SPE 149758
Digital Oil Field Implementation in High-Pressure, High-Temperature Sour
Environments: Kuwait Oil Company Challenges and Guidelines
Q. Dashti, A. Al Jasmi, and B. Al Qaoud, Kuwait Oil Company; Zaki Ali and J.C.G. Bonilla, Schlumberger
Copyright 2012, Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Intelligent Energy International held in Utrecht, The Netherlands, 27–29 March 2012.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessar ily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohi bited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.
Abstract
In 2009, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) launched the Kuwait Integrated Digital Field Jurassic (KwIDF-Jurassic) Project as a
cross-domain solution consisting of a fully integrated infrastructure supporting field instrumentation, automated workflows,
and ergonomic collaboration. The Jurassic gas field is a challenging environment consisting of heterogeneous carbonate
reservoirs with natural fractures that can contribute significantly to productivity. Parts of the Jurassic reservoir consist of a
tight matrix with a high density of connected fractures, but in other areas fractures are sparse and have limited connectivity.
The high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) environment, the near-critical nature of the reservoir fluids, and the presence of
H2S and CO2 are additional challenges for the development of the Jurassic complex.
This project is the first in Kuwait to instrument gas wells with pressure and temperature gauges; H2S, gas, and corrosion
sensors, and safety and control devices as a first step toward delivering on KOC’s vision for integrated operations. The
application of intelligent automation at the wellhead and advanced instrumentation minimizes the health, safety, and
environmental (HSE) exposure of field personnel. Interventions at the wellsite can be supported by handheld portable devices
embedded with work orders. New digital field work processes, supported by collaboration rooms, enable proactive, real-time
decisions in accordance to the exploitation strategy defined for the field. One outcome is to use technology to leverage the
competence of disciplines, such as the subsurface team, to contribute in real time to production operations as opposed to the
traditional nonoperational role of studies and reviews.
This paper presents a case study demonstrating the methodology and tools KOC has used to achieve timely and reliable data
delivery for the Jurassic asset as part of the KwIDF-Jurassic Project.
Introduction
To meet increasing domestic energy demands, KOC is supplying nonassociated gas to utilities and domestic industrial
consumers. The discovery of the first nonassociated gas fields in the Jurassic has led to a concerted effort to fast-track a fully
optimized development, resulting in the Kuwait Integrated Digital Field Jurassic (KwIDF-Jurassic) Project. The greenfield
nature of this project lends itself to digital field processes and technologies. This high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT)
field is geologically complex: The fluids are in a near-critical condition and there are elevated concentrations of H2S and
CO2. The ambition is to maximize ultimate recovery, maintain regular production, and minimize wellsite interventions
needed to mitigate problems caused by the toxic nature of the flow stream. Optimization and timely decisions are therefore
two key requirements to achieve production targets safely. The KwIDF-Jurassic Project is the cross-domain solution that
leveraged multidiscipline expertise to design a fully integrated infrastructure supporting intelligent workflows and ergonomic
collaboration.
This project is the first in Kuwait that encompasses all components of a digital oilfield solution: surface instrumentation
(SCADA system), comprehensive IT infrastructure (communication, application servers, storage), data cleansing and
management, intelligent workflows, function-relevant visualization, ergonomic collaboration, and change management. KOC
is applying petrotechnical know-how, experience from across its domains, and scientific principles to automate the evolution
of data to knowledge and establish a new standard of asset awareness.
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In addition, KOC has applied a holistic approach to designing the digital infrastructure. This integration facilitates a
collaborative environment that ergonomically ties together work processes from different teams such as production support,
field development, and the facilities operator. This collaboration unifies KOC’s technical resources across business units,
achieving a new level of cooperation around optimized work processes and data flows.
