Collaborative Work Environment Implementation Strategy for Marginal Field Operators

Abstract

Abstract Collaborative Work Environment (CWE) is an operation integration concept supported by real-time systems (tools and facility), defined business processes and the right set of domain experts. The objectives in Collaborative Work Environment implementation includes; providing an operating asset the benefits of real-time operation optimisation and reduction in personnel unsafe travel exposure alongside effective team collaboration resulting in faster decision making using the intelligent oilfield capabilities. This paper assesses, hypothetically, the Collaborative Work Environment implementation strategy for a marginal field operator in Gulf of Guinea. Collaborative Work Environment solutions are not really new to the oil and gas industry, as it has been widely implemented and embedded by major oil and gas companies in different regions around the world. However, what that is really novel are the challenges of implementation by marginal field operators. The challenges in implementing Collaborative Work Environment by marginal field operators includes; high-cost relative to the asset financial base and importantly the need for ‘visible’ benefit of intelligent oil field solutions linked to the business objective of the small operator. This paper aims to highlight an effective business strategy of implementing intelligent oil field by a marginal field operator by using procedure of comparing a case study during a well workover operation against standard implementation strategy by the major oil and gas companies. The benefits of the Collaborative Work Environment were clearly ‘visible’ leveraging on the real-time support from the office to the field using the Collaborative Work Environment technology, facility and processes. The immediate ‘visible’ benefit of Collaborative Work Environment strategy during the well intervention operation included; faster team decision-making and situational awareness collaboration with remote location using intelligent oil field capabilities. This experience provided a novel platform for developing an asset-specific intelligent oil field implementation and embedment strategy for the marginal field or small exploration and production operators in environment similar to the Gulf of Guinea. The recommendations from this paper will form a quick reference tool and assist in developing Collaborative Work Environment implementation and embedment strategy for small oil and gas field operators globally.