Digitalization in Oil and Gas Industry - A Case Study of a Fully Smart Field in United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Abstract Digitalization, artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology are considered the building blocks of oil and gas 4.0 industrial revolution. In line with this vision, comes the implementation of strategies to unmanning of oil fields around the world. One of the first oil fields in the United Arab Emirates, fully operated remotely, is located in the South East region 250 km away from Abu Dhabi emirate. This paper discusses the success story of oil field that was developed and commissioned in 2017 making it the first smart field in the ADNOC Onshore. Moreover, the adopted designed and applied technology facilitated unmanned operation of field from downhole to export. The development of the digitalization solution involved several components: the installation and connection of sensors, the development of engineering models, development of algorithms and man machine interface integrating all this data. This paper details the use of state-of-the-art algorithms for identification of well flow conditions, deployment of advanced analytics for surveillance and optimization of ESP wells. This paper shares major challenges, solutions and benefits of the digitalization. Compared to conventional fields, smart field sets an example for enhancement of operations efficiency, profitability, and environmental safety. The application of digital technology, combining in field measurement devices, real-time data, simulation models, and advanced algorithms to maximize productivity by automating best practices has made this field really Smart. The main success stories include: the extension of the lifetime of the ESPs; reduction in well downtime; significant time savings for repetitive tasks; improved reservoir management accuracy; the ability to more readily meet production targets; facility management and optimization; and improvement in oil quality. Due to the initial lack of digitalization in the oil fields, this project can be considered a blueprint for modernization of fields in challenging environment where very little digital infrastructure is initially available.