Challenges
The KOC Gas Group, formed in 2007, faced challenges of varying complexity: evolving organizational structure; informal
business process (work procedures) definition and documentation; no field instrumentation; poor field awareness resulting
from manual data gathering through daily well visits; unnecessary exposure to dangerous conditions for well checkers;
inadequate formal emergency-response planning; reactive instead of proactive monitoring and surveillance; inadequate data
management; limited capacity to perform root-cause analysis on problems because of lack of historical data; insufficient
capture of expert knowledge; and little collaboration resulting from a siloed work culture.
Since engineers were performing key asset activities manually, most of their time was consumed with routine work such as
data handling, visualization, and reporting. As a result, some events indicative of business opportunities were either missed or
could not be interpreted in time to gain value through operational improvements. Processes like information exchange,
planning, and decision making were hindered by problems in easily transferring data from one location to another and the
often lagging and intermittent communication between remote locations. As a result, teams worked in silos, which limited
access to expertise and resulted in delayed reactions to critical situations.
As a consequence, the team lacked an adequate understanding of their asset and production systems, thus impeding the
adequate distribution of resources. Production and recovery issues were commonplace, and lack of integration resulted in
unrealized opportunities and less than optimal investments.
Table 1 presents the technical and domain challenges that were studied to give context to the general challenges just
described. The items highlighted in red directly relate to health, safety, and security environment (HSSE) issues, which was
the primary objective for the first phase of the KwIDF-Jurassic solution.
Table 1. Challenges faced by team; HSSE-related issues are in red
HPHT gas fields containing near-critical fluids add complexity to the exploitation strategy in terms of resource management.
High drawdown pressures will inevitably lead to condensate dropout in the reservoir structure itself with consequences of
lower ultimate recovery, depletion of reservoir energy, and reduced gas flow potential. In this project, the complex geology is
evidenced by areas with a tight rock matrix associated with a dense network of connected fractures leading to good
production but with a high probability of liquid loading. Other areas in the same structure have very poor reservoir properties
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with a sparse fracture network. To maximize ultimate recovery and maintain production regularity, a clear strategy had to be
developed that was closely associated with an overall change and knowledge management program.
Further, to minimize wellsite interventions needed as a result of the toxic nature of the flow stream, intelligent automation
had to be developed and integrated with advanced wireless instrumentation systems. These were embedded in an intelligent
data management system.
Solution Overview—A Comprehensive Approach for Maximizing Positive Impact
To counter these challenges, an experienced and cross-domain team was assembled, incorporating KOC’s Gas Development
Group, Research & Technology, IT, HSE, and Personnel departments, to manage the design and deployment of a
comprehensive solution architecture that itself would be the result of a well-orchestrated collaborative effort. Solution
components included IT infrastructure, data management,
business process and integration, visualization, security,
and system management with an architecture layer
allowing scalability and interoperability. See Fig. 1.
First, let us consider the context of the solution
deployment. KOC’s exploitation strategy was to
concurrently maximize the production of individual wells
while minimizing the liquid dropout in the reservoir
proper. This would enable the maximization of reserves
recovery, thus leading to a new paradigm in resource
management. The goal of production regularity would be
aided by the instrumented wells that addressed the
acquisition of well and reservoir data, additional data
specifically for sour and flammable gas detection, and
video images that directly feed into work routines
governing loss-prevention activities.
Figure 1 Long-term strategic objectives.
Engaging subsurface disciplines into real-time decision
making processes, combined with working in collaboration rooms, was a crucial goal insofar as it would allow the level of
competence needed to ensure that predefined ―rules‖ governing the exploitation strategies were respected. The active
participation of the subsurface team would also ensure these rules were modified as needed during the different phases of
field maturity.
The implementation of an intelligent data management system was important to eliminate the risk of nonvalidated data and
the traditional inefficiencies of data retrieval and utilization.
