Integrating Business and Technical Workflows to Achieve Asset-Level Production Optimization

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1 Integrating Business and Technical Wrkflws t Achieve Asset-Level Prductin Optimizatin Michael Szatny and Mark Lchmann Halliburtn Landmark Graphics Abstract: The pressure n the il and gas industry t meet the grwing demand fr energy when faced with fewer technical prfessinals, mre cmplex reservirs, and increased glbal cmpetitin is making it mre critical than ever befre fr peratrs t make quick, accurate, and infrmed field develpment decisins that efficiently leverage the expertise f seasned technical prfessinals. With experienced, technical prfessinals in shrt supply, the industry is lking fr infrmatin technlgies that can extend the reach f technical experts and better grund highlevel business decisins in the scientific evaluatin f the asset. Flexible wrkflw autmatin systems can nw take technical prductin applicatins at the engineering level and put them in a cmputing envirnment where they can be integrated with business prcess management (BPM) systems t create autmated asset-level wrkflws. In initial implementatins, the results have included mre efficient prductin peratins, less persnnel time required t cmplete repeatable prductin tasks, better incrpratin f uncertainties int business level decisins, and mst imprtantly, increased reservir prductin. Halliburtn has partnered with SIMULIA t deliver advanced technlgies that have traditinally been used fr cmplex manufacturing and design applicatins t the O&G industry. Halliburtn has adapted the isight and FIPER sftware int the nrmal day-t-day peratins rutine f an O&G prductin engineer and allwed him/her t becme much mre efficient. Halliburtn cmmercially markets the SIMULIA isight and FIPER technlgies int the O&G industry re-branded as AssetCnnect and part f Landmark s DecisinSpace fr Prductin technlgy suite. 1. Intrductin The il and gas industry faces manpwer, equipment, and service shrtages as it tries t cpe with a wrld energy demand that is prjected t grw frm 230 millin barrel f il equivalents per day (be/d) tday t 335 millin be/d in As such, it will rely heavily n technlgical advances t meet future energy demands, which means ever mre cmplex perating envirnments and, cnsequently, the need fr applying mre rigrus slutins. Additinally, the mst experienced engineering staff will retire in the next 5 10 years. Therefre, significant wrkfrce prductivity gains will have t be realized thrugh digital ilfield autmatin initiatives t manage future levels f E&P activity. 1.1 Industry Issues Data vlumes and data size 2010 SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 1

2 Advanced acquisitin techniques Advancements in HW allw large vlume analysis Advancements in seismic data acquisitin Industry crew change N mre easy il Past knwledge hemrrhaging New generatin entering wrkfrce Rising csts Cmplex wrkflws Glbal cllabratin Increasing custmer fcus n peratinal efficiency Many prductin wrkflws require engineers t crdinate data flws between disparate numbers f applicatins. Studies have shwn that abut 70% f an engineer s time is spent gathering, frmatting, and translating data fr use in these different applicatins. Fr standard prductin activities (i.e., wrkflws), this time can be drastically reduced by creating an autmated system t execute the prescribed wrkflw. The autmated wrkflw nt nly reduces the engineers valuable time perfrming these repetitive tasks, but als ensures cnsistency in methds, reduces the likelihd f input errrs, and creates a repsitry fr "best practices" that can be maintained lng term as persnnel (and their knwledge) is mved int, and ut f, the prductin asset. Fr many years, autmated wrkflws have been a part f the design and prductin cycles in ther industries, including aerspace, autmtive, and industrial manufacturing. These industries have been tying tgether applicatins and data surces alng with using stchastic analysis methds and ptimizatin t imprve their verall prductivity. Within the O&G prductin space, sme cmmn wrkflws may include: Well-Test Validatin Lng-Term Wrk Plan Subsurface / Surface Prductin Frecasting Prductin Histry Match Well Shut-in Testing & Analysis Mid-Term Wrk Plan Daily Prductin Optimizatin Well-Restart Mnitring Prductin Allcatin Glycl Mnitring Pressure Histry Match Data Statistics and Visualizatin Prductin-Decline Analysis Prcess Material Balance Candidate Recgnitin & Prductin Predictin SAGD Integrated Frecast KPI Mnitring Reliability Mnitring Stchastic Prductin Frecasting SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

