Real-Time Operations Support for Geographically Dispersed Operations

Abstract

AbstractPresentations on real-time drilling support activities have been focused on large-scale operators or service companies that have full-time dedicated centers serving multiple rigs. These are staffed on a full-time basis with specialist monitoring teams and are supported by an extensive integrated communications infrastructure.This paper addresses the problem faced by an operator working on a much smaller scale needing to provide a few geographically dispersed rigs with the benefits of real-time support technologies through high quality communications and a clearly defined workflow involving collaborative working between the rig, operations office and the head office in Europe. We describe how the real-time systems were implemented for a number of global drilling operations without installing a real time operation center. A case study of implementation in one area is presented.This approach enabled the decision makers in the field to access the experience of and support from the rest of the organization. The global real time collaboration environment allowed the specialists to direct their attention, as required, to operations most in need of support at any particular time. By not installing a real-time operations center, the organization saved resources and encouraged the local teams to use the analysis tools themselves to manage their operational performance.The head office organization provided technical and administrative support. It facilitated the design of the workflows and set common standards for the IT and communications architecture. The workflows were essential in order to create a structure for using the software tools within a local drilling team and to make sure that problems were detected as early as possible. The workflows aimed to strike a balance between not allowing early warning signals to be overlooked while giving the operations team the freedom to responsibly manage the operation on the rig. Through the way that the system and the workflows were used on a daily basis, the rig personnel gained confidence that the system was set up purely to support them and for their benefit. The design and the implementation of these workflows utilized industry-leading real time drilling data analysis and drilling support tools.When difficult operational problems were encountered, by acting as a knowledge broker, the central organization drew from its world-wide skill pool to organize problem-specific multi-disciplinary support for problem-solving, peer review and functional sign-off for program changes. These "on-call" teams ensured that the knowledge of the organization was leveraged and experience shared. It enabled the head office organization to provide resources to assist in following up the analysis of positive and negative events will be done properly and result in lessons learnt and updated best practice.