The solution technology platform consists of three
components as shown in Fig. 2:
Smart views: Web visualization and reporting
Performance engine: Engineering results
calculations, notifications and alerts of anomalies
Data factory: SCADA, production operations
databases, interface to other systems, miscellaneous
manual entries
To achieve the goal of the exploitation strategy, the approach
was to have an expert team of subsurface, automation,
programming, and data management specialists collaborate to
characterize the reservoir and fluid properties. This
knowledge, where applicable, was transformed into rules that
were then embedded into a rules-based application engine that
Figure 2 KwIDF-Jurassic solution framework.
governs intelligent automation at the wellsite. This process
controls the maximum allowable drawdown to minimize undesirable liquid dropout in the reservoir. To achieve the goal of
production regularity, the integrated network model allows what-if scenarios to be made offline by production technologists
who then set the rules for routines to control the automatic chokes to prevent weak wells in the tight areas of the reservoir
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from being overwhelmed by the wells in the densely fractured areas. Features such as alarms embedded in the production
surveillance system allow system upset situations to be flagged and mitigated. Intelligent data management supports all the
goals by democratizing the data in the sense that the raw data are transformed into the right information and pushed to the
target audience in a reliable and efficient manner. Underlying the intelligent data management system are tightly integrated
data mining, predictive modeling, and calculation engines. The output of the intelligent data management system is displayed
online through a Web-based browser system that will be used extensively in the collaboration rooms as well as on individual
user work environments.
The KwIDF-Jurassic solution enables personnel to identify and visualize potential production problems by analyzing data in
the context of operating processes. It further aggregates real-time and other data from multiple sources. Its capabilities give
KOC engineers the flexibility to work the way they think. Intelligent surveillance can give insight into performance issues
when plugged into a comprehensive production suite.
As a result, KOC has been able to make production-related improvements:
Increase awareness of operations through a consolidated view of underperforming assets
Minimize production shortfall
Increase staff productivity by automating routine tasks
Increase effectiveness of analysis of actions and validation of production data
Minimize delay of bringing equipment back online
Reduce time for allocation and reporting from quarterly to daily
Reduce response times to alerts and potential problems
Living Solution
The KwIDF-Jurassic Project is a living program consisting of multiple-phase projects. It is not so much a technology
implementation as a workstyle change for KOC engineers. As discussed in the Change Management section, a key aspect is
leveraging exposure to digital oilfield capabilities and best practices that will improve the work environment.
Implementation Methodology
The diagram in Fig. 3 presents the approach taken for implementing the project. Moving from the center outward, each set of
components serves as the base for the next value-add layer.
Figure 3 KwIDF-Jurassic project implementation methodology.
At the core is the Gas Group's main business objective to achieve sustained production targets safely and employing industry
best practices for reservoir management, well operations, and facilities management. To achieve this, we begin by building
the foundational layer consisting of infrastructure, instrumentation, and data management. From there, the value-added layer
can be achieved through intelligent workflows, proactive surveillance, and collaboration. Finally, change management allows
KOC as a whole (i.e., all stakeholder levels) to realize the full solution benefits.
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Intelligent Workflows
As part of the first phase of the project, 22 production operations and engineering workflows were integrated into one
scalable and flexible solution platform (Fig. 4). The main objectives were long-term maintainability and user acceptance
achieved through a managed collaboration environment. KOC production workflows have been mapped into a process
automation system equipped with an automation engine and programmable interface. Workflows are not hardcoded in the
visualization layer but can be adapted and extended to changing requirements and operational constraints throughout the life
of the asset.
Closed-Loop Corrosion Injection Optimization and
Corrosion-Rate Monitoring
Corrosion monitoring workflows enable proactive corrosion
management and injection optimization of chemical fluids.
They identify early corrosion signs by monitoring corrosion
rate, wall thickness, and pump injection rates. Based on the
readings from corrosion probes, the injection rate can be
adjusted automatically.
Key KOC benefits are a substantial reduction in manual
effort and the expense required to support stand-alone
corrosion management systems.
Hydrate Control Optimization Loop
Figure 4 Intelligent workflows.
