A Surveillance "Smart Flow" for Intelligent Digital Production Operations

Abstract

Abstract Intelligent digital oilfield (iDOF) operations include the transfer, monitoring, visualization, analysis, and interpretation of real-time data. Enabling this process requires a significant investment to upgrade surface, subsurface, and well instrumentation and also the installation of a sophisticated infrastructure for data transmission and visualization. Once upgraded, the system has the capability to transfer massive quantities of data, converting it into real information at the right time. The transformation of raw data into information is achieved through intelligent, automated work processes, referred to here as "smart flows," which assist engineers in their daily well surveillance activities, helping make them more productive and improve decision making. A major oil and gas operator in the Middle East has invested in such an infrastructure and is developing a set of smart flows for key activities and work flows for its production operations, with the ultimate goal of improved asset performance. This paper explains the development of the production surveillance smart flow, which provides engineers with automated artificial intelligence that analyzes data, provides guidance on well operations, and, when necessary, gives warning and alarms as conditions warrant them. The suite of artificial intelligence consists of advanced correlation statistics, neural-network predictive algorithms, and expert systems.