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The APPEA Journal The APPEA Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE

iPOS–an integrated production operation solution for Longtom Field

Rajesh Trivedi A , Shripad Biniwale A and Adil Jabur B
+ Author Affiliations
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A Schlumberger Australia Pty Ltd

B Nexus Energy

The APPEA Journal 51(1) 259-272 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10018
Published: 2011

Abstract

With a vision of innovation, integrity and agility, Nexus Energy began first production of Longtom field in October 2009. The Longtom gas field is located in the Gippsland Basin, offshore Victoria where the produced gas is transported to Santos’ Patricia Baleen gas processing plant. All production data is acquired by Santos with the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The challenge for Nexus Energy was to monitor the field remotely in the absence of a data historian and to support the operational people proactively. Data acquisition from Santos, validation, and storage in a secured centralised repository were therefore key tasks. A system was needed that would not only track accurate production volumes to meet the daily contractual quantity (DCQ) production targets but that would also be aligned with Nexus’s vision for asset optimisation.

We describe how real-time data is acquired, validated, and stored automatically in the absence of a data historian for Longtom field, and how the deployed system provides a framework for an integrated Production Operation System (iPOS). The solution uses an integrated methodology that allows effective monitoring of real-time data trends to anticipate and prevent potential well and equipment problems, thus assisting in meeting DCQ targets and providing effective analysis techniques for decision making.

Based on full workflow automation, the system is deployed for acquisition, allocation, reporting and analysis. This has increased accuracy, accountability and timely availability of quality data, which has helped Nexus improve productivity. The comprehensive reporting tool provides access to operational and production reports via email for managers, output reports in various formats for joint venture partners, and nontechnical users without direct access to the core application. A powerful surveillance tool, integrated with the operational database, provides alarms and notifications on operation issues, which helps engineers make proactive operational decisions. The framework allows a streamlined data flow for dynamic updates of well and simulation models, improving process integration and reducing the runtime cycle.

Rajesh Trivedi has a degree in civil engineering and a Masters in environmental engineering from GEC, Jabalpur, India. He started his career with CSIRO India and worked on water quality modelling and air pollutant dispersion modelling. From 1993–2001 he worked with the Tata Group of companies (TCE and TCS) in various engineering, data management and software projects. During this period he also provided consultancy services to Schlumberger on an oil and gas data management project for ONGC. In 2001 he migrated to Australia and joined Schlumberger Information Solutions. Since then he has worked on various data management projects in and outside Australia. These include on reserves and economics, information management and production operations projects.

rtrivedi@perth.oilfield.slb.com

Shripad Biniwale is a senior petroleum engineer with Schlumberger Australia. He received his BEng (Petroleum) from the University of Pune, India, in 2002 and MEng (Petroleum) from the University of Adelaide in 2005. During his masters Shripad was involved in a reservoir characterisation project mainly focusing on flow zone unit analysis and saturation modelling for reservoirs in the Carnarvon and Bonaparte basins. Shripad has been with Schlumberger for more than five years and works as a Production Engineering Team Leader in Schlumberger Information Solutions. His role involves providing technical consulting, project management and teaching production engineering courses. He is been involved in several projects on production data management, production surveillance, engineering optimisation and workflow consulting projects with major oil and gas operating companies. For the past two years Shripad has been closely working with production data management and coal seam gas production optimisation projects in Australia.

sbiniwale@slb.com

Adil Jabur completed a bachelor of science in petroleum engineering at the University of Baghdad, Iraq in 1995 and a master of science in petroleum engineering at the University of New South Wales in 2008. Adil started his career in an academic research position at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and worked with the Reservoir Engineering Team responsible for production optimization and asset management of the Eastern Baghdad Field. Upon moving to Australia, he joined Esso Australia in 2004 and worked in various engineering roles associated with the Gippsland Basin assets. Adil joined Nexus Energy in 2008 as a Petroleum Engineer with overall petroleum engineering responsibility for Nexus’ activities.

ajabur@nxs.com.au