Using facilities and online measurements, a complete
optimization loop has been developed for a) monitoring the hydrate safety margin to optimize inhibitor injection rates
(system determines the amount of inhibitor in the aqueous phase and the degree of inhibition they can offer) and b)
detecting the initial hydrate formation as an early warning system against hydrate blockage.
The main benefits to KOC are minimizing the inhibitor required and preventing pipeline blockages as a result of hydrates.
Hence KOC is seeing an overall reduction in cost of inhibitor, negative impact on the environment, cost of remedial actions,
and deferred production.
Virtual Downhole Metering (VDM)
VDM automatically generates continuous bottomhole pressure and temperature readings for wells without bottomhole
meters. The main benefit to KOC is the ability to continue its work with calculated values while waiting for scheduled
workovers to install downhole gauges. Output values from this workflow have been tested and verified to be within
acceptable margins by KOC engineers using relevant surface network models.
Focus on Decision Loops: Right Data, Right Format, Right Time
Sour gas fields have unique challenges and requirements that must be considered when selecting instrumentation technology.
The role of the user determines the delivery format of the acquired data. Solutions designed for the requirements of a
particular domain activity must supply data in the appropriate format and time frame. Delivery of fit-for-purpose data for
KOC was achieved through alignment of the role and functional objectives of the intended user (Fig. 5).
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Figure 5 Workflow interrelationships and time sensitivity
Moving from Event-Driven to Closed-Loop Process
KOC’s production was event driven and not a closed-loop industrial process. To address this, an approach was developed to
enable automated online event processing controlled by customizable business logic. Production key performance indicators
(KPIs) were designed to be available at any time, ranking underperforming and problematic wells in one business intelligence
solution.
KOC also merged data-driven (e.g., artificial intelligence) and deterministic (e.g., production analysis and reservoir
simulation) models into one predictive analytical system. This allows management by exception and capture of knowledge
and impact analysis for maintainable intraday decision support and long-term performance improvements.
Extensible Visualization
Eight modules have been built so far for the KwIDF-Jurassic Project to group the information and help engineers and
managers locate the already configured content (Fig. 6). Screens were designed considering domain, function, and user roles.
Figure 6 Visualization modules home page.
Ergonomic Collaboration: Designing for Multiple Opportunities
Production-decision loop concepts were incorporated into the collaboration solution design, ensuring visualization rooms will
be used efficiently and according to best practices. KOC’s processes are represented through automated and guided
workflows enabling decision consistency and impact analysis.
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Change management was an integral part of developing the collaboration center designs. Understanding the asset
organizational structure and operating philosophy was essential to creating an environment that would optimally leverage the
KwIDF-Jurassic solution’s capabilities. From the start there was a clear goal to shift KOC engineers from working in
isolation to collective decision making for daily operations.
Figure 7 Collaboration challenges.
There were three key collaboration challenges (Fig. 7): a) virtual collaboration of field development (corporate office
location) and production support (field operations); b) virtual collaboration of users inside and outside a collaboration center;
c) physical collaboration of users inside a collaboration center.
Overcoming each of these challenges required adapting existing work procedures to new roles, and developing new business
processes for existing functions. This was achieved as part of the overall change management program.
KOC began by applying the ―working in harmony‖ concept (Steelcase Inc. 2007). The drawings in Fig. 8 illustrate how
individuals and groups of varying size can collaborate for decision making.
Figure 8 Approach used for collaboration.
These concepts were brought together in the final design of main corporate collaboration center as shown in Fig. 9. Different
rooms show various potential furniture layouts to achieve different forms of collaboration. Fit-for-purpose design focuses on
surveillance and operations activities, taking into consideration well-defined user roles and responsibilities.
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Figure 9 KOC collaboration center design.
