Manufacturers and producers are looking for new ways to transform their business performance through a combination of technology, people and streamlined work practices. The nomenclature for these initiatives can change from industry to industry.
For upstream oil & gas producers, many speak of these initiatives as the digital oilfield. The transformation efforts involve optimizing reservoir production and well operation with digital oilfield solutions that turn data into actionable information. Elements in optimizing exploration and production activities include automating subsurface data analysis, integrating this analysis with surface operations data, optimizing workforce enablement, and applying capital and operational methodologies to attain top quartile performance.
Emerson’s Chris Amstutz describes the power of the Digital Oilfield and the “Big Loop” approach to continuously update reservoir models and optimize production rates.
The Big Loop solution helps provide a better understanding of the reservoir model and more reliable estimations of reserves in order to make better informed decisions.
Seth Harris describes how the data collected by digital sensors at the well pad is turned into actionable information and provide feedback for continuous improvement to the subsurface models. Production Monitoring and Modeling solutions help improve economic decision making.
Some applied solutions to integrate surface operations data include Paradigm k reservoir modeling software, automated production surveillance, artificial lift optimization, and Digital Wellpad well monitoring integrity.
Seth also highlights ways to make oilfield personnel more productive by using enabling technologies such as wireless and wearable technologies as well as secure remote access to actionable information.
Some specific technologies and solutions to help improve personnel productivity include DeltaV Mobile for access from anywhere, Smart Meter Verification for flow measurement assurance, Plantweb Optics for right people, right time asset health communications, and Educational Services for upskilling personnel.
Alex Flick shares ways for oil & gas producers to get started in their digital oilfield initiatives, using Emerson’s Project Certainty methodologies during the capital project phase of the lifecycle and Operational Certainty methodologies through ongoing operations.
Visit the Digital Oilfield Solutions section on Emerson.com for more technologies and solutions to drive business performance improvements in your oil & gas exploration and production operations. You can also connect and interact with other upstream oil & gas industry experts in the Oil & Gas group in the Emerson Exchange 365 community.
