Archive for category: Efficiency Case Studies

Problem Statement   

The Claymore team, led by the OIM challenged several areas associated with chemical injection management including discrepancy in volumes, injection rates, and use of 500 gallon capacity tanks.

Aims

The team observed a 10% discrepancy in volumes of the chemical ‘H2S scavenger’ shipped (500 gallons ordered, only 450 gallons recovered).

They questioned whether injection rates were still appropriate as they had remained constant for many years.

They queried the use of 500 gallon capacity tanks and whether 600 gallon tanks could be used so that we could ship fewer containers over a year.

Method

The team used ‘Lean’ techniques to identify and implement simple, low cost solutions:

They requested that the chemical vendor demonstrate accuracy of tank fills by way of fiscal metering.

Following an independent verification, the team also reduced the injection of the chemical from 85 ppm (parts per million) to 65ppm meaning a reduction in the number of tote tanks required.

Impact

• Reduction of chemical injection rate delivers an annual saving of £120k, plus a reduction in number of tote tanks, which will ultimately lead to a reduction in the number of shipments needed.
• Potential saving of >£1M if applied across all assets (where appropriate).
• Contract performance management with the chemical vendor to provide assurance on delivery.
• The importance of precision and accuracy has been reinforced to the team to apply in all future activities.

The team are now looking at four other chemicals to identify if savings can be made. Learnings are being shared with other assets to allow them to investigate if they can realise savings by implementing the same steps where appropriate.

Total Savings Anticipated

£ 120k to date

Potential of >£1M across all assets

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Problem Statement 

Customer challenged to reduce plant OPEX without compromising safety and production efficiency. Currently spends $100k+ on critical system maintenance.

Aims

Implement Risk based inspection to reduce maintenance spend and ultimately reduce operating costs.

Method

Completed system assessment (materials, geometry, temp, flow, pressure etc).

Identified corrosion loops. Determined Probability and Consequence of Failure

Agreed risk classification with client

Updated recommended inspection frequency, location and technique

Impact

Reduced system maintenance cost by $46k annually

Validated engineering approach to industry standards to reduce risk (API 571/ 580)

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Problem Statement  

IOC challenged to accelerate project first oil and reduce overall project CAPEX. Unclear if mothballed 500t platform deck and 300t jacket could be used instead of a new asset.

Aims

• Allow the reuse of a mothballed asset to avoid costly procurement and increased schedule.

Method

• Reviewed design, construction, fabrication and modification records .
• Performed structural analysis and asset inspection.
• Compared asset health against company spec. Created mitigation plan

Impact

• Mothballed asset recommended fit for proposed use. Customer was able to purchase asset
• Reduced cycle time to procure, install and commission jacket/ platform deck by 60%
• Cost improvement estimated at 65% versus new structure
• Environmental advantages gained from re-using existing infrastructure

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Problem Statement  

How do recommended oil and gas sector collaborative project practices, as set out in the ECITB Project Collaboration Toolkit, compare to practices in the highly regulated nuclear sector. What learning can be derived from the comparison for both sectors?

Aims

• Derive beneficial learning through comparison of ECITB Project Collaboration Toolkit guidance to the existing project collaborative practices of EDF Energy, as representative of the nuclear industry sector.
• Use learning from the comparison to inform amendment and revision of the ECITB Project Collaboration Toolkit to 2nd Edition.
• Identify elements of the ECITB Project Collaboration Toolkit that might provide benefit if adopted by nuclear sector.

Method

• Comparison of cross-sector practices was undertaken through high level review of the ECITB Project Collaboration Toolkit against EDF Energy project management processes relating to collaboration.
• Detailed comparison findings were recorded in the Case Study that can be viewed on the ECITB project management collaboration website (see link below)

Impact

• The ‘high level’ comparison of ECITB PCT guidance to nuclear (EDF Energy) project practices identified many similarities.
• EDF Energy has a number of collaborative / relationship management approaches built into its project management practices.
• The highly regulated environment and nuclear security protocols can inhibit some collaborative practices. On non-nuclear process, less complex nuclear sector projects there may be opportunity for enhanced performance through agile planning and simpler, reduced work processes, standards and specifications.
• The comparison yielded enhanced mutual understanding between the oil & gas and nuclear sectors. ECITB will use detailed comparison outcomes as input to the Project Collaboration Toolkit – Edition 2

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Problem Statement  

Buzzard platform has a large number of wells requiring gas lift and only a limited amount of spare gas plant capacity to provide it. The current gas lift optimiser relies on individual well watercut, gas lift and liquid rates that have a wide range of uncertainty, meaning good opportunity to optimise gas lift rates.

Aims

To develop a strategy to improve day-to-day gas lift optimisation by ensuring that the available lift gas is allocated to the wells that give the highest oil production uplift.

Method

A decision analysis methodology was adopted with inputs from Production, Reservoir and Process Engineering, Metering and Operations. The key gas lift optimisation decisions were identified from a wide range of inter-related issues, and these decisions were then linked into several different gas-lift optimisation strategies.

Each strategy was evaluated with respect to the cost associated with upgrading the well metering systems vs the incremental oil gain from optimising the gas lift allocation according to more reliable data. A strategy was adopted that gave the best expected economic return and a commitment to action agreed.

Impact

A probabilistic metering uncertainty analysis showed that a substantial number of barrels could be gained simply by allocating the lift gas according to more accurate well watercut & rate data (P50 case).

Metering uncertainty can be reduced by adopting a more rigorous approach to calibration and maintenance of the existing systems rather than wholesale replacement with new.

A cultural shift in attitude to gas lift optimisation was achieved by using a multi-disciplinary team and having regular reviews with key asset stakeholders.

Total Savings Anticipated

Additional Production

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