The design includes two decision rooms focusing on medium- and long-term production-decision loops. The short-term loop
is incorporated via remote access to real-time data from the SCADA system in the field and a workstation dedicated to a field
operations liaison whose function is to manage the day-to-day collaborative efforts and decision-making between field
development and operations. Ergonomic concepts were applied throughout, creating a fit-for-purpose center around
technology, applications, data, and facilities.
Change Management
To ensure the overall success of this project, a comprehensive change management program was designed with specific
activities defined both during and after implementation (Fig. 10). It bridges people, process, and technology to ensure
complete adoption early in execution. It includes recommendations for the design of a postproject internal framework that
will enable KOC to support and maintain the solution as it evolves.
Figure 10 Change management methodology.
The methodology employed was modified and adapted from the framework presented in previous literature (Ratcliffe and
McMillan 2008). The program anticipated stakeholder expectations, analyzing the impact brought on by new and modified
processes and technologies. Activities were designed to capture information at a detailed level about the future process flow
and the effect on stakeholders, HSE, and the asset. The extent of the impact and likely resistance to change were further
estimated. Through risk assessment, hurdles encountered before and during the KwIDF-Jurassic Project implementation were
identified, as were the unintended consequences of the change. Strategic planning was performed to overcome these hurdles.
Finally, as part of the training plan, a competency analysis focusing on identifying the gap between the current and the future
required level of skills, knowledge, and behaviors of the user-pool of stakeholders was included.
Change Strategy
The following four-step strategy was developed to address the current and future gaps:
1.
2.
Develop the Appropriate Corporate Environment. KOC senior management were engaged regarding the impact of
digital oilfield solutions in general and on KwIDF-Jurassic specifically on the existing production business. By
employing a combination technical-business consulting approach, personnel developed appropriate long- and shortterm visions. These visions were used to create a winning project image and set the most efficient terms of
engagement with the various stakeholders.
Asset Preparation. This involved working directly with the asset to generate awareness on defining what a digital
oilfield solution entails, its benefits, and implications. Objectives included identifying champions; coaching
individuals and making them believers; launching and maintaining a momentum of change within the asset through
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4.
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constant engagement (attending meetings, maintaining a physical presence among the teams, publicity campaigns,
etc.); introducing concepts such as collaboration and mindset change; and examining risks from dependencies such
as data management.
Solution Implementation. Optimal opportunities were selected to showcase tangible benefits and positive impacts on
user daily activities (well review and operations meetings to be used as focus for change management and solution
benefits realization). Training and coaching are also critical during this stage.
Solution Sustainability. In the interests of preserving momentum and to overcome ―the chasm‖ in technology
adoption (discussed later), change management activities in this step focus on metrics for solution usage and the
collaboration center; ongoing training and development; developing an effective support model; leveraging the use
of solution champions to extol the value proposition; and benefits realization. Adoption will be achieved by
integration into well reviews and operations meetings. For example, creating a dependency on the new tools and
solution by exposing users to what is possible improves the likelihood they will not want to go back to their old
ways of working.
Table 2 lists and describes the general areas targeted as part of the current phase of KwIDF-Jurassic change management.
Area
Impact Description
Workflow Process
Automation
Intelligent automation of daily processes enable production engineers to refocus
their effort on analysis and decisions
Well Review & Operations
Meetings
Availability of information and increased asset awareness not only increase the
efficiency of these meetings but also fundamentally changes underlying processes
Safety
Increased awareness of asset conditions helps avoid catastrophes and allows faster
and more efficient reaction to emergencies
Collaboration Center
Change in daily routines, learning new technology, new process for working together
Production Optimization
Part of longer term strategic vision
Data Management
Daily reports (data loading to database, and integration to corporate database)
surface network modeling and availability of data for inclusion in analysis
IT Infrastructure
Security, communication support, new technology provisioning
Organizational Structure
Interrelationship between Research &Technologyteams, Field Development Gas,
Production Support Group as well as corporate IT; defining roles for administrating
collaboration center and the whole solution (support infrastructure, training,
management)
General Operations
Activities
Refocus well checker and other daily activities (data gathering)
Change Readiness
Another aspect of change management has focused on understanding the readiness of KOC in general and the Gas Group
specifically. Although there is normal resistance whenever a new technology or work routine is introduced, KOC and the
asset team were very open and proactive in embracing the solution. From the start various change management initiatives
garnered project support from throughout the KOC organization. Activities such as mindset workshops, awareness
campaigns, and development of the first KwIDF-Jurassic champions were conducted. KOC management was very supportive
of the whole KwIDF-Jurassic vision, thus helping mitigate the risks associated with individual user resistance to the solution.
