scholarly journals Well integrity management in mature fields: a state-of-the-art review on the system structure and maturity

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1833-1853
Author(s):  
Mostafa S. Yakoot ◽  
Ahmed A. Elgibaly ◽  
Adel M. S. Ragab ◽  
Omar Mahmoud
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Well Integrity ◽  
The World ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Safety And Environment

AbstractNowadays, oil and gas (O&G) fields are maturing and creating new threats. This urged the operating companies and industry researchers to have intensive focus on well integrity (WI). Building Well Integrity Management System (WIMS) establishes standardized criteria to guarantee that integrity of all wells is preserved during their lifespan, functions properly in healthy condition, and is able to operate consistently to fulfill the expected production/injection demands. Moreover, exploration and production (E&P) companies put Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE), assets, production, local and public image as top priority in their businesses. Having effective WIMS at all times and throughout all well phases reduces the frequency of major integrity failures and thus helps companies to be on track regarding the aforementioned considerations. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review on the system structure and maturity of WIMS in mature fields. This state-of-the-art review highlights the efforts made by different O&G operators all over the world to develop and start application of WIMS, which varies widely due to differences in the main WI challenges that are recurring in each field or concession. Moreover, it lists the goals and expounds the stages of launching effective WIMS. In addition, the key elements, around which the WI program is structured, are discussed and presented for various O&G operators. The major five elements of accountability and responsibility, well operations procedures, well intervention procedures, tubing and casing integrity program, and wellhead and X-tree maintenance are overviewed. Furthermore, this paper assesses WIMS sustainability through demonstration of WI maturity models, scrutiny of maturity levels, and analysis of transformative elements to convert WIMS into strategic framework. Risk management systems as well as application of analytics in WIMS are also covered and thoroughly discussed. In reviewing the literature covering different assets—all over the world for the last 15 years—it was found that real progress was made in WI area, and WIMS established in many operating companies through different approaches. However, the introduced systems lack universality and few of them are applying artificial intelligence as powerful tool for boosting the system. The most obvious finding to emerge from the analysis is that WIMS is crucial system that must be implemented and matured for well lifecycle. The findings of this study can help operating companies for better framing of key pillars to have robust and operable WIMS throughout different fields and concessions, hence improving the well integrity performance worldwide.

Survive, Revive, Thrive: Chapter 10—Anchors Aweigh

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (07) ◽  
pp. 5-6
Author(s):  
Tom Blasingame
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Professional Society ◽  
Global Society ◽  
Societal Benefit ◽  
Conducting Materials ◽  
The World ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Advance Notice ◽  
Control And Eradication

It Is Time To Leave Port Education is not a way to escape poverty; it is a way of fighting it.—Julius Nyerere, Tanzanian president, 1922–1999 As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides in most parts of the world, and as a global society we commit ourselves to its control and eradication everywhere, it is time for our “ship” to leave port. As we pull up our anchor (“anchors aweigh” means the anchor is off bottom and the ship is free to move), we must accept that there are risks out there, but we must get back to the task of exploration and production of oil and gas as never before. As I predicted in this column many months ago, we are definitely leaner (fewer people, with even more work to do) and now we need to be much meaner (better skilled, better motivated, and better focused). All the old adages apply: “life isn’t fair,” “there are no guarantees,” etc.—but a commitment to “duty, honor, and service” (an unofficial motto of my employer, Texas A&M University) stands firm in my mind for our industry. As we leave port, we must have the confidence and purpose that has defined our industry since its inception—improving lives, mitigating poverty, and providing the energy to enable a modern global society. Reasons We Must Change as an Industry Life’s a bit like mountaineering—never look down.— Edmund Hillary, New Zealand explorer, 1919–2008 I was in a panel session a few weeks back and, as SPE President, I am certain they saved the toughest question for me: “What are the reasons we must change as an industry?” I confess that this question was particularly hard because it requires a sketch of our future strategies as an industry and as a professional society, which in many ways remains undefined. Fortunately, I had some advance notice and was able to put some thought into my answer. Paraphrasing Darwin, “we must adapt or die.” It is that simple. Our industry provides enormous societal benefit, and just as the future of renewables lies in metals for batteries, conducting materials, circuitry, etc., the present and future of manufacturing lies in oil and gas. There simply are no viable substitutes.

