One recent management trend is the establishment of onshore operations centers by oilfield operators that are currently developing offshore assets. Unfortunately, the formation of such a center has typically been a niche activity within many companies and, as a result, some may fail to consider the lessons learned from earlier operation center failures. It is also vital that those attempting to develop such a center make sure the center's purpose functions within the industry's overall framework. While these centers have often delivered, with varying degrees of success, on their anticipated benefits such as faster decision-cycle time, better, more informed decisions and reduced POB, robust business and organizational models are necessary to ensure these efforts' long-term viability. As part of a long-established business partnership, Norsk Hydro and Baker Hughes INTEQ have recently implemented changes to the industry's longest continuously running remote drilling operations center. Supporting some of the Norwegian Continental Shelf's most technologically challenging drilling operations, the center is contributing to improved financial performance, reduced POB, enhanced service quality and supporting work process changes within both organisations. The revised model has been implemented as the 'normal' service delivery channel for five drilling operations supported by the BEACON center on a 24/7 basis and routinely operate advanced technologies such as formation pressure testing while drilling, deep reading resisitivity and azimuthal imaging services. This paper will outline the technical and commercial models that have been developed, provide insight to the challenges encountered and achieved successes. Introduction Transferring real-time rig-site data to office-based experts is not a new concept within the E+P industry. In 1985, Mobil established a satellite communications network to feed real-time drilling and MWD data to the Mobil Drilling Data Center1 and, a short while later, Amoco opened a similar drilling center2. These early command centers delivered rig-site data to a central group of experts (additional to the core operations/asset teams) tasked with supporting critical operations. Little attention was placed on process management or human processes and, coupled with an inability to demonstrate the value of maintaining dedicated experts and infrastructure in a changing business environment the Amoco center eventually disbanded in 19893. The late 1990's Norwegian oil industry was characterized byRapid technology development of advanced down-hole drilling technologies such as Rotary Closed Loop Drilling SystemsIncrease in production by innovative application of new drilling, completion and production technologies. The exploitation of the thin oil leg of the Troll field by Norsk Hydro exemplifies thisInvestment by oil companies in fiber optic telecommunications infrastructureRapid advances in computing technology and large scale uptake of web based software applications Norsk Hydro and Baker Hughes began work in 1997 on defining work practices and organizational models that would address the challenges listed above by relocating some personnel from offshore to an onshore operations service center manned 24/7. The concept was named BEACON (Baker Expert Advisory Center/Operations Network) and, after pilot testing with Hydro and BP in 2000/1, commercial operations commenced at the end of 2001[3].

For anyone involved in organizational changes, people development, optimization of work processes, and reduction in overall risk exposure at the rigsite, the ultimate goal is to develop automation where possible. Automation has been used for years in the car industry, and the oil industry is slowly adopting the potential of automated systems for the drilling environment, gradually integrating all associated processes or important downhole data in full range.Baker Hughes, with strong support from Statoil, has since 1999 developed a remote operations model based on the Baker Expert Advisory Centre/Operations Network /BEACON) platform, starting with remote operations monitoring from an onshore operations centre. Subject matter experts were placed in the operations centre to process the data in real time, leading to significant changes in work processes both on-and offshore. New positions were developed and new shift plans were implemented. As new downhole tools were developed new service levels such as drilling optimization, ECD management and reservoir navigation services were introduced, all remotely from the operations centre requiring no additional personnel at rigsite, all made possible by rig connectivity, data transfer capabilities and proper work process delineation.Tomorrow's solution will integrate all available surface and downhole data, and automated advisory systems will deliver advice based on a wider range of combined real-time data, as well as historical databases and best practice, empowering individual judgment and assumptions. This change will significantly contribute to improved operational performance as well as risk mitigation and reduced Health, safety and Environment (HS&E) exposure.Drilling process automation is something the industry has been anticipating. This paper will discuss the automation potential with respect to remote operations ability, the required development of traditional field positions, collaboration models (e.g., operator/service provider/rig contractor), improved operational efficiency and expectations for operational cost reductions.

Innovative solutions for development of new technology and business models are needed to meet the economic challenges of declining production from the mature North Sea oil province. Bed space limitations imposed by platform redesign and modification at Oseberg East as part of the operator's improved oil recovery (IOR) strategy dictate a manning solution which significantly reduces persons on board (POB) if tail production is to be economically viable. Previous POB reduction models have typically focused on reducing the drilling contractor and production-phase manning levels on the platform. This study extends operational efficiency by employing an Integrated Services Model that encompasses multiple service providers in addition to the drilling contractor. Considering the entire crew in the context of "manning by tasks instead of manning by services" results in a substantial reduction of headcount whilst maintaining quality of execution. The solution developed covers directional drilling, downhole fluids, cementing, logging while drilling and completion operations, as well as drilling contractor and operator tasks. Emphasis has been put on transfering all work tasks that do not require physical presence at the rigsite to the onshore organization, for which use of modern communication technology is key. The business model promotes operational efficiency between service companies and drilling contractor through the development of non-traditional working processes that transgress individual company boundaries. Employees from third parties will be cross-trained such that their presence onboard is utilized in mission critical operations even where responsibility for the operation does not rest with their home organization. Maximising the effectiveness of onboard headcount is considered a first step in developing long-term, cost-effective solutions that will help ensure the longevity of mature assets. This paper describes solutions developed during the detailed planning phase of the Oseberg East tail production project, challenges to implementation, and expected benefits of the new service delivery model. Introduction The original drilling phase of the Oseberg East (Figure 1) development was performed with a drilling support vessel that provided additional accommodation, drilling/completion fluids storage, mud pumps, power generation and cementing. Norsk Hydro's IOR strategy highlighted the opportunity to improve the Oseberg East recovery rate from 28% to 35% by drilling seven new wells from the platform. Figure 1 - Oseberg East platform A pre-condition for the Oseberg late-life project is the requirement to maintain current production whilst simultaneously constructing new wells without using a dedicated support vessel. This is a challenge given the size of the platform as the original design made no provision for maintain bulk volumes of drilling fluids or cement onboard, power supply, or lodging of personnel.

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