Developing the Vision
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One of the first KwIDF-Jurassic activities was to develop an overall long-term strategic vision for the solution through a
series of workshops. The purpose was to help align senior management with individual stakeholders (users, support, etc.) to
ensure the project was perceived as one being built on teamwork. It would also serve as a guide for how the solution
continues to develop and evolve into the future, well beyond the initial phase. The following section describes the details of
this vision categorized into three progressive milestones.
Milestone 1: Readily Available, Reliable Production Information
Comprehensive end-to-end data flow, instrumentation to analysis
Built-in data quality cleansing and conditioning
Data history by date and time tagging
Delivery and sharing to operational processes
Integration with surveillance and engineering tools
Delivery and display in the appropriate context and format
Intelligent solution that understands the requirements of domain users and applications
Data not simply delivered, but prepared for the user with automated processing and manipulation
Milestone 2: Ensure Continuous Asset Awareness
Higher state of consciousness, elevating data beyond information to knowledge
Immersion environment
– Users cognizant of all data resources and able to relate them to their respective disciplines
– Collaborative analysis and decisions
– Proactive engagement by knowing what is needed to allow timely actions
Intelligent workflows that impact performance (HSE, well performance, facilities performance)
Create environment where everyone has access to same data, contributes with analytic capability, and can verify
work history
Convert awareness to reservoir knowledge and understanding
Realization that true value lies in taking advantage of the data, not simply having it
Surveillance data readily available to entire asset, thus evolving the engineering team to higher level of productivity
and efficiency
Move beyond simple storage of data to elevate to engineers’ consciousness
Proactive versus reactive capability
– Leads to well prediction
– Lays foundation for proper reservoir management
– Key asset requirement is ability to control and forecast wells
Milestone 3: Capitalize on Engineer’s Potential
Product of immersion environment
Evolving engineer’s practices
– Automate routine process with technology adoption and efficiency
– Data democratization
– Refocus time and effort from data handling to analysis
– Ongoing transformation through sustained knowledge transfer
Asset-centric change management
– Aligned with asset strategy, practices, and culture
– Credibility through consistent presence of champions
Information hoarding disappears (individual’s knowledge no longer a bottleneck)
Paradigm shift in the way engineers work
– Change individuals from historian to knowledge, analytics, management culture
– Current employees’ perception is that value is not in what they do but what they individually know about a
particular well
Knowledge transfer sustained through various processes including tiered training, champion selection, and ongoing
awareness activities (e.g., lunch-and-learns)
Make transition from ―what we know about a well‖ to ―what we should do with that well‖
Change from static to dynamic meetings by leveraging data availability and solution capability to challenge
presenters
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Looking Ahead: Sustainability through Adoption and Integration
Understanding all of the people and organizational units involved and/or impacted by this project was essential from the start.
Grasping the extent of the solution’s implications has had a direct effect on the resource requirements. For instance, different
stakeholder groups have different training needs (project leadership, department leadership, end users).
Fig. 11 shows the KwIDF-Jurassic stakeholders divided into various logical groupings. As seen, the complexity of a digital
field solution creates a significant impact.
Figure 11 KwIDF-Jurassic Project stakeholder groups.
Looking at the three key characteristics of KwIDF-Jurassic change management—coordinating structured transition period,
response to introduction of something new or different, intended to be lasting—we find the last is critical to realizing the
value of KwIDF-Jurassic Project and is the focus of the adoption and integration process.
