Digital modules have been launched at Gazpromneft Khantos’ Production Control Centre, responsible for oil production processes, optimising well loads and maintaining reservoir pressure. The economic impact of digitising production over the next three years could exceed RUB2 billion, with additional production potentially increasing by up to 1.5 percent.
New software products are the key elements behind the digital twin of the southern license area of the Priobskoye field. An integrated digital platform is allowing all equipment performance metrics to be tracked, as well as optimum regimes for equipment loading. Oversight of this innovative digital system is being managed from Gazpromneft Khantos’ Production Control Centre, established exactly one year ago, at the end of 2017. The Digital Production Centre forms part of the “Asset of the Future” programme, directed at the digital transformation of Gazprom Neft’s production assets.
The “Production” module collates, systemises and analyses data received from the business’ 2,500 wells. The programme evaluates their operational parameters, revealing deviation from planned standards and forecasting daily production at each well, as well as monitoring downhole equipment. As a result of analysing massive volumes of data the system is able to provide optimal scenarios for equipment loading in order to eliminate non-productive losses and maximise production efficiency.
The “Reservoir Pressure Maintenance” module collates information from pumping equipment at groundwater wells and cluster pumping stations. The programme monitors the operation of injection well stock and water conduits, identifies infrastructure bottlenecks, and models injection volumes in line with potential system changes.
The Production Control Centre is now implementing a project on integrating hydrodynamic models with digital twins of fields, allowing the creation of an integrated system of surface infrastructure and downhole equipment. Modules will be added to existing digital systems controlling the functioning of pipeline systems, infrastructure, and energy facilities in the near future, directed at improving efficiency in managing assets. Consolidating all software products will allow the Production Control Centre to process enormous volumes of data quickly and efficiently, as well as managing production — from well performance to delivery of stock-tank oil — on a centralised basis and as efficiently as possible.
Sergey Doktor, Head of Gazprom Neft’s Production Directorate, commented: “In today’s market a business’s key competitive advantage lies not in the existence of an asset but in having access to the latest technologies, ahead of the curve. Gazpromneft Khantos’ Production Control Centre is unparalleled anywhere in the industry and is an example of how to manage oil production, in the future. Launching digital models at the Production Control Centre is, already, allowing the business to improve efficiency in field development, eliminating unnecessary costs and creating potential for additional profit.
Alexei Kan, CEO, Gazpromneft-Khantos, added: “Launching and integrating digital production-process modules at the Production Control Centre means we can achieve a significantly new level in managing efficiency and increasing potential in our production operations.”