Digital innovation in subsea integrity management

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Ricky Thethi ◽  
Dharmik Vadel ◽  
Mark Haning ◽  
Elizabeth Tellier
Keyword(s):  
Domain Knowledge ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Cost Efficiencies ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Dynamic Structures

Since the 2014 oil-price downturn, the offshore oil and gas industry has accelerated implementation of digital technologies to drive cost efficiencies for exploration and production operations. The upstream offshore sector comprises many interfacing disciplines such as subsurface, drilling and completions, facilities and production operations. Digital initiatives in subsurface imaging, drilling of subsea wells and topsides integrity have been well publicised within the industry. Integrity of the subsea infrastructure is one area that is currently playing catch up in the digital space and lends itself well for data computational efficiencies that artificial-intelligence technologies provide, to reduce cost and lower the risk of subsea equipment downtime. This paper details digital technologies employed in the area of subsea integrity management to meet the objectives of centralising access to critical integrity data, automating workflows to collect and assess data, and using machine learning to perform more accurate and faster engineering analysis with large volumes of field-measured data. A comparison of a typical subsea field is presented using non-digital and digital approaches to subsea integrity management (IM). The comparison demonstrates where technologies such as digital twins for dynamic structures, and auto anomaly detection by using image recognition algorithms can be deployed to provide a step change in the quality of subsea integrity data coming from field. It is demonstrated how the use of a smart IM approach, combined with strong domain knowledge in subsea engineering, can lead to cost efficiencies in operating subsea assets.

Development of Global Contract for In-Line Inspection

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Gower ◽  
Jude Moore
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
The World ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Process Work ◽  
The Right

In-Line inspection has increasingly been used across the oil and gas industry over the past 30 years as a key part of pipeline integrity programmes. Whilst the industry has started to develop standards through the ILI Association and the Pipeline Operators Forum the way in which the industry selects tools and contractors has not developed to the same extent. A significant amount of time is spent managing the procurement process rather than focusing on the selection of the right tools and ensuring they perform to expectations. The challenge is further exacerbated when operations are dispersed globally and involve many different operating relationships. BP has been a user of ILI technology since its introduction in the late 1970s and it has consistently grown in importance to BP in managing the integrity of an aging pipeline asset base. In 2006/2007 BP’s Exploration and Production Technology Group (EPTG) in conjunction with the Procurement and Supply Chain Management group (PSCM) carried out a review of its procurement arrangements across the globe for pipeline ILI to ascertain best practice and capture key lessons. It also gathered experience from other strategic long term supply chain initiatives around the BP Group to help inform and develop the ILI strategy. Early discussions held with ILI Suppliers confirmed that, whilst regional frameworks have been in place in some countries, extending this to a global operation would be breaking new ground in engaging ILI services and would be of benefit to both ends of the supply chain. The process not only needed to follow rigorous supply chain procedures that would meet EU Procurement Directives and BP Group requirements, it also had to meet the specific requirements of many Countries around the world. It was recognised that flexibility would be required to accommodate the introduction of new tools, developing technology and accommodate new areas of operation. BP also wanted to stimulate continuous improvement in ILI tool performance and application of innovative improved technology. More significantly a key objective of the Global Contract was to drive inspection quality and consistency, whilst maintaining a competitive but equitable pricing strategy. Successful implementation was not just about delivering a contract scope of work; it required the development of relationships and a common understanding so that when problems arise they can be resolved quickly and efficiently. This required a significant amount of work engaging both the ILI Contractors and Operating Units across the world in the process. Work on developing the Global ILI Contract was successfully concluded with contract awards in late 2007. The paper explores some of the challenges, lessons learnt and benefits of developing a Global Contract for ILI.

