LOWIS™ Life of Well Information Software

Quick Links to Information Below

• LOWIS - An Integrated Approach to Well Management
• Managing the Workflow Process with LOWIS Software
• LOWIS - An Integrated Production Workflow Solution
• LOWIS Software Provides Solutions to Organizational Issues
• How Does LOWIS System Work?
• What Value Does LOWIS Provide?
• Enhancing the Data Management Process
• LOWIS Modules
• Technical Summary

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• LOWIS - Life of Well Information Software
• LOWIS - Life of Well Information Software - Spanish Version

LOWIS - An Integrated Approach to Well Management

LOWIS software is a web-based, enterprise-wide, well management suite designed to help improve the bottom line for any oil and gas production operation. By reducing lifting costs, optimizing workflows and minimizing the financial risk associated with the evolution of new technologies, this innovative software suite can help companies better achieve their financial goals and objectives.

Reduce Lifting Costs: The software platform provides real-time monitoring and alarming capabilities coupled with integrated analytical and reporting tools to achieve optimum well performance. Using the program’s suite of tools and customizable workflow interface, operators can more quickly identify, prioritize, plan and service poor performing wells, thereby reducing downtime and the associated production losses.

Optimize Workflows: Built-in score-carding tools, combined with easy access to complete well histories, enable producers to develop and implement best practices around failure management. LOWIS program features provide a unique combination of surveillance, analysis and well service management tools in a single interface, further empowering producers to better organize and standardize their production workflow processes. Single point viewing of data from multiple disparate sources enables the knowledge sharing process. Valuable, historical well data once stored in spreadsheet files on individual desktops can now be stored and shared on central servers.

Minimize Financial Risk: The rapid uptake of new technology in the production operations domain can expose companies to unnecessary financial risk. Use of the software’s comprehensive solution eases this burden and allows producers to focus on the core activity of optimizing oil and gas production.

What tasks can LOWIS software perform?

Managing the Workflow Process with LOWIS Software

LOWIS software is structured around a workflow process, which is accessible from all locations within the software. This acts as a guide to the user to assist quick location of necessary tools to accomplish sequential tasks. Some tasks only require working within a single part of the workflow while others span the entire workflow spectrum. The basic Workflow is organized into the following processes:

	Configuration - Adding Wells to the System Pre-built equipment catalogs for easy entry with simple menus for adding, changing and deleting wells on the system make it possible for field personnel to make changes within minutes. Analogs, meters, and discretes can easily be copied for several wells without having to reenter each point. Virtual analogs, discretes, or meters can be created in minutes allowing flexible configurations that meet any user needs.
	Surveillance - What is Happening? Well graphics showing key parameters along with a tabular format of that same data are easily navigated for quick looks through multiple wells. Either detailed information or general information on a well status is available and configurable by the user. Summary status reports, alarm states and histories can all be viewed as well in a clear and concise manner. Within minutes a user can determine what wells are down and, if needed, can remotely change parameter settings in the controller or RTU and restart them online.
	Analysis - Is It Performing as Expected? Using the analytical tools built into LOWIS software provide the user the ability to diagnose problems and interact with information on the latest operating conditions of each well. Specific diagnostics, trends, and analytical reports are available for each individual well type in the "Analytical Workbench". Well test data, pump performance data, and workover histories can all be viewed simultaneously presenting an accurate picture of the factors affecting the overall well's performance.
	Work Plan - What Should be Done Next? Determining the prioritization of workovers based upon simple economic indicators or potential production increases is possible in the Work Planning process. Work plan summary reports showing pertinent information about the well and what is to be done can be e-mailed to the field crew prior to beginning any work. A Backlog report can be accessed and viewed to know the status of each in terms of the approval process.
	Services - How Should It be Executed? Review past jobs performed on each well, the cost of each service event, service provider for that event, equipment changes, and wellbore diagrams reflecting those changes. Evaluate past details on the services performed to empower the user with the information necessary to determine the procedures and equipment that best match the conditions of that well. The Services process allows easy maintenance of the "living" record of each well as events occur on that well including the cost of each operation.
	ScoreCard - How Well was It Done? Performance evaluation of each service or procedure performed on a well is necessary for a continuous process improvement cycle. Determination of the effectiveness of a workover is achieved by comparing the projected financial or production outcome to the actual results in graphical terms or in the form of reports. LOWIS software allows a manager to easily create or access reports and trends showing the effectiveness of operating changes and workovers.

The importance of each step in the process will vary depending on the focus of the enterprise and an individual's job responsibilities. Surveillance and Analysis processes may be more critical to field operators whereas Services and Score Carding would be more beneficial to a manager with P&L responsibility. In contrast, a production engineer with a wide scope of responsibility may have a need to interact with all the processes.

Click the columns in the graphic above for more information.

