ISO Standardization as an Enabler for Production Efficiency in the Operating Phase

Abstract

Abstract Consistent feedback on factors affecting production loss is key to monitoring production performance and drive improvements in production efficiency of upstream (E&P) installations. However, operators have used different frameworks for calculating and reporting production efficiency, and this has hampered communication among stakeholders and improvement efforts. The new ISO/TS 3250 "Calculation and reporting of production efficiency in the operating phase" has been developed to provide requirements and guidance for calculation and reporting production performance data, and production loss data, during the operating phase. This paper describes the background and how this new ISO/TS can assist in achieving consistency in determining the production potential and classifying production loss. Calculation of the achieved production efficiency is in principle a simple exercise of calculating the ratio of actual production and production potential. However, changes in reservoir conditions, equipment failure and maintenance events, and external factors (such as weather), as well as economics, affect actual production or production potential to various degrees, and it is not always obvious how these events should be considered when calculating and reporting production efficiency. While ISO 20815:2018 already includes production loss categories for reporting production loss, the new technical specification extends these categories and provides requirements and additional guidance. For the allocation of production loss to different systems and equipment classes, the technical specification provides the important relationship to the classification provided by ISO 14224:2016, which is being used by operators in their computerized maintenance management information systems. In an industry where continuous improvement is essential, keeping track of performance measures is key. Improving production performance or optimizing production efficiency in a life cycle perspective within HSE and sustainability frameworks, requires knowledge of such performance and identification of the most important contributors to production loss. The technical specification also provides a framework that enables consistency for benchmarking between an operator's own production facilities or across the industry. This paper introduces all participants in the process – operators, contractors and other stakeholders, to this new international standard approach as described in this new technical specification.