Optimization for Operational Decision Support: The Rig Fleet Management Case
At the 2008 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Morten Irgens (Actenum), Ricardo Guzman (Saudi Aramco), and Jacqueline Stamatopoulous (Saudi Aramco) presented a paper entitled “Optimization for Operational Decision Support: The Rig Fleet Management Case.”
Overview
Managin Exploration and Production (E&P) operations is challenging to do well. Drilling operations are a good example: Planning, scheduling, and operating the rig fleet are important functions, but you do not need many rigs before minimizing costs while maximizing rig utilization becomes impractical using a manual approach.
Saudi Aramco uses a software application named Actenum RAS for improved decision support, where:
- The rig schedule is optimized against multiple objectives,
- Disruptions to the schedule are quickly managed, and
- The impact of scheduling decisions on key performance indicators are immediately displayed.
Actenum RAS brings near real-time automation to a previously-manual process, supports human-computer collaborative problem solving and decision making, applies optimization technology to dynamic, mission-critical operations, and provides insight into the trade-offs between operational cost and production profile.
Application benefits
The results of using Actenum RAS show:
- Reduced planning time,
- Reduced response time,
- Reduction in scheduling errors,
- Improved “what-if” capabilities and decision making,
- Reduction in transportation cost, and
- Increased Net Present Value (NPV).