Solar Power And Colour Graphic Displays Highlight Harmattan-Elkton Automation System
Authors: Brockway D. 
Published: March 2010

A computer-based automation system has been installed in the Harmattan Elkton oil and gas fields to provide control, data monitoring and production optimization for the gas injection, gas production, oil production, water-flood and water disposal facilities. The system incorporates design features unique to oil and gas-fields in Western Canada. Included in these features is a specially designed operator control panel which allows the field operators to communicate with the system by the use of colour graphic display terminals on a level which is convenient, easy to use and requires a minimum of operator training. Solar-powered remote locations which incorporated low-energy transducers and a low power on-off duty cycle for the telemetry equipment are another feature which resulted in reduced system installation costs.

Introduction

Over the past decade, production automation systems in Canada have made significant advances from the slow hardwired systems of yesteryear through to the high-capacity computer-based systems of today. The present systems have come about through a process of evolution utilizing techniques developed and refined on previous systems while often pioneering new concepts and techniques which would be used on future systems. The Harmattan Elkton automation system demonstrates this evolution process by incorporating new concepts unique to production automation systems in Western Canada, while at the same time using many features proven out on previously developed projects. As it is beneficial to the oil industry in general to share experiences gained through the use of new techniques, this paper will deal only in general terms regarding the over-all automation system and shall instead concentrate on those new concepts which were incorporated into this system. The two areas which will be covered on an in-depth basis are the operation and utilization of the graphic display terminals at the central station and the design and operation of the solar power systems installed at many of the remote terminal locations.

Production Facilities

In order to appreciate the scope of this project, a brief description of the Harmattan-Elkton production facilities is required. The Harmattan-Elkton field, covering approximately 40 sq. miles, is located 6S miles northwest of Calgary, Albert?. Oil and gas production in the field is obtained from a Mississippian carbonate reservoir with original in-place reserves of approximately ZOO MM STB and 1 trillion SCF of associated gas. Gas production within the field is also obtained from a Devonian (D-3) reef reservoir. Oil production facilities include 58 oil-wells, an associated Fieldgate system of 12 satellites and a central oilfield battery. The gas production facilities include 10 gas wells producing to a gas cycling plant, 9 gas injection wells and 8 gas wells producing to a sales gas plant. Also associated with the over-all field operations are a waterflood system and a water disposal system. In addition, 4 wells producing sour gas from a deeper zone (D-3) feed into a sour gas plant.

Objectives of Automation

Although this paper is not intended to analyze the economics of automation, primary operational objectives were required to be satisfied in order to produce an economically viable system.