Gazprom Neft (Electronic development of assets)

Electronic Development of Assets (EDA)

Any business cannot save competitiveness without application of information technologies today. They help not only to reduce costs in usual, traditional transactions, but also to solve absolutely new problems, to work in the new, constantly changing conditions. For the oil-extracting industry reduction of traditional stocks and shift of emphases on shelf projects and tight oil became drivers of the next round of development of IT. Usual approaches here do not work any more, risks and uncertainty grow, development of new techniques and algorithms is required.

Today development of the sphere of IT in the world is connected with such concepts as non-deterministic programming, big data (Big Data), Internet of Things, sensing technologies of images, and the oil companies do not remain away from these processes. By estimates of the international consulting company Bain & Company, new analytical opportunities for work with Big Data will allow the companies of an oil and gas sector to increase performance by 6–8%. At decision making oil industry workers should deal with large volumes of information for a long time. However modern computing opportunities and new algorithms according to treatment of these data allow to bring such work to new level. When the solution of a task requires search of too large number of possible options for what occasionally there is not enough also power of modern computers, approaches of nondeterministic programming, instruments of a fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence techniques come to the rescue. Use of these technologies will change the industry already in the near future.

The Electronic Development of Assets (EDA) — one of nine directions of technology strategy of exploration and production block of Gazprom Neft which integrated a set of projects of the company in information technology fields. Formally the start was given to the program in 2012, however in its basis — experience and knowledge of staff of the company for many years.

The ERA projects are separated into seven directions focused on the solution of the large technology tasks facing the company. In particular, developments on systematization and standardization of all data collected from company fields are conducted instruments of the integrated design of fields, automated management of production, effective interaction with contract organizations and some other are created.

Within the ERA projects separate software products, solutions which including can be used as the elements, some kind of "bricks" intended for assembly of "the digital field" on each specific asset of Gazprom Neft are created. What modules will be selected from each case, depends on features of an asset. Development of the solutions ERA is conducted by the ITSC, subsidiary company of Gazprom Neft, with methodological support of staff of Scientific and technological center and corporate center of Gazprom Neft. For these tasks in 2012 in the ITSC the special division was created. Also implementation of ERA supervises management of information technologies, automation and telecommunications of exploration and production block^[1].

Geomeyt

The information system "Geomeyt" aimed at improvement of quality of the analysis of geological data became one of the first developments of ERA. "Геомэйт" represents a single platform for accumulation and the analysis of geological information on all fields of the company, provides access for specialists to it the most different profile and competences — litolog, geophysicists, petrophysicists, sedimentologists, specialists in regional geology, developers.

In a system more than 200 geological parameters are considered, analysis results of geologic-geophysical information — seismic data, cards, results of well surveys, a core and so on integrate. The unified information environment which replaced a set of the different systems in which it was necessary to work earlier gives the chance to quickly study all available indicators for creation of models of fields, identification and detailing of perspective zones and layers, allows to increase quality and speed of adoption of geological solutions. Geologists spend less time for information search more — on its qualitative analysis.

"Геомэйт" is the basic solution — a core for which expansions are developed within other ERA projects today. Thanks to them, in particular, it will be possible to lower significantly core research costs due to more exact choice of wells for its selection, to reduce duration of carrying out cast the seismofacial analysis from 20 to 5 working days, to carry out the probabilistic geological assessment of new perspective assets.

Geological data form the basis of creation of a system of development. What should be a grid of wells to receive the maximum oil recovery for each ruble invested in development and arrangement? The answer to this question, in addition to experience and knowledge of specialists, requires the considerable volume of work on search and comparison of possible options. And here the "Choice of the Optimal Systems of Development" software product created in Gazprom Neft which allows to find the best solutions on design of a grid of wells taking into account the available geological data comes to the rescue. Use of this module considerably increases quality and speed of adoption of investment and project solutions on new and current company assets.

Checkerwork and Tekhrezhim

If application of IT in geology affects acceptance of strategic long-term decisions, then at a production stage process automation is first of all increase in efficiency of production facilities, daily economy due to the choice of optimal technology operation modes of the equipment.

Actually the information system "Checkerwork" became the first project implemented within the ERA program and implemented in extracting "subsidiaries" of Gazprom Neft. It allows to collect and store information obtained from wells in the single database: daily output, pressure, water content and other parameters. All data before entering in base undergo testing for reliability. Before implementation of this system information on a daily output and other parameters was entered in the special table on paper which is called the checkerwork on oil fields. Due to the big labor input of process the number of data was limited, and the uniform information warehouse about wells on all fields was absent. By 2014 the project was put into commercial operation in Gazpromneft Noyabrskneftegaz, Gazpromneft-Muravlenko, Gazpromneft-Khantos and Gazpromneft East. In 2016 implementation came to the end in "Gazprom Neft Orenburg", on New Porto and Messoyakh.

