Page 82 - Oil and Gas Production Handbook An Introduction to Oil and Gas Production

• Well Control that will stabilize and optimize gas lift and naturally
flowing wells. This application should prevent flow and pressure
surges while maintaining minimal backpressure and maintain
maximum production as well as continuing production at the
optimum lift gas rate.
• Gas-lift optimization is provided to ensure the best possible
distribution of lift-gas between gas lifted wells.
• Slug management will help mitigate variations in inflow impact. The
separation and hydrocarbon processing during startup, upset and
normal operation.
• Well Monitoring Systems (WMS) are used to estimate the flow rates
of oil, gas and water from all the individual wells in an oil field. The
real-time evaluation is based on data from available sensors in the
wells and flow lines.
• Hydrate Prediction Tools will help to avoid hydrate formation, which
may occur if a subsea gathering system is allowed to cool down too
much before the necessary hydrate preventive actions are
performed.
• Optimal operation is defined by a set of constraints in the wells and
production facilities. A Constraint Monitoring Tool monitors the
closeness to all constraints. This provides decision support for
corrective actions needed to move current operation closer to its true
potential.
• Advanced Control and Optimization Solutions to improve the
performance of product quality control, while adhering to operating
constraints. This is typically done with two technologies, Model
Predictive Control to drive the process closer to operating targets
and Inferential Measurement to increase the frequency of product
quality feedback information.
• Tuning tools are designed to optimize and properly maintain the
optimal setting of control loops in the process automation system.

6.2.3 Asset Optimization and maintenance Support

An Asset Optimization (AO) system is to reduce costly production disruptions
by enabling predictive maintenance. It records the maintenance history of an
asset and identifies potential problems to avert unscheduled shutdowns,
maximize up-time and operate closer to plant production prognoses. This
functionality supports maintenance workflow as the AO system
communicates with a maintenance system, often denoted CMMS
(computerized maintenance management system).

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