3 Subsea and Surface Pipeline Netwrk Perfrmance Analysis Flw Assurance LPG Mnitring Pump/Mtr Perfrmance Prductin Ecnmics Well-Test Priritizatin Cmpressin-System Mnitring Chargeable Fired Hurs Tracking Pipeline Mnitring Virtual Metering Well Prductin Surveillance and Optimizatin Mdel Update Facility Mnitring BHP Crrectin Real-Time Asset Optimizatin Reserves Tracking Lss Management Flux Mnitring Well Mnitring Real-time Clsed-lp Well Optimizatin Prductin Stimulatin Design Optimizatin Znal-Split Calculatin Methanl Injectin Optimizatin Nn-Operatr Reprting Pipeline Netwrk Deliverability Prductin-Perfrmance Analysis Mdel based Prductin Optimizatin Equipment Surveillance by Exceptin Reservir Perfrmance Analysis Shrt-Term Wrk Plan Maintenance (KPIs and rt cause) Reservir Surveillance 2. Upstream Oil and Gas Business Needs The O&G prductin dmain sftware ecsystem has fr many years been highly fragmented. Individual perating assets had been given the autnmy t select their wn preferred sftware and data slutins based n the specific needs unique t their wn perating cnditins. As a result, the O&G cmpanies IT infrastructure became quite burdened with the large number f individual engineering applicatins and data systems it was asked t supprt. Fr years, this inefficiency was tlerated because f the relatively high perating margins that culd be achieved. Hwever, times have indeed changed. The higher csts f prducing frm mre challenging reservirs and the diminishing numbers f O&G prfessinals graduating frm university t replace the estimated 40% f the wrkfrce that will retire within the next 15 years have placed a sense f urgency within the industry SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 3

4 Figure 1: Age distributin f Sciety f Petrleum Engineers (SPE) members frm 1997 t The SPE is an internatinal netwrk f Petrleum Engineers with mre than 60,000 members. The prblem has been aggravated wing t the lss f in-huse training prgrams in many large il cmpanies and the lss f research centers in many majr il cmpanies. This lss was a respnse t the lwer il prices, which caused verall cntractin in the industry after the il crises. Over the past 5 years, O&G cmpanies have recgnized the need t make their prductin peratins mre efficient by using digital technlgies. These initiatives g by different names, such as ifield (Chevrn), SmartField (Shell), Digital Oil Field (BP), and the Digital Asset wrkflw (Halliburtn). While results have yet t be quantified precisely, the results are expected t be in line with the Cambridge Energy Research Assciates (CERA) expectatins fr peratrs implementing digital ilfield initiatives. With a prductin increase f apprximately 4%, the reservir recvery factr imprved by as much as 3%, and csts reduced by 9% SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

5 Figure 2: Halliburtn Digital Asset A Real-Time Cllabrative Envirnment t Mdel, Measure, and Optimize the Asset. These digital initiatives all have cmmn elements f rchestratin, autmatin, and integratin, as shwn in this upstream business activity diagram recently presented by Micrsft SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 5

6 Figure 3: Upstream O&G Business Activities. 3. Appraches t Achieving the Digital Asset Wrkflw While mst agree n the individual elements required fr achieving the Digital Asset wrkflw, the peple, prcess, and technlgy apprach is ften very different. Originally, sme cmpanies have tried t cnnect sftware systems and data tgether using custm prgramming r via Excel spreadsheets and macrs. While this may seem t be a valid slutin at the utset, many have experienced serius prblems with maintaining these systems in the lng term. Anther methdlgy fr creating cmplex autmated wrkflws is t replace existing systems and sftware with an All-in-One slutin that prvides the required functinality within a single envirnment frm a single technlgy prvider. This methd sunds like an attractive alternative t building custm slutins. Hwever, it must be realized that cmpanies have significant investment in the existing systems and sftware that is currently used t make critical business decisins. Replacing the existing reliable systems and sftware is very risky and ften cmes with unfreseen cmprmises in perfrmance and capability. Halliburtn has taken a third apprach by allwing O&G cmpanies t retain their existing sftware technlgies and data surces while at the same time prviding a cmmn platfrm fr sftware integratin and autmatin. This cmbinatin f flexibility and maintainability will increase the efficiency f prductin peratins while significantly lwering the cst f verall systems maintenance. Furthermre, Halliburtn recgnized that such technlgies already existed in ther manufacturing-related and prcess industries. Currently, Halliburtn is leveraging technlgies frm the fllwing cmpanies: SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

