Automatic control in the petroleum industry—a case study

1955 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 539
Author(s):  
I. McCallum
Keyword(s):  
Automatic Control ◽  
Petroleum Industry

scholarly journals Model predictive automatic control of sucker rod pump system with simulation case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 265-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigham Hansen ◽  
Brandon Tolbert ◽  
Cory Vernon ◽  
John D. Hedengren
Keyword(s):  
Automatic Control ◽  
Pump System ◽  
Sucker Rod ◽  
Sucker Rod Pump

Maintaining sustainable performance in operating petroleum assets via a lean-six-sigma approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Chandima Ratnayake ◽  
Osman Chaudry
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Sustainable Operations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
Sustainable Performance

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate the possibility of maintaining triple bottom line (TBL) sustainable performance in the petroleum industry via a case study. In particular, it presents the utilization of a lean-six-sigma (LSS) concept for investigating one of the underperforming support service activities in an engineering contractor (EC) and to indicate how LSS concepts enable the barriers to maintaining sustainable petroleum operations to be reduced for maintaining sustainable petroleum operations. Design/methodology/approach A case study has been carried out in an EC organization in relation to one of the support services (i.e. valves requisition process [VRP]) to demonstrate how LSS concepts enable the barriers to maintaining sustainable petroleum operations to be reduced for maintaining sustainable petroleum operations. Value stream mapping (VSM) and value stream analysis (VSA) have been utilized to investigate the barriers that inhibit sustainable operations. VSM and VSA have been performed to investigate the underperforming activities in the selected support service (i.e. VRP) using a current state map. After performing VSA, a future state map has been developed, indicating possible improvements in overall TBL sustainable performance. Findings VSM and VSA enable the barriers to maintaining TBL sustainable operations in the petroleum industry to be investigated, while minimizing waste in the ECs and asset owners’ organizations. Research limitations/implications The study has been limited to ECs’ support services, which have been delivered based on asset operators’ requirements. Practical implications The suggested LSS approach and related analysis help practicing engineers to perform similar analysis for different engineering support services. Improved performance in support service results minimize health, safety and environmental challenges in asset operations, and the resulting waste reduction increases the return on investments. Social implications Effective delivery of the assessments minimizes potential delays in projects related to petroleum operations, mitigating future accidents. It enhances the TBL sustainable performance of an asset-intensive industrial organization. Originality/value This manuscript addresses the inherent TBL sustainable performance challenges in the petroleum industry that have been caused by delayed projects. The responsibilities of projects’ delivery are mainly attributed to ECs. The EC organizations are operating in project mode, and projects delays are inherently caused by the frequently changing nature of: operators’ requirements; suppliers’ and/or manufacturers’ capabilities and restrictions; and lack of standardization in documentation and work processes (i.e. because of different engineering projects’ demands). Hence, this manuscript illustrates a methodology to demonstrate the possibility of TBL sustainable performance improvement in the petroleum industry via a case study (i.e. VRP-related project delivery performance improvement) in an EC organization utilizing the lean concept.

TROUBLESHOOTING VITRINITE REFLECTANCE PROBLEMS USING FAMM: A GIPPSLAND AND OTWAY BASIN CASE STUDY

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.V. Ellacott ◽  
N.J. Russell ◽  
R.W.T. Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Regression Line ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Compositional Variation ◽  
Suppression Effect ◽  
Gippsland Basin ◽  
Reflectance Data ◽  
Microprobe Technique

'Fluorescence alteration of multiple macerals' (FAMM) is a multi-parameter microprobe technique developed by CSIRO to provide the petroleum industry with an objective method of estimating thermal maturity of organic matter in sedimentary rocks. The technique is closely related to vitrinite reflectance methods, although the identification of vitrinite is not necessary; FAMM is based on the fluorescence alteration characteristics of vitrinite, inertinite and liptinite macerals in a sample. It is a powerful tool for the identification of casings, reworked material and hydrogen-rich (perhydrous) vitrinite, and has the capacity to correct for the effects of vitrinite reflectance suppression.The technique has been tested on Cretaceous coals from the Latrobe Group in Volador-1, offshore Gippsland Basin, where the identification of vitrinite is unequivocal, and on dispersed organic matter (DOM) in various clastic lithologies from the Cretaceous Waarre and Eumeralla Formations intersected by Flaxmans-1 and Port Campbell-4, onshore Otway Basin, where the identification of vitrinite is difficult and subjective.For the Volador-1 sequence, the FAMM-derived vitrinite reflectance (equivalent reflectance) and the measured vitrinite reflectance (VR) are similar, although the VR data are more scattered about the VR-depth regression line. The variability in the vitrinite reflectance data is largely due to compositional variation in the vitrinite. This variation however does not affect the equivalent vitrinite reflectance data to the same degree.In the sections intersected by Flaxmans-1 and Port Campbell-4, FAMM data indicate that vitrinite reflectance suppression is responsible for the large deviations of the measured values from the VR—depth regression line. In some of these samples the suppression effect may be as much as 0.20 per cent absolute.The FAMM technique offers a valuable supplement to VR determinations, or even a valid alternative in many practical situations.

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