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ARC has been commenting for months now on how IIoT enabled solutions can enhance operational activities within upstream and midstream oil & gas. Among the topics blogged about previously include virtual flow metering, multiphase flow metering, artificial lift optimization, leak detection systems, well monitoring and optimization, and horizontal drilling and completions, among others.
Recently after reading this article, we can now add another operational area, top drive optimization to enhance drilling performance, in which IIoT enabled solutions can provide material value to owner-operators, independent E&P players, drilling contractors, oilfield service providers, pipeline operators, and other related ecosystem stakeholders. Unlike 10 years ago or even 25 years ago (some people claim they have been doing IIoT this long, but really have not), companies can now leverage the power of high performance computing (HPC), in-memory databases such as HANA, advanced analytics and machine learning, and improved communication networks to really realize the true power of IIoT in the upstream and midstream oil & gas operations (or in most any other industry for that matter). In the oilfield, the timing of IIoT enabled solutions could not be better as the very survival of some companies may literally depend on it.
A summary of the article is as follows: Global Drilling Support (GDS, a leading provider of top drive manufacturing, maintenance and repair) is leveraging GE’s Equipment Insight solution (powered by Predix) to implement a six-month pilot program with Orion Drilling Company that includes the installation of two field agents on GDS’s top drives on rigs operating in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. These top drives are essentially the engine of the drilling rig, so improving data monitoring and management capabilities on the equipment can have significant benefits. With the cloud-based solution, GDS is able to monitor data points including load, rotations per minute, flow, pressures, temperatures and torque. This critical data enables GDS to better monitor the health of its top drives, helping to optimize operation and maintain rig uptime and provide valuable insight into the operating performance of the drill.
With GE’s cloud-based Equipment Insight solution, GDS is able to provide advanced remote monitoring and diagnostics to its customers without having to make a large up-front investment in expensive software or data centers to manage the data and without replacing existing hardware technology. In today’s $40’s per barrel price of oil, most users are looking to avoid any unnecessary costs possible, and the layoffs of over 200,000 and counting are but just one painful example. However, ARC believes that a growing number of users are realizing that a smart investment in IIoT enabled solutions that can drive down cost of barrel of oil, increase production and/or improve collaboration (internal and external ecosystems) will eventually prove to be money well spent, thereby positioning them for greater profitability when demand for hydrocarbons yields more viable price levels.
Recently after reading this article, we can now add another operational area, top drive optimization to enhance drilling performance, in which IIoT enabled solutions can provide material value to owner-operators, independent E&P players, drilling contractors, oilfield service providers, pipeline operators, and other related ecosystem stakeholders. Unlike 10 years ago or even 25 years ago (some people claim they have been doing IIoT this long, but really have not), companies can now leverage the power of high performance computing (HPC), in-memory databases such as HANA, advanced analytics and machine learning, and improved communication networks to really realize the true power of IIoT in the upstream and midstream oil & gas operations (or in most any other industry for that matter). In the oilfield, the timing of IIoT enabled solutions could not be better as the very survival of some companies may literally depend on it.
A summary of the article is as follows: Global Drilling Support (GDS, a leading provider of top drive manufacturing, maintenance and repair) is leveraging GE’s Equipment Insight solution (powered by Predix) to implement a six-month pilot program with Orion Drilling Company that includes the installation of two field agents on GDS’s top drives on rigs operating in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. These top drives are essentially the engine of the drilling rig, so improving data monitoring and management capabilities on the equipment can have significant benefits. With the cloud-based solution, GDS is able to monitor data points including load, rotations per minute, flow, pressures, temperatures and torque. This critical data enables GDS to better monitor the health of its top drives, helping to optimize operation and maintain rig uptime and provide valuable insight into the operating performance of the drill.
With GE’s cloud-based Equipment Insight solution, GDS is able to provide advanced remote monitoring and diagnostics to its customers without having to make a large up-front investment in expensive software or data centers to manage the data and without replacing existing hardware technology. In today’s $40’s per barrel price of oil, most users are looking to avoid any unnecessary costs possible, and the layoffs of over 200,000 and counting are but just one painful example. However, ARC believes that a growing number of users are realizing that a smart investment in IIoT enabled solutions that can drive down cost of barrel of oil, increase production and/or improve collaboration (internal and external ecosystems) will eventually prove to be money well spent, thereby positioning them for greater profitability when demand for hydrocarbons yields more viable price levels.