The process by which most people accept change is similar to the well-established process that people undergo when grieving
a loss: despite the benefit the change may bring, something is lost. Regardless of how dysfunctional or antiquated the
previous tool, or process, users have gained comfort from its prolonged use despite the deficiencies. The initial reaction to
most change is resistance.
The time that it will take KOC to go through the change process will vary depending on variables such as the general trust
environment within KOC, the scope of the change, the perceived strength of the KwIDF-Jurassic solution, and the change
readiness of the KOC organization.
Building Trust
Most organizations want change implemented with the least resistance and with the most buy-in possible. The best way to
achieve this is to include the people who will be impacted by the change in the planning and throughout the implementation
process. The user community will undergo the greatest change and will best know how the transition will work and how it
can be optimally utilized.
Applying this approach allows KOC stakeholders to build trust and a relationship with the solution so that they can develop a
belief in the change that is coming, and most importantly, the motivation to make it work. Trust is vital when making a
change: without it, stakeholders will firmly resist, making it much more difficult to implement the solution, and can even
cause the transition to fail. It makes the difference between simply adopting the change versus actually adapting to the change
to make it work. With trust, the user community will have a willingness to use the change to better their performance, and
with it will come greater job satisfaction.
The Adoption Model
One way to model product adoption is to understand that people's behaviors are influenced by their peers and how
widespread they think a particular action is. Diffusion describes the process by which the KwIDF-Jurassic solution is
accepted by the KOC user community. Adoption is similar to diffusion except that it deals with the psychological processes
an individual goes through rather than the aggregate organizational process.
By applying a well-known technology adoption model (Moore 1991) to the KwIDF-Jurassic solution, an important truth is
highlighted: stakeholders will not embrace change at the same time or in the same way (Fig. 12).
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Figure 12 Technology adoption model.
Each category of the KOC stakeholder community can be described as follows:
Innovators—technology enthusiasts. The first willing to try the solution.
Early Adopters—visionaries. These individuals tend to have high degree of leadership in response to the
introduction.
Early Majority—pragmatists. Individuals who adopt after a varying degree of time. Contact with early adopters is
very important to overcome the chasm.
Late Majority—followers. Individuals adopt after the average member of the organization. These individuals
approach an innovation with a high degree of skepticism and adopt after the majority of the user community has
adopted.
Laggards—resisters. The last to adopt. These individuals typically have an aversion to change-agents and tend to be
more focused on ―traditions‖ and preserving the status quo.
The most difficult step will be making the transition between visionaries (early adopters) and pragmatists (early majority).
This is the chasm shown in Fig. 12. The goal is to make the transition create enough momentum within the KOC
organization so that KwIDF-Jurassic solution becomes the de facto standard.
Adoption Versus Integration
Addressing the needs implied by the early adopter–early majority differences when designing diffusion strategies can greatly
enhance the likelihood the KwIDF-Jurassic solution will be successfully integrated into the KOC organization by groups
beyond the innovators and early adopters.
However, the adoption and diffusion do not guarantee successful integration into daily work activities or even its continued
use. If the solution’s initial novelty and apparent ease of use are allowed to preempt careful planning, or if users do not
receive proper training in its use, its integration as a comprehensive solution will likely be subverted.
In addition, training in technical aspects and application to real needs is crucial to integration beyond the innovators and early
adopters. Time for experimentation and development of workflows is essential. Successful peer users are needed to lead its
integration into the organizational units. If the solution is perceived as difficult to learn and/or too time-consuming to prepare
and use, or is in some other way perceived as threatening, it probably will not be used. No amount of administrative force
would likely be effective in reversing a negative trend. A perception of value in terms of capability and ease of use feeds into
the benefits realization objectives of KOC. In summary, successful adoption and integration are the product of perceived
solution quality and overall acceptance of the change.