7 Rckwell Autmatin (frmerly Incuity) Federated Data Mdel Rckwell Autmatin (frmerly Pavilin) Data Mdeling / Real-time cntrl and ptimizatin. SIMULIA (frmerly Engineus) Prductin Wrkflw Autmatin By smartly leveraging these existing technlgies, Halliburtn has been able t leapfrg cmpetitrs and becme the leader in the industry fr delivering Integrated Prductin Operatins (IPO) Systems. 4. SIMULIA isight and FIPER Technlgies The SIMULIA isight and FIPER technlgies play a very key rle fr Halliburtn. Over the past 3 years, Halliburtn has extended the isight platfrm t supprt upstream mdeling sftware fr reservirs, wells, netwrks, and facilities. In additin, Halliburtn has pushed the limits f isight and FIPER applicatins int areas that traditinally were nt cmmn. Fr example, while Halliburtn s use f isight sftware fr design fcused n wrkflws, such as Well Stimulatin Design r Reservir Uncertainty Analysis, wrkflws were reasnably aligned with the traditinal CAD/CAE wrkflws, ther wrkflws, including Well Test Analysis and Pressure Transient Analysis, required elements, such as cntinuus cnditin mnitring, interactive human apprval prcesses, and prtal wrkflw visualizatin. Such elements are typically fund in Enterprise level Business Prcess Management (BPM) sftware. Traditinal BPM sftware, hwever, is incapable f integrating the required level f technical sftware. The isight and FIPER suite f SIMULIA sftware gives Halliburtn the right level f applicatin integratin, wrkflw system management, and architectural flexibility t implement a series f 30+ inter-dependant business critical wrkflws fr a single custmer at a single prducing asset. Many f these 30+ wrkflws are running 24/7 and cnstantly being used by peratins persnnel t make real-time perating decisins. An example f ne f these real-time wrkflws is well-test validatin. 5. Halliburtn Well-Test Validatin Wrkflw Prductin frm il & gas reservirs is a dynamically changing prcess. Nt nly are the exact characteristics f the prducing reservir nt cmpletely knwn, it is ften very difficult t acquire accurate flw and cmpsitinal data (ver time) fr a well s prductin. This may be due t the remte lcatin f the well r maybe a lack f measurement instrumentatin n a particular well. Of curse, a well s prductin ver time is a very imprtant piece f infrmatin when yu are trying t ptimize fluid prductin frm the system. The reality is that wells are typically nly tested n a mnthly r quarterly basis. During this testing prcess, the individual well is islated frm ther wells within its netwrk s its flw characteristics can be measured independently SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 7

8 Well testing ften invlves the shut in f certain wells, s that thers may be tested. As a result, well testing frequency is ften minimized s as t nt disrupt verall prductin. The results frm a well test are used fr revenue allcatin acrss the wnership entities, prductin histry matching f reservir mdels, and calibratin f well mdels. The calibratin f the well mdels is an imprtant part f verall understanding f a well perating health. When a well test des nt match the results f a predictive hydraulic sftware mdel (PROSPER fr example), the engineer must decide if the reservir characteristics need t be adjusted (ie. Lwered bttm hle pressure) r if the well mdel itself needs adjustment (ie. Skin factr). This well test validatin prcess is a prime candidate fr autmatin. Figure 4: Well-Test Validatin Autmated Wrkflw. Using the isight integratin technlgy, the Halliburtn team was able t autmate many f the simple, yet time-cnsuming, manual steps f the well-test prcess. This prcess can be described in 4 basic steps: Step 1. Detect the well test event thrugh cntinuus mnitring f well-valve psitins frm a real-time data cllectin system. The engineer is alerted f the event and prmpted fr cnfirmatin f the valid well test SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

9 Figure 5: Detect Well Test Event. Step 2. Perfrm a stability check t ensure prper test-data quality. The engineer can accept r reject the test data. Task2: Stability Check Results Figure 6: Perfrm Stability Check SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 9

