As a company that provides oil and gas industry connectors and connector solutions, it’s worth asking what the oil and gas industry will look like in the next decade.
A new report by industry adviser DNV GL suggests that the future of oil and gas technology is in automation. The company noted some parts of the oil and gas sector are riper for automation than others.
The report singled out automated drilling, which is already in use in some operations. With this technology, oil and gas companies can make wells economically feasible, which leads to an increase in the number of production wells and more drilling of smaller targets.
“Advanced automation technology can fundamentally change how a well is drilled, but needs a complete redesign of drilling-related processes to reap the full benefits,” the report says.
The “Rig of the Future”
That redesign may come from companies such as Schlumberger, an oil field services provider that has developed what it calls “the Rig of the Future.”
“When we looked at drilling as a whole, we realized that to make a material impact on well cost, we had to optimize the entire system, including the rig,” said Justin Rounce, Schlumberger Senior Vice President of Marketing and Technology, in an interview with Drilling Contractor.
“The rig is a fundamental part of the operation, and we prefer to look at it as an integrated well construction platform.”
Their focus is on automation and mechanization. While there are a number of mechanized elements on modern rigs, Rounce argues that there are still some areas that haven’t yet been mechanized.
“Pipe handling on land rigs, for example, is one process that we want to fully mechanize,” he said. “We don’t want anyone putting his or her hands on the pipe from the moment it goes onto the catwalk to the moment it goes into the hole. There are also other opportunities for mechanization, such as the fluid system and BOP handling.”
Once the appropriate parts of the rig have been mechanized, Schlumberger can add automation software, the “brain” to mechanization’s “brawn,” as Rounce put it.
Automation allows drillers to add intelligence and connect workflows, Rounce said:
“In fact, with automation, workflows can be redefined because we can think about doing things in a different way. We can start to connect a subsurface system in an intelligent way that drives the operation of the surface system.”
He argues this will lead to a shift in roles on the rig, and a “multiskilling” process that allows the company to cut the manhours needed to deliver a well by close to a third. Rig crews will need to be comfortable with multiskilling, and with a system that provides more advice on actions to take, particularly when it comes to drilling.
“The system will also accommodate changes,” Rounce said in the interview. “A plan is built before drilling is started, but during execution, the reality is always different from theory. The system has built-in intelligence that analyzes the impact of changes in the drilling process and will provide advice to the operators on the rig.”
And as workers grow more used to this system, it won’t stick to its advisory role, but will rather be trusted to take action, meaning workers will need to develop skill sets and mindsets far different from the ones they held.
Oil and Gas Industry Connector Solutions
As the global demand for oil and gas byproducts increases, so too does the need for sophisticated oil and gas interconnect solutions.
PEI-Genesis carries a wide range of these connectors, from trusted manufacturers such as Anderson Power Products, Amphenol, ITT Cannon, LEMO and more.
Application specific explosion-proof cable assembly designs are also available by way of our Engineered Solutions Group. Our engineering team has extensive experience in EX hazardous zone design. PEI-Genesis is FPAL-registered and Baseefa-competent.
Consult with a PEI expert for a custom connector and cable design solution for your next oil and gas project.
