Well ahead

Installation of well performance software on an oilfield off the coast of

Scotland enabled operator Ithaca Energy to gather all of its key
production data together in one place

T
he upstream oil and gas industry is
under continuing pressure to reduce
costs, increase productivity and ensure
efficient use of resources, particularly
skilled human resources.
As operator of the Athena oilfield in the
North Sea, Ithaca Energy sought the latest
monitoring technology available to help with
well management and surveillance and also
ensure optimal production processes.
Ithaca Energy needed technology that would
provide real-time insight into oilfield processes
and performance to combat the uncertainty
and inaccuracy that threatens new oilfields. In
addition, new oilfields are frequently subject to
variations in well performance, artificial lift
variables, topsides process conditions and other
factors. These, in turn, can cause large
fluctuations in total production. Also, process
data obtained in these conditions is frequently
subject to flat-lines, drop-outs and errors that
require cleansing for proper and accurate data
processing.
Well-rate estimations require calculations
and correlations using accepted first-principle
methods, and these must be adjusted and
re-calibrated according to field conditions.
These estimations must then be presented
clearly and accurately to decision-makers
and in a format that allows them to consult
with their peers and respond to situations in a
timely manner.
Central to achieving this was Ithacas selection
of well surveillance software from Honeywell
Well Performance Monitor (WPM) which
provides an easy-to-understand, real-time
snapshot of key operations through one
information hub, helping key personnel and
decision-makers visualise the performance of the
entire Athena oilfield.
For Ithaca Energy, choosing the WPM
software was the first step in the process toward
establishing a digital Athena oilfield.
Just as critical was the implementation
process, which entailed determining the proper
approach, as well as the appropriate phases and
structure of the system.
Working with Honeywell, Ithaca Energy took
a vertical and phased approach to deployment,
implementing an adequate amount of
functionality at every automation/IT layer to
achieve the business objectives, but allowing
room for growth and adaptation based on
potential new objectives and future levels of
functionality.
From a timing perspective, the phased
implementation also ensured Ithaca Energy
would have a fully-tested system available upon
first operation of the oilfield, eliminating costly
uncertainty and guesswork during the ramp-up
period of the new field. It also left room for
future growth and improvement.
Once the oilfield was up and running, the
WPM system enabled Ithaca Energys engineers
to monitor how the Athena wells performed
compared to expectations.
Ithaca Energy also selected an out-of-the-box
module for Well Test Validation to complement
WPM, further supporting the objective of
establishing optimal well performance
conditions.
Taking a three-phased approach, Ithaca
Energy first established system requirements
and developed a general design for the
integrated system.
At its core, the Athena oilfield development is
based on electrical submersible pump (ESP)
wells. Athena engineers sought to automate the
well production test capture, analysis and
validation process, so Ithaca Energy formed the
projects main objectives around the set of
functions as applicable to ESP wells, modifying
WPMs Well Test Validation module accordingly.
Using the Well Test Validation module,
production engineers were able to quickly
calculate and re-calculate well test results based
on stable process variable averages in order to
easily capture valid well tests.
If the well test is deemed valid, the system
executes a match with the well model and
suggests potential adjustments to make to
parameters. In addition, visual models help
predict what each well is capable of producing.
The WPM technology extracts summary
information and key performance indicators
from real-time process data historians,
production databases and engineering well
models, allowing operators to visualise field
performance data and manage equipment assets.
This presents a picture of where shortfalls in
production are occurring so engineers can take
immediate steps to correct them, and maximise
the production potential of each well.
The second stage of implementation entailed
deploying the software in a simulated
environment, enabling operations managers to
test the system, train personnel and fine-tune
processes. Built on open and secure industry
standards, the solution is control-system vendor
neutral, with existing installs integrating
numerous data sources in a wide variety of
geographical locations. It has demonstrated
scalability and versatility, as it is used to integrate
remote facilities with low well counts to multiple
field operations with hundreds of wells.

hpsmarketing@honeywell.com

Honeywell case study.indd 24 20/02/2015 16:23