Crude oil delivery expectations under timeline constraints sometimes necessitate simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) for completing field development requirements. During one such SIMOPS exercise on Field X, a major sour oilfield in causeway sites close to the Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia, different sub-organizations coordinated potentially different, yet complimentary operations or activities in the same location together. Challenges from the exercise included instituting an interface criteria for promoting safe operations and good technical standards for all parties. After considering work requirements, a SIMOPS team facilitated an assessment review, devised a response framework with rescue, evacuation, or emergency response plans in the event of accidental release of H2S, besides making certain other modifications to satisfy multiple stakeholders. An auditable matrix was instituted for regulating and supporting permissible simultaneous rigless and construction activities while upholding health, safety, and the environment. The scope of this paper is to show how SIMOPS was successfully planned, executed, and managed for the first time in causeway drill sites in Saudi Aramco to prevent safety and environment incidents while ensuring to meet well tie-ins and field production targets. The approach involved delineating clear reporting lines or control hierarchy for various stages of operation, avoiding schedule clashes by outlining clear scenarios for each organization. Guidelines were binding for all team members because of collaboration among multidisciplinary team members to develop suitable hazards identification and risk management plans thus formulating the foundations for the SIMOPS and ensuring safety of workers. SIMOPS facilitated the unlocking of the giant field's potential while optimizing potentially conflicting but complimentary activities on the same drill site to meet crude demand reliably and safely. Success with SIMOPS has allowed oil production delivery from the field and safe working environment for crews.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.