*World Oil
Wellsite automation can help make oil and gas production smarter, faster,
more efficient and safer. The ability to utilize real-time data to make
automatic and instantaneous adjustments can produce reductions in the days
spent on frac operations and increased wellsite safety.The age of automation
has dawned in the oil and gas industry, and operators can unlock value by
harnessing new gains in efficiency that it provides. Driven partly by the boom
in advanced connectivity tools, automation represents a new leap forward
because of its potential to make processes faster, more efficient and safer—all
of which help minimize non-productive time (NPT). There have already been many
advancements with automation for the oil field—such as remote monitoring and
control capabilities—and new applications will continue to drive innovation. To
understand this next major evolution in the oil and gas industry, it’s
important to grasp how operators are continuously adapting to and adopting new
technology. Importantly, automation offers key benefits that enhance workers’
jobs, rather than replace them.
THE EVOLUTION OF WELLSITE INNOVATIONS
For decades, the oil and gas industry has relied mostly on manual
processes. As one example, workers had to hammer unions for wireline
connections at the outset. Those manual processes are slow, prone to human
error and expose workers to potential hazards. When hydraulic latches were
introduced, they represented a revolutionary step forward, compared to manually
hammering in latches, and they became especially crucial when stage counts
started to increase. Now, automation marks the next major evolution at the well
site. It frees up personnel to work on higher-value tasks, and it further
enhances efficiency by enabling real-time optimization. Introducing wireless
capabilities also eliminates the need for cumbersome cables or hydraulics,
which helps reduce points of failure to streamline operations and reduce NPT.
AUTOMATION DELIVERS SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS
There are three main areas where automation has a particularly notable
impact on wellsite operations: safety and remote operation, efficiency and
continuous monitoring, and data collection and predictive maintenance. First,
the safety benefits are clear, in part because automation enables remote operation.
Automating valve operation and other processes at the wellsite while using
remote equipment monitoring reduces the exposure of personnel to high-pressure
red zones. Minimizing the need for manual intervention drastically reduces
exposure to hazards that could cause injuries or an industrial accident. Remote
operation proves even more valuable in difficult or remote environments, where
wellsite access may be limited. Second, automation boosts speed and efficiency
by reducing manual processes and supercharging data-backed decision-making.
Automated tasks, like monitoring and data analysis based on pre-set parameters,
can be done more quickly and accurately to optimize production. Third,
automating wellsite operations also entails digitalization, for enhanced
real-time data collection and predictive maintenance. This enables continuous
monitoring through sensors and devices that can measure a wide range of data
points, including pressure, temperature and flowrate. Data analytics can then
extract actionable insights to inform decision-making. That wealth of
information helps maximize uptime, and preventative maintenance algorithms can
identify signs of fatigue or malfunction to prevent catastrophic failures
before they occur. Then operators can proactively schedule maintenance and
avoid unplanned downtime.
SHARPENING THE COMPETITIVE EDGE
According to McKinsey and Company, the oil and gas industry has been
slow to adopt automated technologies, even though the upstream sector has
access to them. Automation cannot replace the years of experience and deep
oilfield knowledge that a seasoned worker possesses. However, it can enhance a
worker’s ability to perform his/her job function and even free up that person
to focus on activities that add more value to the operation. Leveraging
automation could add up to $250 billion in upstream operations for
the industry by 2030, according to McKinsey and Company, driven by the
optimization and maintenance gains that can be derived. Innovations with
automation also can help address some pressing workforce challenges for the
industry, by opening paths to upskilling and career advancement while making a
difficult job much safer. Embracing automation can help companies retain the
talent they have while also attracting new talent with diverse skill sets to
help build the industry’s workforce for tomorrow. Supporting the
industry’s workforce is critical today. In recent years, dips in oil prices and
factors related to the pandemic prompted reductions in personnel across the oil
and gas industry. Many experienced field technicians have retired,
creating opportunities for new entrants into the energy industry. These
transitions have made automation in the oil field even more important, to
ensure access to a stable supply of the energy that the world relies on.
AUTOMATION IN ACTION
One example of how automation technology can be deployed upstream is
Oil States’ ACTIVEHub™ communication and control system with ACTIVELatch™
technology. This automated platform and industry-first, battery-operated,
wireless latch enables oilfield companies to remotely make and break wireline
connections.The ability to capture real-time information and control the
latching process up to 75 feet away is a meaningful advance for the industry.
This remote monitoring and automated control can drive significant efficiency
gains, while keeping personnel out of the red zone. Equipping operators to make and break
wireline connections to the well wirelessly helps to boost efficiency, as well.
Compared to conventional methods of making wireline connections, ACTIVELatch
reduces downtime by saving 20 to 25 min. per swap from frac to wireline.
Additionally, eliminating conventional tethered hydraulic hoses and fluids
reduces downtime. Having automated safety protocols also reduces the risk of
latches opening under pressure, which is not only important for personnel
safety but also for protecting equipment. Safeguarding equipment can prevent
operators from incurring unexpected capital expenses. These innovations represent
just a few examples of the tremendous potential for automation at the well
site. Deploying these types of technologies can help unlock new gains in safety
and efficiency that can positively impact the bottom line.
EMBRACING AUTOMATION
Automation at the well site can help make oil and gas production smarter,
faster, more efficient and safer. The ability to utilize real-time data that
enables adjustments to be made automatically and instantly is a game-changer.
Those instantaneous changes that occur in just seconds can produce a compelling
return on investment, by reducing the number of days to perform frac
operations, eliminating hydraulic hoses and increasing wellsite safety. We’re
witnessing a natural progression in the oil field from manual processes to
increasingly advanced methods. The automation of specific wellsite functions
supports the industry’s success, and it can ultimately reduce time to first
oil—every oil field company’s goal.