A Measure of The Digital Oil Field Status – Is It The End of The Beginning?

Abstract

Abstract The so-called Digital Oil Field (DOF) is a somewhat ill-defined, misunderstood and abstract concept. The associated functional content, scope of work and terminology is variable from company to company and vague within companies. Consequently it is unclear how to gauge DOF degree of success, business benefit and effective organizational penetration. It is also sometimes unclear what the ultimate goals and associated road-maps are. With clear objectives, clarity of purpose and sufficient business justification there is a reasonable chance of meeting these goals, without clarity all is shrouded in mystique and uncertainty. Hence the purposes of this paper are to: Define precisely what is meant by the DOF; Describe the current operational status quo and compare and contrast with the ideal DOF; Define metrics that can be used to gauge the success of DOF initiatives. This will be achieved by illustrating what the DOF is, and what it is not, in terms of oil and gas field infrastructure, applications and experiences. Application of the metrics defined will allow users to determine whether it is "the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning for their DOF."