innovative multimedia customer
presentations, employee townhall
meetings or interactive technical
sessions.
integration of them right now, up to the research into the cost benefits of
point of building the geologic model. The implementing Digital Oil Field of the
missing part is seamless integration to Future (DOFF) strategies. Their findings
reservoir simulation,” says Dan Dexter, a are well publicized and indicate that the
petroleum engineer with Computer more mature onshore fields may contain
“The oilfield as a factory is a hot Modelling Group Ltd. “This concept is a more value-creation potential than even
concept,” says Cuthill. “We are navigating very good one for the large, newer oil the popular and widely accepted high-
a new path that many have dreamed and gas reservoirs that are under risk offshore exploration and
about for years [that] brings together the development now, and the major oil development environments.
digital oilfield with the operational companies are employing this as fast as
excellence of the manufacturing sector.” they can for any new field they discover.” “The wells we drill in Canada are not
particularly expensive or necessarily
complex compared to other basins,” she
says. “However, we drill 25,000 wells per
year in a geographically diverse setting,
using a complex system of third-party
services, outsourced engineering firms,
contractors, consultants, radical
workload shifts due to weather and a
host of other complicating factors.”
“All of these technologies are converging, Cuthill adds that Cambridge Energy
and Landmark has some pretty decent Research Associates has done extensive
The oilfield of the future for Canada
needs to look much like a “factory” as it
strives to improve its efficiency,
productivity and throughput. To
compete on a global scale, Canada
needs to work smarter, faster and
cheaper.
As with the terms “e-field,”“DOFF” or
“smart fields,” the term “real time” (RT)
has become the buzzword du jour,
which Cuthill readily addresses. “The
Halliburton real-time approach allows
for creative, open-minded thinking
about how businesses can be improved
through the implementation of better
processes, information systems,
workflows, technology deployment,
people development and the like,” she
explains. “Real time is about attaining
business value by being more prepared
for outcomes. It’s about knowing sooner
and being proactive.”
She says that CNRL loves the idea of real
time. Carmen Lee, geologist with CNRL’s
thermal team, agrees.
“RT drilling affords me the opportunity
to know what’s going on at the rig site
all the time. I can monitor when I want,”
she explains. “And the concept of
steering a kilometre-long horizontal well
is pretty remarkable.”
She argues that RT has facilitated better
communications and strengthened
relationships between head office and
those in the field.
According to Lee, the objective is to
maximize bitumen recovery from
thermal horizontal wells through
optimal placement of the wellbore close