One more project making a uniform complex together with Checkerwork — Tekhrezhim. It is the instrument of operational management of process of oil production allowing to make calculation of the current bottomhole pressure and capacity of the well, to create a technology operation mode of wells for a certain period, to control deviations from it, to calculate potential and to reveal the wells requiring repair or optimization of production process. As well as Checkerwork, Tekhrezhim works in all subsidiaries of the company today.

"Checkerwork" and Tekhrezhim became a peculiar information base for other information systems, such as module "The Automated Selection of Wells for the Geological and Technical Actions (GTA)". The main types of works which are carried out on wells for increase in oil recovery and maintenance of project indicators of oil production on the field belong to the GTE.

Analyzing all necessary information on geology of wells and on the history of their work which contains in Checkerwork, a system issues recommendations of what events can be held on these or those wells to lift production, and estimates as the oil recovery as a result will change. On the basis of these data the plan of the GTE, schedules of crews forms. If earlier necessary calculations for one well took on average about three hours, today on it about 11 seconds leave. Besides, implementation of the module allowed to reduce risks of carrying out ineffective the GTE, to reduce labor costs and to reduce influence of a human factor.

Mekhfond

Considerable costs at operation of the extracting fund are connected with need of repair and replacement of the intra borehole equipment. Breakdowns of electrocentrifugal pumps, in particular, can be caused by the mistakes made at selection of the equipment. At the same time except the real loss connected with replacement of the pump the losses connected with forced idle time of the well are added.

For the solution of these problems the information system Mekhfond is created. It keeps account of operation of all intra borehole equipment, signaling about deviations in an operation mode of the well or damage, allows to take quickly measures and by that to reduce possible losses. One more important function — selection of the submersible equipment taking into account well parameters — helps to pick up correctly the pump, so, to reduce the probability of its breakdowns and forced stops in production. In general the program gives the chance more effectively to use financial resources and to increase an interrepair time.

By estimates of specialists of Gazprom Neft, implementation of projects of the "Automated Management of Production Processes" direction — Checkerwork, Tekhrezhim and Mekhfond treat it — so far allowed to increase a between-repairs interval of the intra borehole equipment for 46 days (in total the number of repairs decreased on 315 in a year). Due to decrease in average bottomhole pressure and reduction of idle time of wells in a year production grew by 1044 t/days. Operating costs at the same time decreased by 151 million rubles, and the effect of additional production was 3.6 billion rubles. As for the module "Selection of Wells for the GTE", assessment of effect of its implementation in Gazpromneft-Khantos in 2015 showed that the starting gain increased by 36% in comparison with 2014 and for 9% in comparison with the plan for 2015. Also the quantity carried out by the GTE increased. So, the number of the hydraulic fracturings of layer which are carried out in 2015 was 10% more, than in 2014, and 23% more, than was planned.

System of Dissemination of Knowledge (SDK)

In addition to specialized projects, ERA includes also a number of the directions affecting work of many functions. For example, the System of Dissemination of Knowledge project received the priority status as accumulation and replication of experience and best practices in the large companies is extremely important - it is a basis for further growth.

The System of Dissemination of Knowledge (SDK) of Gazprom Neft represents the web portal intended for collecting, preserving and dissemination of information on the best practices among affiliated enterprises of the company. Among the main objectives of SRZ there is a creation of the permanent platform for online communication between the staff of exploration and production block, ensuring convenient access to knowledge accumulated in separate functions of the block and increase in efficiency of their use, improvement of processes of preserving and knowledge transfer between functions. SRZ also contains various methodical information on the subjects "Production", "Geology" and "Nonconventional Resources", materials of conferences and reports, books and magazines. In the section "Advanced and new technologies" it is possible to learn about the trial tests which are carried out to the companies. The subject heading list allows to study and save information, distributing it on basic functions of BRD. A part of the SRZ portal was the I.D.E.A. project through which it is possible to direct suggestions for improvement of different processes, the forum for employees also works.

It is only a part of solutions which are put into commercial operation within electronic development of assets, and already managed to bring the companies noticeable effect. Among projects which are close to end today — "The module of probabilistic geological assessment" which will allow to increase quality of assessment of stocks and assets, to lower an uncertainty interval; a packet of tools for data analysis of production and trade data "The automated control of a current status of development"; "The settlement module of business planning" — a versatile tool of measure calculation of production for preparation of investment projects, plans for production, operational plans. Work is not finished — in the future not one ten more solutions helping the company to achieve strategic objectives.

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