Real-Time Collaboration—Efficient Problem Solving and Extending Resources

Abstract

To meet the challenges to the industry of increasing hydrocarbon demand, increasing well complexity, reduced employee experience levels and the large physical distances between operational centers, advances in digital technologies are being increasingly leveraged by both operator initiatives and service company initiatives such as Halliburton's Digital Asset. Terms such as "smart wells" and "real time" have become more commonplace. Data is being generated faster than ever. The ability to interpret this data, model the data and implement optimized solutions in real time is critical to operational success. The demands placed on operating in a cost efficient manner, with greater returns on investment are ever present.The use of a Knowledge Management collaboration tool, a key component of the Digital Asset, helps to meet these challenges by providing a real time collaborative environment which spans global operations, supports and develops synergies between multiple disciplines and transcends geographical and language barriers. Through its use an intentional shift in focus has taken place from centrally located sources of expertise to virtual ones. Virtual centers of collaboration empower users to collaborate, problem solve and share knowledge on demand. Any user, i.e. employee, can rapidly access the global expertise needed to put well challenges, potential solutions and increasing volumes of data and information in appropriate context. Through access to these extended resources employees can solve problems more efficiently and offer better solutions. Technical experts can cover more ground. Collaboration is facilitated by dedicated personnel who maintain a vital link with local, regional, and global technology leaders.Examples from Canada, where the use of this approach contributed to an HTHP well being saved, along with an estimated cost of $15 million, from China where urgent advice was delivered to a rig experiencing an underground blowout and from Brazil where global experts collaboratively contributed to solving a wellbore stability problem will demonstrate how real time collaborative solutions are developed and moved from the virtual to real world environment to improve operational service delivery to external clients in the global market place. Lessons learned, best practices and strategies employed to engage users in the use of this collaborative environment are outlined.

Intelligent Fields Management at Woodside: A Low-Cost Step Improvement in Field Management Using Off the Shelf Technology

“…Other applications include 4-D seismic (Calvert. and Bakulin, 2007), closed loop management (van Dijk and Goh, 2008) and real time collaboration centres (Hickman et al, 2008). This case study describes how Woodside's IFM program was implemented and demonstrates what a mid-sized oil and gas company can accomplish in 12 months at relatively low cost starting with little pre-existing knowledge.…”