Influencing Competence in Structural Integrity Management

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Billington ◽  
S. A. Caruana
Keyword(s):  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Operational Life ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Management Context ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Offshore Industry ◽  
And Control

The offshore industry has experienced significant changes in the regulation and control of oil and gas exploration and production. The move away from the prescriptive approach towards a goal-setting regime gives Duty Holders greater control and accountability over the safety management of operations. Whilst this approach encourages greater ownership of safety by Duty Holders and provides greater flexibility, it also places greater demands and responsibility for ongoing integrity management, particularly when operational life is extended beyond the original specification with the need to account for the ageing mechanisms. Therefore it is increasingly important to ensure that those responsible for integrity management have all the necessary competences for this task and that the Duty Holder provides the necessary system competence to support this activity. This paper examines the factors which influence competence throughout the life-cycle of Structural Integrity Management (SIM) activities, and provides a model that relates this to a systematic safety management context.

Energy Decarbonisation and Primary Energy in the 21st Century

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Vladislav Brkić
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Oil And Gas Sector

This paper emphasizes the role of primary sources of energy, primarily oil and gas in the future (so-called “energy mix”) with the expected trends in the future. The changes expected by the oil and gas sector in the 21st century have been underlined due to energy decarbonisation. There are intense discussions about the oil and gas future due to the effects of climate change and the announcement that oil is in the final phase of exploitation due to the high depletion of fields around the world. How are the big oil companies responding to these challenges and what are the trends of global energy consumption? In the 21st century, it is necessary to take in account all types of energy with the growth of renewable sources. In the meantime, natural gas is imposed as a bridge between fossil and decarbonised energy, and the trends in the gas segment in the world and in the Republic of Croatia will be emphasized as well. In addition, the new Croatian energy strategy must be aligned with changes in the oil and gas sector, as well as exploration and production of hydrocarbons. Carbon-free energy is still a long way, but the low-carbon energy period has begun.

Production Tubing Leak Repair Using Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olalere Sunday Oloruntobi ◽  
Prasanna Kumar Chandran ◽  
M Azuan Abu Bakar ◽  
Nurul Nazmin Zulkarnain ◽  
Hasrizal A Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Internal Diameter ◽  
Hydrocarbon Recovery ◽  
Coiled Tubing ◽  
Well Integrity ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Corrosive Environments

Abstract Operators are faced with never-ending well integrity issues relating to tubing leaks. This situation is particularly important in oil and gas wells that are producing in corrosive environments. When a well can no longer be safely produced due to well integrity issues relating to tubing leaks, an expensive workover is often performed to restore the tubing integrity. To improve the economics of a well intervention involving tubing leak repairs, a new cost-effective method is being proposed. The novel technology involves the installation of reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP) inside the existing tubing to isolate multiple leaks using a coiled tubing unit or an E-line. The RTP is engineered for downhole applications with custom designed connectors and accessories. It is designed to handle corrosive fluids (CO2 and H2S) and prevent downhole erosion caused by sand production. The RTP can be used to eliminate tubing – annulus communication in both producers and injectors with full compliance to well integrity management system. The results of the field trial in a gas injector well in Malaysia basin show that the RTP can provide a reliable means of restoring and enhancing the production of oil and gas with considerable cost savings (up to 80% cost reduction when compared to a conventional workover). In most cases, the high cost associated with a conventional workover can make it uneconomical when compared to the expected hydrocarbon recovery from the well, resulting in production deferment (well shut-in). The RTP can significantly increase the viability of repairing a larger percentage of the wells that are shut-in due to the loss of tubing integrity when the hydrocarbon recovery from the well is insufficient to justify a full workover. The significant cost savings provided by the RTP would dramatically improve economics and would likely result in more reserves recovered. The RTP also has a smoother surface that contributes to minimum friction and reduces the risk of scales formation when compared to the steel tubing of the same internal diameter.

