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The current oil and gas production scenario is characterized by high market volatility, increasing Energy Efficiency targets and subsequent requirements in operation excellence. This leads to an ever-increasing attention towards more efficient asset management. This paper illustrates the application of Advanced Process Control techniques to beyond-standard targets of process parameters and product specifications, supporting carbon footprint reduction process. The Oil & Gas treatment facility is made of 4 oil and 5 gas process trains with an overall gross production of more than 100 KBOED. An advanced Adaptive Process Control application has been first tested on a Digital Twin and then implemented on one single GOSP (Gas Oil Separation) section. This application has then been extended to all the process trains, including the Gas treatment section. A fully integrated Adaptive Process Control Orchestrator and Dynamic Optimizer has been deployed across the entire site to grant an efficient load management between trains, maximizing hydrocarbon production and the energy efficiency of the asset maintaining every equipment within the proper operating windows. APC deployment on a brownfield upstream facility demonstrated to improve asset efficiency by optimizing performance within design capabilities. Energy consumptions were significantly reduced by product specification prediction and early identification of potential process upsets. A sensible production capacity increase has also been recorded thanks to process stabilization. Results eventually show that in an industry where process optimization by design changes is not always feasible or cost-effective, a well-tuned APC controller can increase asset performance with a minimum investment. Moreover, project delivering didn't require disruption in normal operation nor design changes in existing equipment. Significant results have been obtained in terms of alarms reduction through a standardization of the control philosophy and also in terms of energy/CO2 reduction with an average −15% specific energy and CO2 reduction achieved just in GOSP section. Moreover, APC has demonstrated a critical support to operators during equipment upsets through the "auto-pilot" control of the process trains not affected by the transient. Advanced Process Control is a multiple input – multiple output (MIMO) digital tool that nowadays has never been systematically implemented in upstream facilities. Main reasons are the high volatility of reservoir fluids flowrates and product overspecification that assures safe operations and production continuity. APC changes significantly control-room operator working routine of an upstream production plant. Without APC, operator's experience relies on 1-to-1 relationships between one manipulated variable (MV) and one controlled variable (CV) even if more than one CV is affected by one MV move. Optimization runs are carried out with a frequency lower than a minute and within every run, a move could be assigned to any manipulated variable. APC operator can focus on CV limits assignments, being relieved of smoothing PID loops moves.

In every industrial plant and in particular in a Giant Brownfield Oil Plant, asset integrity management plays a crucial role both in day-by-day activities and in future operations, and it helps to maximize the company value. This paper presents an innovative digital tool to monitor, track and manage the Process and Maintenance Override Switch (POS and MOS). It includes email alert, historian tracking and it is the basis of the Management of Change (MOC) process of a giant brown oilfield. This new digital tool relies on the increasing data availability and on the huge opportunity that data democracy enables to production engineers, operators, and plant manager. It combines DCS raw data, event and alarm list, signal condition and inhibits with a storage data tool and the Digital Oilfiled (DOF) to create an Integrated Operation Center (IOC) with a section focusing on barrier panel and asset integrity. Focusing about the POS and MOS system, the tool read the real time data from the Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) and store them in the IOC where the data are accessible to all the production, maintenance and HSE personnel. These data are rearranged in order to focus the attention on risks, safety barriers and related mitigation through the entire plant. The IOC will automatically send alert email one hour before the shift ending. Control room supervisor together with the Central Control Room (CCR) operators can check all the POS and MOS tracked during the shift and remove the inhibits that are no necessary to the operations. Thanks to IOC, plant manager and control room supervisor can track new inhibits and report them to the maintenance team or to the production engineers to confirm the proper risk analysis and mitigations actions and initiate the MOC procedure, if needed. MOC are needed to meet the brownfield plant evolution and operating/safety requirements according to internal operations Procedure Instruction (OPI), local and national regulations and international standards. The IOC and the DOF integrate also the alarm list, in order to improve Alarm Management System and Alarm Rationalization/Reduction activities. It highlights the most frequent alarms and create a collaborative environment in which production, maintenance and automation team can work together to reduce the alarm number and frequency. This new digital management tool gives a strong contribution to production engineers, plant manager, CCR supervisor and maintenance team to maximize transparency and safety for people, environment and asset. Focus the attention on the process overrides highlights every moment the barrier status panel of the plant and supports the management of change process in a Giant Brownfield Oil Plant creating a collaborative environment based on data availability and data democracy.

Energy Consumption, Energy Efficiency and GHG emission reduction are assuming a central role in Oil&Gas industry strategy, since every Company has embraced the transition into a low-carbon future. To reach this goal, international certification (like ISO 50001), and international requirement (EU ETS), must be achieved, impacting directly on the asset value. This paper shows how increasing data availability and development of digital tools play a winning role during the verification process for a giant brown oilfield, giving quick, ease and user-friendly access to all the required information. Considering the current market volatility, individual companies may not be able to influence and predict energy prices, government policy or the global economy, but they need to improve their energy management focusing the attention on internal processes. Improved energy performance, monitoring energy carriers and energy related parameters using integrated and collaborative tool, allow a quick pay off for a company by maximizing the use of its energy sources and energy-related assets, lowering energy costs and consumption. The digital tool developed based on data, unlock the potential of the entire organization, contributing positively to reduce energy resource depletion and mitigating global repercussions of energy consumption. Data storage and management can be used to create energy saving KPI that can be used and shared with regulator and third party for the proper certification. Asset digitalization and an on-line Energy Management tool simplify reporting which becomes easier, faster, and more transparent, reducing human error. The Energy Management digital tool is the first step to troubleshoot and highlight new energy efficiency opportunities, playing a fundamental role in common asset management systems. The tool has been developed by operators, data scientists and engineers, integrating their competences as a game changer for producing assets both in daily activities and future operations, while supporting the energy technologies enhancement. Giving access to data, trends, displays and KPIs is essential to show and to demonstrate Company Effort becoming a key success factor to obtain the international energy certification. The paper shows field application of the tool considering the ISO 50001 and the EU ETS requirements. The Energy Management System, based on data and digital tool, supports energy efficiency recording process through creating KPIs and energy saving formula that can be also replicated during the verification process with authorities. Moreover, the model can be exported on different operating assets. This paper shows a real Industry case on how using the System developed helps to increase energy efficiency, reduce costs, and improve energy performance, meeting international standards requirements. The tool gives access to a single, simple, user-friendly, and collaborative platform across the organization with a consistent methodology for identifying and implementing improvements and new solutions.