Gas Well Production Optimization with Remote Performance Monitoring
Authors: Edwards J.J. 
Published: March 2010

Monitoring gas production with mechanical chart recorders and the associated business practices results in significant loss of earnings due to data inaccuracies, late identification of well shutdown, and operational inefficiencies. To solve this, several current technologies have now been integrated into a low cost end-to-end system called FINE. This technical note describes FINE and provides field data demonstrating the benefits.

Introduction

Gas flow measurement has been dominated by 100-year-old circular chart technology. "Charts" record differential pressures generated across an orifice plate (and the static pressures and inflow temperatures) at a gas meter. These differential pressures are converted into flow rates by standardized AGA flow calculations(1,2). The process of chart measurement involves a laborious cycle of collecting charts, chart integration and data entry, which often takes weeks to return information to the decision makers. This mechanical measurement necessarily involves lost earnings due to data inaccuracies, late identification of well shutdown, and operational inefficiencies.

Electronic flow measurement (EFM) has been an alternative to charts for many years. It is based upon electronic gas measurement standards established by the American Petroleum Institute(3).

However, the cost and construct of acquisition and dissemination with engineered SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) solutions have prevented widespread acceptance or use by a large number of stakeholders within an organization who could add value.

Integrated technologies now permit practical acquisition of electronic gas flow measurement from every well, and dissemination for use by everyone within an organization. These technologies all adhere to a basic system structure T. Ito calls "FINE"(4).

FINE Technology

FINE stands for Field Instrument (FI), Network (N) and End user (E). FINE is a seamless system design that, in spite of the measurement complexity, simplifies data acquisition so that monitoring costs are similar to that of a chart, and dissemination is seamless to everyone from managers to investors on their PCs. (See Figure 1.)

FINE's structure is revolutionary, involving end-to-end, internet- based metrology systems and preferably built on autonomous networkable transmitters. FINE integrates:transmitters with digital sensor cores,public wireless communications,high performance embedded processors, micro-power electronics (FI), and solar power operation,central digital nervous system (N), anddatabase and web interface tools (E).

The transmitter connects wirelessly through a network to an Internet information delivery system using full-duplex asynchronous communication made possible by embedded processors.

Increase Revenues, Reduced Costs

When gas producers and transmission companies apply FINE systems to gas well monitoring, they can realize increased revenues and reduced operating costs. Revenues are increased by:Reduced downtime (e.g., by exception alarming)Improved allocations (e.g., by higher accuracy)Optimized field production (e.g., by daily monitoring of wells, well testing, and regular gas-in-place estimates)

FINE reduces costs by:Improved operator efficiency (e.g., focusing on operations)