The use of conventional process simulators is commonplace for system design and is growing in use for online monitoring and optimization applications. While these simulators are extremely useful, additional value can be extracted by combining simulator predictions with field inputs from measurement devices such as flowmeters, pressure and temperature sensors. The statistical nature of inputs (e.g., measurement uncertainty) are typically not considered in the forward calculations performed by the simulators and so may lead to erroneous results if the actual raw measurement is in error or biased. A complementary modeling methodology is proposed to identify and correct measurement and process errors as an integral part of a robust simulation practice. The studied approach ensures best quality data for direct use in the process models and simulators for operations and process surveillance. From a design perspective, this approach also makes it possible to evaluate the impact of uncertainty of measured and unmeasured variables on CAPEX spend and optimize instrument / meter design. In this work, an extended statistical approach to process simulation is examined using Data Validation and Reconciliation, (DVR). The DVR methodology is compared to conventional non-statistical, deterministic process simulators. A key difference is that DVR uses any measured variable (inlet, outlet, or in between measurements), including its uncertainty, in the modelled process as an input, where only inlet measurement values are used by traditional simulators to estimate the values of all other measured and unmeasured variables. A walk through the DVR calculations and applications is done using several comparative case studies of a typical surface process facility. Examples are the simulation of commingled multistage oil and gas separation process, the validation of separators flowmeters and fluids samples, and the quantification of unmeasured variables along with their uncertainties. The studies demonstrate the added value from using redundancy from all available measurements in a process model based on the DVR method. Single points and data streaming field cases highlight the dependency and complementing roles of traditional simulators, and data validation provided by the DVR methodology; it is shown how robust measurement management strategies can be developed based on DVR's effective surveillance capabilities. Moreover, the cases demonstrate how DVR-based capex and opex improvements are derived from effective hardware selection using cost versus measurement precision trade-offs, soft measurements substitutes, and from condition-based maintenance strategies.
Well network simulation and optimization is an established technology within BP for production optimization. However, for simplicity, the processing facilities are usually only considered as fixed oil, gas and water flow rate constraints. Actual production limits vary as a function of operating conditions and/or cannot be measured directly (e.g. True Vapour Pressure (TVP) or gas velocity at the inlet separator nozzles). To improve on existing workflows, BP has expanded its existing petroleum engineering-focused toolkit and is now globally deploying an end-to-end production system digital twin that extends from the well choke to the facility export for system surveillance and optimization. The end-to-end production system digital twin is a cloud-based system that links sensor data from the asset historian with an equipment data model and third-party first principle steady state simulation tools for an accurate representation of the well network and processing facilities. It supports multi-discipline collaboration, particularly between Petroleum Engineers and Process Engineers, and is remotely accessible by a globally dispersed team. This integrated digital twin can be used in two modes: monitoring and what-if. In monitoring mode, the models are automatically updated hourly with real time data and key simulation results extracted and stored. These monitoring simulations generate virtual sensor output, providing insights that cannot be measured by real sensors. In what-if mode, engineers test scenarios risk-free to explore optimization opportunities. As well as routine optimizations to align with production forecast updates, this can also include scenarios during planned abnormal operations (e.g. facility equipment offline for maintenance or well flowback). An early pilot in a key production region delivered significant production upside and was foundational for the subsequent global roll-out program. This paper will illustrate two practical applications from early deployment activities: (1) condensate recovery optimization (2) well routing optimization / feasibility against variable processing facility limits.
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.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
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.