Standard Is

SPEAKER_00 0:28

But first, let's start with some background. As per the description from the Open Group Library, this document specifies the OSDU data platform as a technology agnostic data platform reference architecture with application standards enabling applications to run on any platform instance and leveraging industry data standards for frictionless integration and data access. This document is available to download via the Open Group Library. For more details, please see the description for this episode below. Let's start with asking Curly some questions about the standard, shall we? To begin, thank you, Curly, for joining us today on this mini-series of open comments.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Thank you, Ash, for having me today. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Thank you.

Why A Stable API Baseline Matters

SPEAKER_00 1:13

What are the biggest benefits of the reference architecture and application standards defined in version 1.0, particularly for organizations seeking frictionless data integration and access?

SPEAKER_01 1:27

So great question, Ash. And I think we had a big idea. And the big idea is that version 1.0 creates a common technology, as you mentioned, agnostic platform and a stable API baseline. So data and apps can work more consistently across vendors, across cloud environments, and subsurface workflows. And so, you know, I think the benefit of it is it's it's explicitly intended to provide, as you said, that agnostic data platform, but that agnostic data platform reference architecture and a stable subset of platform capabilities. So organizations can ingest and manage data using a common model rather than many disconnected tool-specific approaches. And that's been how things have done. That's how things have been done in the past, should I say? One of the key things, too, around this big idea for version 1.0 is that it enables interoperability through stable application and API standards. And that's really key here. And the standard says its API requirements are meant to formalize the interface between apps and platform implementations. So application providers can rely on APIs behaving the same way across different platforms. And that matters because it shifts integration from custom one-off connections to reusable platform interfaces. So I think that's really key as for frictionless

Ecosystem Roadmap To Certification

SPEAKER_01 2:54

architecture.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

And looking forward, how do you see the OSDU ecosystem evolving?

SPEAKER_01 2:59

So version 1.0 of the standard is really focused around APIs, right? And how APIs behave in the platform. And um, so so today, I guess the bottom line, OSDU's version 1.0 biggest business value is not just better architecture, it's a practical way to turn fragmented subsurface data estates into a shared, reusable, lower friction data foundation. And that foundation supports faster integration, more consistent application behavior, and lower dependence on uh proprietary stacks. So it gives you better discovery of trusted data and a quicker rollout of new subsurface analytics and AI use cases, and that's critical. And so as we progress from version 1.0 to 1.1 and 2.0, etc., on this journey, Ash, we want to get to full-on application certification. So today we've created a verification matrix where vendors can actually be certified against the standard. So we can actually fully test all of their functions and capabilities as it relates to APIs today. In the future, however, we want to get to that again, full application certification where vendors can even self-certify, right? Against uh that verification metrics matrix, against a set of standard uh tests, so that we can now have that OSGU compliant, that OSDU certified stamp of approval. And this is a huge opportunity because we've never had that, and that's been the journey. So we started initially with the APIs, and ultimately we want the journey to end around application certification. That's a that that's the journey, and I'm excited about how we can get

Wrap Up And Listener Thanks

SPEAKER_01 4:48

there.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Thank you, Kelly. That's great, and thank you to our listeners for tuning into this mini episode, and we hope to bring more mini episodes just like this one to you very soon. Thank you. Happy listening and stay safe.