Creating Value from Front End Digitalization Versus Conventional Work Processes
Authors: Mohd Azmi Nurul Aminah , Veroba Grant , Abdul Aziz Saiful Azuan , Zainalabidin Muhammad Aizuddin , Ariffin Khaidir 
Published: October 2022

PETRONAS has been developing the Concept Factory++ (CF++) Front End Digitalization application since early 2021. The CF++ application has been rolled out using Agile development methodology and is currently being utilized in Screening and Feasibility Front End studies. CF++ has unlocked significant value in quality, speed, cost, and user experience compared with conventional work processes. This paper details the CF++ automated Front End work process, its integration within the digital development planning workflow, and provides an assessment of CF++ Value Creation compared to conventional work processes previously utilized.

The key motivations for digitalization were a highly manual process, inability to integrate across domains and dataset, speed leakage and potential of non-conformances due to data handling and inconsistencies. PETRONAS’ Front End transformation digitalizes the conventional work processes and enhances the concept ideation, technical-commercial definition, and knowledge capture processes. Process enhancements include integrated Front End technical and cost analytics engines, and broader enterprise digital Field Development processes to promote collaborative working space; maximize the use of extensive internal project data, and embedded Best in Class benchmarking.

Throughout the development, CF++ was heavily stress tested to validate the techno-commercial engine and the end-to-end integration from data input to report automation. A project analysis comparing use of CF++ vs. conventional work processes was completed to determine improvement in speed, quality and cost.

The paper will present savings in speed, cost and accuracy by comparing CF++ outputs against the manual process deliverables from out turn projects. CF++ created value across all areas, with key savings drivers reviewed. Analysis shows that CF++ also provides significant accuracy improvement earlier in the FEL process, allowing reduced contingency to be applied.

The Front End digitalization process identified significant value to stakeholders through increased pace of delivery, improved early concept definition with limited human intervention, increased cost accuracy, and increased confidence in the results through replicatability, improved data supply and benchmarking rigour. CF++ also enhanced Field Development Team's experience through improved collaboration and flexible integration with the subsurface and economics tools and database.

A number of challenges through the transformation process were identified and will be presented. This includes the extensive verification requirements due to the tool complexity, to assure quality of coding at module level and during the end-to-end test.

Fully integrated Front End process digitalization has rarely been attempted within E&P companies. Further, incorporating knowledge and learning insights within process analytics allows for optimization and Best in Class solutions to be delivered digitally. Using the agile approach, CF++ will be augmented with new business and sustainability modules to achieve strategic business objectives.