Effective Implementation of Risk Based Inspection (RBI) Approach in Asset Integrity Management of Oil and Gas Facilities

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Akanni ◽  
Oladipo Alonge
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Process Safety ◽  
Environment Impact ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Detailed Assessment ◽  
Initial Objective ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Safety And Environment

Effective implementation of asset integrity management in oil and gas facilities requires a structured approach to the inspection of all equipment to get maximum value for time and resources. This is what Risk Based Inspection (RBI) strives to achieve by optimizing inspection and monitoring efforts based on degradation effects and other associated risks. The risk based approach entails a detailed assessment of all possible degradation mechanisms for equipment, operating context of the facility as well as the health, safety and environment impact of equipment failure. All these assessments and considerations extend the impact of RBI beyond its initial objective of achieving an optimised inspection frequency to also ensuring process safety, increased understanding of degradation risk and assuring asset integrity. This paper focuses on the workflow, process, benefits and challenges of a typical RBI implementation for static equipment in facilities.

scholarly journals Old Oil Rigs Never Die

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (11) ◽  
pp. 36-41
Author(s):  
Lina Zeldovich
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Oil Wells ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
The World ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Pumping Equipment ◽  
Offshore Oil

Abstract Offshore oil and gas platforms are among the largest structures humanity has ever built. There are more than 7,500 of them towering up from seas all over the world, according to some recent estimates. As wells dry up and pumping equipment wears down, those structures are likely to become obsolete in the upcoming decades. Those oil wells will have be decommissioned and capped off and the platforms taken down. But taking down an offshore oil platform and the tower that supports it is no simple assignment. It is a massive engineering project that requires state-of-the-art equipment.

Electromagnetic Methods for Shale Gas Exploration in Southern China

2011 ◽  
Vol 402 ◽  
pp. 771-774
Author(s):  
Xin Gong Tang ◽  
Zhu Liu Su ◽  
Wen Bao Hu ◽  
Liang Jun Yan
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Seismic Exploration ◽  
Complex Topography ◽  
Geological Structures ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Electromagnetic Methods ◽  
The World ◽  
Exploration And Production

The shale gas is becoming a new strategic energy source in the world. To improving the efficiency of exploration and production of such a non-conventional resource has been a global choice of oil and gas powers. Many previous researches have revealed that China has equivalent amount of shale gas reserves as USA. China-based research has shown that the southern China is one of the most potential areas for shale gas exploration. However, the complex topography with carbonate covers and sophisticated geological structures in southern China is a main difficulty for seismic exploration to get reliable and high-resolution data. This paper alternatively present electromagnetic exploration methods that are applicable to shale gas exploration in such rugged area.

scholarly journals Well Integrity Management: A Recommendation for Indonesia's Well Life Cycle

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-62
Author(s):  
Ganesha R Darmawan
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gas Field ◽  
Well Production ◽  
Well Integrity ◽  
The People ◽  
Oil And Gas Field ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
The Government ◽  
Integrity Assurance

Indonesia oil and gas field mostly are brownfields which were drilled in the late '40s up to '90s. Development and further development of a new structure throughout the years is done, including drilling exploration wells with new play and development wells. Now, most well locations become a populated village and might raise the potential risk to the people and environment. To fulfil safety commitment, well production operations have to be done safely to the people and environment. Currently, there are no specific data that has registered all the wells in Indonesia. This issue is critical for Government and the operating companies to prepare for abandonment waves to prevent methane emissions from abandoned wells. Well Integrity Management, including well registering/database, reporting, risk assessment of trouble wells, and way forward for all the wells, should be initiated by the Government to ensure integrity assurance. It aims to prevent unwanted event in the future, including when the well is permanently abandoned. This paper will present literature studies about international well integrity standards and how well integrity manages the well life cycle. This paper is also providing recommendation to implement Well Integrity Management in Indonesia to ensure end to end well register.

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