Recently, I was requested to write an article concerning engineering. Having never written an article before, it was a daunting task. Nevertheless, I took a stab and came up with the following :
Integration: A path to excellence
No man is an island. An apt saying when talking about the oil and gas industry. Why? In the fantastically colossal world of the oil and gas industry (upstream), engineers and geoscientists work side by side to keep the engine burning. Hence, in most work processes, a work product is highly dependent on the integrity, both professional and personal, of the people doing the job. To avoid ending up talking in abstracts, let’s take a very specific example: creating a dynamic reservoir model.
Before going any further, let’s start with the obvious. What on earth is a dynamic model? Well, good of you to ask! It shows an inquisitive mind (you’re not an engineer by any chance are you?), always a worthwhile trait to have. Back to the question. A dynamic model is a reservoir simulation model that’s built (on a simulator – there’s many out there) to mimic a reservoir’s behavior. The model will (theoretically) predict how the reservoir will ‘act’ in the future given different variables. Results from the prediction runs are used to maximize the profits and reduce risks in the production of oil (or gas) from a reservoir. A dynamic model can be simple (one well, small size model) and take about a few minutes to run, or something of gargantuan proportions and complexity that might take a few days to complete one cycle of simulation.
Now, considering how complex a model can be, it makes sense that it will take more than one person to create a dynamic model. This is where an integrated team is important. Much like a pit crew, a pit boss, engineers and an excellent driver are essential in winning an F1 race, a team with a myriad of technical skills is required to build a working and representative model.
Who are these illustrious team members? Another excellent question!
First, we have the geophysicists. Watching a competent geophysicist at work is akin to watching technical magic where science is integrated with common sense (born out of knowledge and experience) and a dash of art. A bunch of jumbled up squiggly and straight lines to most of us is quickly digested by a geophysicist to create a rough picture of where potential oil or gas pockets (or treasure, if you like) might be lurking. In short, they come up with the most basic framework of what we will use in the final model.
The next group of individuals that make up the team are the petrophysicists (another mouthful term, I know). These highly skilled team members take the geophysicist’s draft and unrefined picture and either validate (or invalidate) the treasure’s existence. It’s done by studying logs (nope, not the ones from trees) that give a more detailed picture of the reservoir.
Once the geophysicists and petrophysicists have done their work, the geologist will step in. Their skills are required to calculate how much treasure (oil/gas if you’re keeping track) is actually available. But their work does not end there. Not only do geologists calculate the amount of treasure available, they also draw the map for the treasure! Magic? ESP? No, much like their geophysics counterpart, their seemingly magical abilities is also made up of a fine mix of science (including the softwares used), technical knowledge, and a plethora of experience. A geologist seldom works alone, as the combined experience of a group of geologists oft fill in the spaces that make up a complete treasure map.
Who comes next? The geo-modelers. With the aid of software and computing power, these modelers take the 2D map generated by the geologists and turn them into 3D. Now not only does X marks the spot, we also know how deep the treasure is and what kind of conditions it exists in (i.e. what lies above, below, to the sides). It’s time consuming, taxing and to forget challenging work, but a well constructed 3D static model (that’s what it’s called) is a sight to behold. Why static? Because the oil and gas do not move in this model. They stay put.
Hence, we need the dynamic model.
So we bring in the final group, the reservoir engineers (my favorite). In this non-abstract example, the engineers take the static model and build a dynamic model by adding more data into the model. Once ready, the model should be able to match any historical production (if it has been producing) and more importantly, predict how the reservoir will behave in the future. It can and will be used to find more oil/gas and to come up with the best way of producing the field. Sort of a crystal ball, but more accurate and without the ball.
Thus, in the oil and gas industry, no man is an island, more like cogs in a big machine. An integrated team, if you may. Although the final product is developed to help the engineers do their jobs, the pieces of the product come from other individuals that are as important.
There is one point that I have not explicitly pointed out but is inherent in the work process I outlined above (did you notice what it is?). Continuous feedback. All throughout the creation of the dynamic model, there is continuous discussion between the different disciplines to discuss issues, ideas, and challenges. This continuous feedback is the backbone of a successful integrated team, ensuring work stays on schedule and the final product (the model) meets the required objectives.
Bluntly put, an integrated team that talks to each other will work more efficiently to produce a model that works. Because, lets face it, a dynamic model that’s not doing its job will be like a cracked crystal ball, about as useful as a paperweight.
