Improved methods for identifying and selecting development concepts

Abstract

Identifying and selecting development concepts is a basic prerequisite for commercialising any hydrocarbon discovery. Anyone familiar with this activity knows of the high level of effort that can be expended by companies in what appears, on the surface, to be a relatively straightforward task. Several processes are proposed that provide structure, simplicity, and clarity to this task. A development theme analysis (DTA) provides a sound structure for identifying development themes, as well as clearly separating the high-level development considerations from the more detailed engineering concept issues that can usually be resolved in subsequent work phases. A development driver's analysis (DDA) provides a structure to identify the most significant elements and, hence, allows concentration of study effort in the most important areas. Added to these processes is a discussion of fundamental error types. Knowledge of error types and where the process can stray from the business objective is an important factor in ensuring its success. Equally these processes should challenge the status quo and still permit adequate brainstorming, blue-sky thinking. These processes are not difficult to understand, and will at least in part be familiar to many concept development practitioners; however, the application of this structure with its associated clarity should not only simplify the process, but also provide a much improved level of confidence to all stakeholders that the best possible concepts have been identified, both efficiently and without any omissions.