LOWIS - An Integrated Production Workflow Solution

To successfully manage today’s upstream oil and gas production operations, various individuals within an organization must collaborate effectively on a variety of important tasks. Throughout the life cycle of a well, these multi-disciplinary tasks range from planning and executing to results evaluation and process improvement.

Achieving productivity gains in this complex, interdependent environment requires timely sharing of reported data, calculated results, analytical findings and expert observations. Critical information is often fragmented and dispersed across the enterprise, hindering an organization’s efforts at collaboration. LOWIS workflow facilitates proficient, cooperative interaction between people and more effective production workflow processes.

• Full SCADA functionality for well monitoring and control
• Common interface to view and interact with data from multiple sources
• Integrated suite of surveillance, analysis, and well service management tools
• Visually display information and map out daily work priorities from the LOWIS console
• Management of work prioritization and attention to the highest producers
• Open to several methods of wellhead telemetry
• Connectivity to multiple controllers and RTUs
• Supports all well types and processes
• Seamless trending, reporting and graphing

Real-Time Data

• Surveillance tools place integrated real-time and historical well data at the user’s fingertips and facilitates immediate control of wellhead facilities
• LOWIS software supports hundreds of field controllers and RTUs so that you can continue to maximize your investment in these devices

Analysis Workbench

The analysis workbench provides a means for faster diagnosis and remediation of production problems whether your artificial lift type is beam, ESP, PCP or something else. This suite of tools allows your engineers to analyze and optimize your wells using real-time information. This enables your engineers to zero in on probable performance problems before well intervention.

Well Service Management (WSM)

The WSM module is used to prioritize and plan well service events. It presents histories in comparative graphs and reports to help determine best operating practices. Web reporting tools facilitate enhanced information exchange across the enterprise to help you understand your operational issues and cost drivers.

Some of the typical outputs from our score card analysis:

• Costs in a given year for tubing and rod failures
• Number of acid jobs completed with the total and individual costs
• Total pump failure workovers in a given year and associated costs
• The most efficient service company for any given job type with detailed crew and supervisor information
• Number of workovers and costs trended over time
  

Pump Performance Curve

Inflow Performance

What Value Does LOWIS System Provide?

More than anyone, Asset Managers will recognize the value of this unique software platform across their operation. It offers measurable value by improving operating inefficiencies on a daily basis. Of even more value are the savings created by having a standardized approach to managing the total workflow process. This minimizes the time spent each day searching for and organizing production data from various sources into logical information that can be acted upon. The web reports facilitate faster, more efficient knowledge transfer across multiple domains.

The combination of real-time optimization and well service management tools in a single interface empowers Production Engineers to more quickly identify problems and isolate the underlying root cause. Using the same interface, production engineers can plan and prioritize work based on economics. Well services are much easier to organize and prioritize, and score carding ensures that the engineering team benefits from the development of best practices around failure management.

Engineering Technicians can diagnose problems or operational inefficiencies in artificially lifted systems in hours rather than days. The time saved in surveillance and diagnostics can be re-directed to problem remediation and production optimization. By using the LOWIS configuration tools, engineering technicians can adjust controller settings and view the effective results of those changes.

Full SCADA functionality for remote well monitoring, control and alarming alerts Lease Operators to potential problems instantly, any time, anywhere. The lease operator can quickly review all wells each morning and more effectively prioritize his or her daily activities. Analysis of pump efficiency and run time can help the lease operator proactively manage power usage in the field.

Service Providers can better benchmark their products and services, identify areas for improvement, and maintain a competitive edge by providing more value to producers. Opportunities to fill additional client needs with products and services can be recognized by tracking well work, services and products.

IT Specialists can reduce the amount of support required to administer multiple software products and systems. Proprietary applications can be included within the LOWIS software framework, further minimizing support requirements. Data acquisition, storage, consolidation and visualization help improve overall data integrity and simplify the production data management process.

LOWIS Software Provides Solutions to Organizational Issues

What is the right framework for integrating diverse production applications currently in use and developing new ones within the enterprise? LOWIS software has an open system that uses application standards such as COM and Active-X, allowing IT professionals to easily integrate existing applications and develop new ones in the LOWIS framework.

How can capital costs associated with artificial lift equipment, automation hardware, and telemetry be reduced? Increased capital expenditures created by purchases of oversized, “standard” equipment can be reduced by better matching artificial lift equipment to an individual well's performance using the analytical tools in LOWIS Software. In addition, LOWIS Software eliminates the need to “lock in” to a single automation hardware product and can combine multiple telecommunication platforms on a single channel.

How can anyone within the enterprise access and interact with real-time production and operational data? LOWIS software can serve as a single enterprise-wide interface, or portal, for accessing real-time field data and other internal, or third party, data sources simultaneously without any applications or custom configuration required on any desktop.

