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2 Intelligent Digital Oil and Gas Fields

Quadrillion BTUs
250 History Projection

200
Liquid fuels
Coal
150
Natural gas
100 Renewables

50 Nuclear

0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
Fig. 1.1 World energy consumption by energy type [International Energy Outlook 2016,
Report Number: DOE/EIA-0484(2016). Projection of 46% increase over base 2012].

production is the industry’s implementation of new digital technologies that
increase production for less unit cost. This “revolution” of the “digital oil
field” (DOF) is the subject of this book.
An oil or gas production field is a value chain of a well drilled into a
subterranean rock formation from which oil or gas flows to perforations in
the well, and then up the well through various chokes and valves to surface
pipelines and treatment facilities and ultimately to a sales terminal or tank.
Fig. 1.2A is an offshore complex of wellheads and production facilities, and
Fig. 1.2B illustrates a complex of pipes from an offshore complex to wellheads
on a sea floor, which connect to wells drilled miles under the seafloor to an oil
reservoir. Fig. 1.2C illustrates wellheads on an onshore complex which uses
pumps to lift the oil. For each of these situations, there are numerous measure-
ments that enable the operations and production personnel to monitor and
improve the production (Fig. 1.2D). These measurements include pressures,
temperatures, flow rates, power, vibration, and many more to be discussed in
this book. DOF is the application of state-of-the-art technology for sensors,
data communication, data analytics, collaboration, and decision making,
throughout the value chain of completions, wells, pumps, pipes, chokes,
compressors, treatment facilities, etc. to increase production at lower cost.
This book leads through the journey of how DOF came to be, the state
of DOF today, best practices that can be employed in your own professional
work—whether management, operations, or production—and a view of