Using Cost Effective Tools to 'Bring the Wells to the Operators!'

摘要

This paper describes a cost-effective, pragmatic way to continuously monitor and control well performance for most oil well types. Well fluid flow rate estimates are displayed in graphical form as trends on user desk top PCs. Deviations from the norm are flagged as process alarms. In some cases measured fluid flow changes are used to automatically control the well by adjusting choke settings for performance improvement. The main benefits of this approach are safer operations and reduced operating costs - operators visit only wells with problems thus reducing exposure to hazard and eliminating spurious travel and logistics. Other benefits include increased production due to early warning of well problems, better understanding of well behavior, improved allocation accuracy and improved well testing. The purpose of this paper is to describe Shell experience with low cost continuous well performance devices and some of the benefits that can be gained from this approach.