How can the organization improve its operating efficiency? LOWIS software brings together the following operations into a single application eliminating unnecessary redundancies:

• Automation
• Artificial lift analysis
• Data management
• SCADA
• Enterprise reporting

How can the workflow process for production operations be streamlined to eliminate inefficiencies? LOWIS software eliminates bottlenecks in the workflow by providing a standard, yet configurable, workflow process to be the single interface to view and interact with all data required in oil and gas production. The workflow process detailed in LOWIS software can be used as is or customized with each step of the process being configurable to meet the needs of individual users.

How Does LOWIS Software Work?

LOWIS' surveillance tools place integrated real-time and historical well data at the user's fingertips, and facilitate immediate control of wellhead facilities.

LOWIS' analysis suite of tools provides the method for faster diagnosis and remediation of production problems.

LOWIS' well service management suite helps prioritize and plan well service events, and presents histories in comparative graphs and reports to help determine best operating practices.

LOWIS' web reporting tools facilitate enhanced information exchange across the enterprise.

Enhancing the Data Management Process

LOWIS software enhances the data management process as data acquisition begins at the well site to the final presentation and viewing of analytical results and reports at the desktop. The data can be captured manually or automatically in LOWIS software depending on the tools available to the producer.

There are many people within an enterprise involved in the process of producing oil and gas. The data and information required to be able to make daily decisions on how to improve production and overall operations is typically not easily accessible by these different users of the data. LOWIS software is designed to act as the single interface to this information regardless of the data format or location within an enterprise. By providing an easy access to view data from different sources, time can be better spent determining what, how, and when services should be done rather than trying to collect and assimilate the data to begin an analysis.

Advanced SCADA

If an operator has automation devices in a field, the SCADA functionality already built into LOWIS software can remotely interrogate and control several different types of wells or facilities within a single system. Currently the well types and functions supported include:

• Flowing Wells
• Rod Pump Wells
• Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) Wells
• Injection / Disposal Wells
• Production / Well Test Facilities

Connectivity

Because LOWIS software is the only system built exclusively for oil and gas production, over 90 protocol drivers are supported in the native protocol of each device, enabling the user to have access to all the functionality designed into that device. By supporting this number of protocols, the field operator has the freedom to mix different devices and types of devices in a field on a single system. In addition, LOWIS software has the power to support multiple types of devices on a single communications channel as well as provides support for all OPC compliant controllers, RTUs, and PLCs.

LOWIS software supports several different communication methods as well, including RF, spread spectrum radio, geosynchronous satellite, CDPD, fiber optic, and hard wire. These methods can be mixed within a field on a single system giving the operator the ultimate flexibility in data acquisition and movement.

Multiple Data Sources

After capturing and moving the data from the well to the host server, LOWIS software stores the data in its own database that is designed specifically to capture the static data for any well type and the dynamic data that is collected manually or automatically on a regular basis. Although not designed to act as a data historian, the database has the ability to store two to three years of data on several thousand wells. The database has ODBC functionality allowing for an open exchange of data to other ODBC data stores.

Perhaps the most powerful feature of LOWIS software is its ability to view data from multiple ODBC or OPC compliant sources through a single interface. From a user perspective, the information appears to be from a single source and no special queries, skills, or knowledge of database architectures is required on the part of the user to be able to interact with the data. Data from different sources can be displayed in different columns on a single table for ease of understanding.

LOWIS Modules

productionRT productionRT is the backbone of LOWIS software. All LOWIS modules are subsets of productionRT and share certain components such as well testing results, production results and summaries, and static well information. Working in productionRT allows the user the ability to see all well types and processes in a single application and environment. An engineer can view production data from an ESP well, an injector well, and a flowing gas well in the same view. Typical field automation systems are usually made up of several independent systems such as a well test system, an ESP system, and a beam pump system. The problem is they are not linked in any way together so if the beam pump well is changed to an ESP well over time, bringing in historical production data for that well can be difficult if not impossible. Using productionRT, well data is saved in a single system, LOWIS software, for the life of that well.

beamRT (Real-Time Beam Pumping)

beamRT provides the tools for the user to perform downhole analysis of beam pumping systems as well as design new pumping systems based on historical data. All types of optimization and monitoring may also be performed to assure maximum production at each well in a single, integrated, real time application.

beamRT Well Configuration

Wells can be easily added, modified, and deleted in the database by field personnel without the assistance of a system administrator. This facilitates having up-to-date information in a field as new wells are drilled and old ones are re-completed, plugged and abandoned. Catalogs of all beam pump manufacturers and related equipment are already stored in the database for easy reference and use.

Monitoring, Status, and Optimal Control for beamRT

beamRT allows the user to look at the status of all the wells individually or collectively in user defined static and dynamic groupings. Key information such as pumping efficiency, electrical costs, and identifying potential wells are made available in an easy fashion.

beamRT allows groups of wells to be further filtered by "exception" conditions such as those in an alarm state, or with low pumping efficiency, high gearbox torque, etc. Wells can be grouped by any criteria, and based on these criteria, the software can automatically identify those wells that are candidates for optimization on a nightly basis.