10 Step 3. Perfrm data validatin against the well mdel (i.e., PROSPER used in the case). The engineer can accept r reject the validatin results. Figure 7: Mdel Validatin. Step 4. Generate the well-test validatin reprt frm the test data stred in the prductin database SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

11 Figure 8: Generate Well-Test Validatin Reprt. By using the isight technlgy, Halliburtn was able t cut the time required t validate a well test frm ne day t a mere 15 minutes. While the abve example f a well-test validatin represents a smewhat simplistic and streamlined view f the prcess fr demnstratin purpses, the actual implementatin f this wrkflw within a wrld-class, state-f-the-art prductin perating envirnment may lk smething like Figure 9. Figure 9: Realistic isight wrkflw mdel representing well-test validatin SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 11

12 6. Benefits Halliburtn recently implemented the isight and FIPER technlgies (including AssetCnnect alng with data management and prtal visualizatin sftware frm the Landmark DecisinSpace fr Prductin suite) int a deepwater greenfield FPSO (Flating Prductin, Strage, and Offlading). The dcumented benefits realized t date include: Optimizatin f well rates resulting in 50,000 BOPD gain Availability f the Landmark DecisinSpace fr Prductin system by first il enabled availability f key field infrmatin in relevant time t asset persnnel at bth ffshre and nshre lcatins and remte access t field data fr experts utside the prductin asset t supprt flawless startup peratins. Well availability and facilities uptime were significantly greater (abut 95% cmpared t 50-65% prjectin) fr the first 6 mnths f prductin. Avidance f lst prductin pprtunity as a result f timely access and analysis f data directly results in significant savings. A cnservative estimate f actual savings resulting frm LPO avidance (despite variatins in il price) is predicted at ver $10MM fr the first year alne. The value delivery is still n ging and relies n system sustenance fr cntinuus future benefits. Autmatin f interdependent and repetitive wrk prcesses enabled a 98% reductin in engineers nn-prductive time assciated with data gathering, srting, analysis, and reprting. The Landmark DecisinSpace fr Prductin system incrprates best practices and asset team knw-hw in wrkflws thrugh autmatin. This system helps t capture knwledge and reduce attritin f expertise when asset team members are relcated. Further, wrkflws prvide a structured methd t induct new emplyees int asset business prcesses. What Landmark delivered t the custmer in this engagement was a cmplete technical wrkflw slutin cnsisting f data access frm multiple surces, data visualizatin and mnitring, and wrkflw executin and rchestratin. The system currently supprts ver 30 different wrkflws many f which run n a cnstant 24/7 basis. The SIMULIA FIPER technlgy nw called Simulatin Engine Envirnment (SEE) was critical t managing the large number f wrkflws being executed and maintained. 7. Cnclusin SIMULIA has helped Halliburtn maintain a significant technlgy lead ver its cmpetitrs in delivering digital il field slutins. Halliburtn is cntinuusly lking fr ther technlgies frm utside ur industry t leverage int ur valuable Integrated Prductin Operatins systems SIMULIA Custmer Cnference

13 8. References 1. Sankaran, S., Olise, M., Meinert, D., Awasthi, A., Realizing Value frm Implementing i- Field(tm) in a Deepwater Greenfield in Offshre Nigeria Develpment. SPE Paper N Presented at the SPE Intelligent Energy Cnference and Exhibitin, The Netherlands, March Micrsft Glbal Energy Frum, January 21, 2010, Hustn, Texas 3. O.S. Adeyemi, S.G. Shryck, S. Sankaran, O. Hstad, J. Gntij, Implementing "I-Field" Initiatives in a Deepwater Green Field, Offshre Nigeria. SPE Paper N Presented at the Annual Technical Cnference and Exhibitin, Denver, Szatny, M. Integrating business and technical wrkflws helps achieve asset-level prductin ptimizatin Wrld Oil Magazine, Nv Peries, C. SOA Remves Traditinal E&P Barriers t Prductin Optimizatin Zeus Technlgy Magazine, Octber Szatny, M. "Enabling Autmated Wrkflws fr Prductin" SPE Presented at 2007 ATCE Cnference in Anaheim, Califrnia, Nv SIMULIA Custmer Cnference 13