Results: Value for KOC
HSSE is a top priority for KOC; therefore, the KwIDF-Jurassic solution is delivering value through the following
capabilities:
Emergency remote well shut-in
Real-time remote monitoring and surveillance instead of physically checking wells in extreme field conditions
(temperature routinely above 50°C, severe dust storms, other hazards)
CCTV for security surveillance for vandalism and emergency response
Reduced response times
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However, HSSE is only the beginning. Other advantages are seen daily through the reformatted meetings such as well
reviews and operations meetings. Time efficiencies have been gained in reviews of wells, presented in a cross-domain,
collaborative environment, supported by technology delivering a comprehensive view of all the relevant data, in the relevant
format and time requirements.
Group leaders are now discussing wells with KOC domain experts from different teams, taking the participants through an
examination of the well from different perspectives. The format consists of a dynamic discussion in which relevant experts
are called upon to use the newly available data and technology to quickly answer questions and make recommendations.
Decisions that used to take days or weeks are now accomplished in minutes. For example, well head pressure data used to be
measured over a three day period, once every month using surface memory gauges installed on individual wells. Today
aggregated data is deliveredin real-time. Data was originally was populated in spreadsheets then extrapolated to determine the
well head flow pressure performance, with the extrapolated pressure used to predict the performance regarding the production
rate. This is all now automated without extrapolation, including sensitivities to choke change. The time saving currently
achieved averages one day per well.
Regarding back allocation, relevant daily operating parameters (hours on, choke setting, downtime, etc...) were previously
extracted manually then fed into a spreadsheet to allocate production per well, per day. This is now fully automated saving an
average of 3 days per well. For Data Mining, engineers used to perform manual extraction of the data for well reviews
(historical production, pressure behavior, etc…), but now these data are all available at the click of a button, with the most up
to date data relevant for troubleshooting and analysis of the well performance. Time savings here averages one week per
well.
As part of the change management program, awareness has been generated around the following key message objectives:
To demonstrate KOC embracing the positive change and benefits of the KwIDF-Jurassic solution
To highlight KOC’s leadership and vision for the future of its production business
To present the solution as an enabling technology tool for enhancing engineer productivity, increasing safety, and
optimizing production through improved, proactive decisions
To highlight cross-domain collaboration and integration of short-, medium-, and long-term production decision
loops
To demonstrate real-time field awareness for safety and production benefits
To show fast, efficient decision-making capability through a reduction from days to minutes
To show collaboration and knowledge transfer—mix of senior and juniors collaborating to achieve a common
objective
Conclusion
Collaboration and change management comprise the real message behind KwIDF-Jurassic. Although focus on each of the
technical components was important, it never replaced the overall objective of transforming the gas group’s work
environment from siloed functions to one of collaborative decisionmaking. As shown in this paper, each aspect of the
solution was designed keeping in mind their interdependencies and respective roles in delivering aggregate value. Many
digital oil field projects consider collaboration to be the end result; however KwIDF-Jurassic used collaboration concepts as
part of the project delivery itself. Rather than relying on the digital field solution to drive work culture change, the approach
presented demonstrates how to use change objectives to enable successful solution design and deployment.
Acknowledgment
Special thanks to Rolando Camacho and Tim Lloyd, Schlumberger, for providing many of the diagrams and graphics used
throughout this paper. The authors also appreciate the efforts of both the KOC and Schlumberger KwIDF Jurassic Team
members for their excellent delivery.
References
Moore, Geoffrey A., 1991, revised 1999. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream
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Ratcliffe, Helen; McMillan, Gary. 2008. Change Management Made Easy, A Practical Approach to Change Management
for Digital Oilfield Programmes. Paper SPE 112041 presented at the Intelligent Energy Conference and Exhibition held in
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 25-27 February 2008.
Steelcase Inc., 2007. Working in Four-Part Harmony. 360 Magazine.
SPE 149758