A new remote onshore well site development requires electrical energy to power instrumentation, cathodic protection and communications equipment. Although this equipment is generally not power intensive, it is still a common practice to deploy transmission lines to connect the well site to the electrical grid, no matter how far away it can be. This procedure is usually expensive and time consuming. In this study, we propose a distributed energy generation scheme using a solar photovoltaic (PV) microgrid which can be rapidly deployed and can power one or several well sites. For this purpose, we utilized the microgrid modeling software HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources), which allowed us to develop a techno-economical evaluation as well as an environmental impact study of the initiative. Furthermore, we present the conceptual design of the system, which can be easily scaled to the power requirements of any number of well sites. Using this approach, we show the feasibility of a remote area renewable energy microgrid along with its levelized cost of energy (LCOE). In addition, we show that this method can significantly reduce the reliance on conventional sources of energy, while maintaining the reliability of the system. In summary, this proposal depicts how onshore surface equipment power requirements can be reliably met by using distributed energy generation. The use of renewable energies provides an alternative path which enables energy efficiency optimization while providing a reduction in CO2 emissions through a clean environmental solution.

Providing quick response time and accurate detection of small leaks in multiphase pipelines is of great importance for risk mitigation in the oil and gas industry. The emphasis of implementing state-of-the-art technologies to mitigate both safety and environmental risks in the field becomes of particular importance as aging pipelines transport sour hydrocarbon products crossing populated areas. Fiber Optics Leak Detection Systems (FOLDS) have the capability to detect small pinhole leaks even in multiphase flow, due to its distributed sensing and advanced signal processing features. With this motivation in mind, it is important to evaluate the ability of FOLDS to detect leaks under different scenarios of varying fiber cable location, product phase distribution, propagation media, pressure, temperature, leak sizes and leak locations. Due to the high amount of varying parameters, safety hazards and environmental constraints associated with field testing FOLDS, an industrial third-party multiphase flow facility enables FOLDS performance evaluation across the range of applications of interest. In this particular case, different Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) FOLDS were simultaneously tested for detecting the pipeline leaks. The overall performance test scope and procedure presented in this paper was custom developed to simulate as close as field parameters for validation across multiphase and wet gas flow conditions. The customized performance evaluation test program led to results that show the sensitivity of technology performance to different operational conditions, ranging from physical flow parameters to fiber optic location with respect and leak propagation media. FOLDS solutions performance validation is presented in terms of leak detection, stability and consistency. This leads to a conclusive benchmarking of each solution performance based on the test results for multiphase pipelines. This paper guides the audience through the methodology of customized performance evaluation testing of pinhole leak detection for oil multiphase and wet gas pipelines. It also provides value by highlighting the impact of testing procedures, different flow parameters and installation setups on the actual system performance.

Intelligent Field upstream operations in the Oil & Gas industry encompass infrastructure that provides real-time data for monitoring and enabling informed and efficient decision-making leading to improved field operations. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the infrastructure is reliable and that the data obtained is managed properly to make it available to end users. This paper proposes an integral approach to measure Intelligent Field Infrastructure (IFI) and data communications reliability and explains its applications and reachability on field performance. This innovative method supports engineers to tackle issues in timely manner. In addition, a robust IFI optimizes production strategy by exploiting available data to improve well rate compliance, monitor well integrity and reduce field surveillance activities. Furthermore, a reliability index requires a consistent asset inventory supported by an effective maintenance strategy that is perceptible to all involved organizations.Six sigma methodology tools are to be implemented to address reliability. To conduct a root-cause analysis leads to identify the flaws in data communications and infrastructure. Then, data is to be compiled within a process mapping structure that can be used to generate performance plots ranked upon Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA). Building a reliability index powered by visualization tools lead to expose hidden areas of opportunities to improved field operations. This integrative approach provides different organizations with one platform to overcome reliability issues and reduce equipment downtime; hence, maintaining asset value and capitalizing its capability.The approach presented in this study is relevant to Oil & Gas industry professionals involved in IFI for understanding the impact of asset integrity on remote operations capability. It also sheds light on understanding the role of information-driven analytics on optimizing field performance.

The energy transition to renewable energy and hydrogen as an energy carrier, along with low-carbon footprint production targets in the oil and gas industry act as a catalytic for exploring the role of hydrogen in oil and gas production. For upstream and midstream operations, potential opportunities for using hydrogen as an energy carrier are being developed both in hydrogen generation (X-to-hydrogen) as well as in hydrogen consumption (hydrogen-to-X), but not without series of technical and economical challenges. This paper presents potential use cases in upstream and midstream facilities for hydrogen generation and consumption, be it both from hydrocarbon processing resultant in what is called "blue hydrogen" or from integration with renewable energy to form what is called "green hydrogen". It also explains process integration requirements with diagrams for full-cycle green hydrogen use from generation to consumption and its interaction with renewable energy technologies to achieve low to zero-carbon emission power supply systems. Different hydrogen generation and conversion technologies are reviewed as part of the modeling process. Green hydrogen feasibility is assessed in terms of operational efficiency and cost constraints. Hybrid hydrogen and renewable energy power supply systems are simulated and presented according to the intended applications of use in oil and gas facilities. This paper provides a feasibility analysis and hydrogen technology integration potential with renewable energy for applications in oil and gas remote facilities power supply. It also shows emerging hydrogen technologies potential for use in upstream and midstream applications.

As the oil and gas industry increases its focus on sustainability, including greenhouse gases emissions reductions and carbon footprint management, it is relevant to analyze optimal solutions integrating different renewable, green and hydrogen technologies into hybrid renewable energy systems and compare them with well gas-to-power approaches for off-grid, on-site power generation in upstream applications. This paper goes through a desk review of different types of upstream facilities and an overview of potential power requirements to consider for off-grid electrification. Then, different technologies used for off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems are introduced and compared in terms of potential uses and integration requirements. Furthermore, emission targets are presented along with potential economical constraints. With those aspects introduced, system sizing and assumptions are modeled, simulated and optimized. The different modeled cases, including integrated renewable energy systems and power-to-gas systems, are presented in terms of suitability in application to the facilities under consideration. For such cases, simulation results are presented in quantitative terms of equivalent optimized value for the multiple competing objectives in the study, in terms of sustainability targets and economics. Sensitivity analysis are also presented showing main parameters of influence on the optimal energy scheme approach. This paper provides a qualitative and quantitative analytical optimization approach evaluating multiple competing objectives in terms of green, renewable, hydrogen and gas-to-power technologies, economics and carbon footprint management for consideration in facilities power systems schemes.