Intelligent Field Management: Real Time Monitoring and Proactive Optimization of Greater Ekofisk Area

Abstract

An online real-time production optimization and monitoring system for the Greater Ekofisk Area of Norway was installed in 2006. The system has evolved significantly since installation; changes driven by multi-disciplinary teams in coordination with the ConocoPhillips Production Optimization Centre (POC).

The POC, Subsurface Production Delivery and Reservoir Optimization teams are tasked with assessing real time data from nominally 160 active producers and injectors in order to minimize losses and thereby maximize field production. This online system integrates data from the complete production system: reservoir to export meters. The system realises the importance of visualisation with respect to monitoring field performance, streamlined decisions, and reduced man hours mining data and analysis. The system allows real time monitoring of all wells and associated instrumentation parameters along with field three phase production allocated to the well level. The system alerts an engineer's attention when a well's performance is outside predefined tolerances thereby enabling continuous optimization of the combined field network.

This paper demonstrates how the online system addresses the following challenges:

• Real-time monitoring of separator loadings, production/injection well performance
• Daily production/injection volume losses allocation
• Quick screening and allocation issues
• Generation of updated well models with the latest well test data for further analysis (nodal analysis, lift performance analysis)
• Generation of updated network models for what-if studies

The tool has an open architecture that allows information to be shared with other software packages. It is also capable of controlling and using results from other software that have open access. The tool is used daily by the POC to review the overall performance of the Greater Ekofisk Area.

Introduction
The Greater Ekofisk Area (GEA) has a high level of activity in terms of well intervention and drilling programs. As a consequence of such high activity, communication on current operation status across a large multi-functional organisation is essential. The GEA has only 3 fiscal metering points to measure production. Although sufficient for production allocation at the field level, it results in uncertainty at the platform level. This potentially leads to lost production enhancement and optimization opportunities.

An important function of the asset team is to provide daily reports for wells and topside losses. It is usually difficult to accurately compile this information in a short time frame.

Most GEA production wells are gas-lifted, it is important to use the finite lift gas efficiently. This optimization process uses an asset network model. If the network asset model is not frequently updated and maintained, it will lose its ability to accurately predict well production rates and pressure drops in the system.