Real-Time Production Surveillance and Optimization at a Mature Subsea Asset

Abstract A real-time production surveillance and optimization system has been developed to integrate available surveillance data with the objective of driving routine production optimization. The system aims to streamline data capture, automate data quality assurance, integrate high and low frequency data to extract maximum value, optimize the design and analysis of commingled well tests, and provide real-time multi-phase well rate estimates for continuous well performance evaluation. A key challenge identified was the need to understand individual well contribution during commingled well tests, as traditional approaches may provide unrepresentative results. Additionally, the well tests are typically infrequent, thus further limiting the reliability of estimated well rates as production system dynamics between well tests are not accounted for. A third challenge recognized was the need for efficient testing procedures in order to minimize deferred production. To address these issues, a fully integrated model of the production system was used, and is driven by a computational algorithm that automatically calibrates the model to real-time sensor data. A new systematic approach was developed to analyze multi-segment commingled well tests simultaneously to improve the accuracy of resulting measurements. Between well tests, a robust regression algorithm is used to continuously adapt and re-calibrate the model when well conditions change. This algorithm can automatically detect sensor bias and apply an appropriate weighting when calibrating the model. In addition, a regularization technique is also used to prevent physically unrealistic changes in the well parameters between infrequent well tests. The technology is currently applied to an offshore deepwater asset and early benefits include a 2% production uplift realized from optimizing gas lift allocation and performing a single well routing change recommended by the technology. Furthermore, more reliable rate allocation to wells has improved the quality of subsurface models used for reservoir management.