Using beamRT, the operator can configure each RPC remotely with new parameter settings to optimize the control of each well as well as set points for load malfunction detection. Operational commands such as status scans or starting and stopping a well, or selected group of wells, can also be issued from the user's desktop.

Analysis for beamRT

Besides simply monitoring rod pumped wells for "status", the software allows the user to focus on individual well optimization by including trends, diagnostic reports, intelligent alarming, and a comprehensive analysis workbench. The analysis workbench allows the user to diagnose problems such as pump wear, excess friction, rod overstress, gas compression, gearbox overload, high fluid level, and tubing anchor slippage. There is a wide selection of pre-built trends to help visualize changes in operational data for each well, predict future problems and schedule chemical treatments. Matching dynamometer card to user configurable card libraries and the diagnostic reports permit both the novice and expert user to optimize the production of beam wells.

espRT (Real-Time Electrical Submersible Pumps)

espRT is designed as a tool to help the producer lengthen average pump run life, provide savings in reduced workover costs, and reduce pump repair or replacement costs. espRT provides comprehensive capabilities for ESP well monitoring, analysis and control. With a complete catalog of pump performance curves and a wide selection of multiphase flow analyses, the user can analyze the efficiency of current ESP operations and add or change new well installations with minimal data manipulation or data management issues.

espRT Well Configuration

Wells can be easily added, modified, and deleted in the database by field personnel without the assistance of a system administrator. This facilitates having up-to-date information in a field as new wells are drilled and old ones are re-completed or plugged and abandoned. Catalogs of motors, pumps, cables, and gas separators for all ESP manufacturers are already stored in the database for easy reference and well configuration.

Monitoring, Status, and Optimal Control for espRT

espRT allows the user to look at the status of all the wells individually or collectively in user defined static and dynamic groupings. These groups can be further filtered by "exception" conditions such as those out of service, or with communication failures, in a down state, etc. In any given field, all wells can be grouped by any criteria, and based on these criteria the software can automatically identify wells that are candidates for optimization.

Operational commands such as status scans or starting and stopping a well, or selected group of wells, can also be issued from the user's desktop. The software also gives the user the capability of monitoring and analyzing other external inputs such as pressures from downhole and surface gauges.

Analysis and Design for espRT

espRT provides the user with pre-built charts, graphs, and reports as well as an analysis workbench to aid in problem identification. The analysis workbench allows users to compare the actual pump and formation behavior to the ideal designed conditions over time. In addition to surveillance, this can be useful for checking and optimizing the pump design.

Using the workbench can help identify pump wear, predict remaining pump life, and diagnose the causes of pump failure. In addition, espRT can calculate system efficiency and lifting costs, trend these variables over time, and alert the user when these variables deviate outside preset, acceptable ranges. The software provides a detailed analysis of the operation of each stage in an ESP using a miscible fluid model to insure proper prediction of fluid behavior in fields with gas injection. Performing analysis on a "stage-by-stage" basis can be used to help identify specific portions of the pump that are operating in upthrust or downthrust and could be at risk of failure.

Because espRT provides a graphical presentation of the interaction between the pump performance and the producing formation, the user is also able to detect changes in reservoir deliverability over time.

pcpRT (Real-Time Progressive Cavity Pumps)

pcpRT provides the ability to improve efficiency of progressive cavity pumps by accurately monitoring the pump and controlling the operations from a remote site. The software works with both fixed-speed and variable-speed PCP controllers. It allows the user to identify problems as they occur, assess problems, and even predict future problems. Developed in conjunction with Weatherford Artificial Lift Systems, pcpRT software provides the user with the capability to monitor the performance of a PCP pump in real-time. The software incorporates data from downhole gauges for accurate analysis of abnormal well conditions such as restricted pump inflow.

pcpRT Well Configuration

Wells can be easily added, modified, and deleted in the database by field personnel without the assistance of a system administrator. This facilitates having up-to-date information in a field as new wells are drilled and old ones are re-completed or plugged and abandoned. Catalogs of motors, pumps, etc. for many common pump manufacturers are already stored in the database for easy reference and well configuration.

Analysis and Design for pcpRT

Analysis capabilities of pcpRT include the ability to analyze the performance of progressive cavity pumps in real-time. This is achieved by combining data acquisition and automation with proven engineering techniques. The pump performance can be monitored and analyzed for the current conditions of the well including pressure, temperature and flow rate. The actual pump performance can be compared against the theoretical ideal pump performance curves.

pcpRT Highlights

• Fixed-speed and variable-speed pumps
• Interfaces to downhole gauges
• Remote control of well
• Interface to VFD
• Online pump catalog

efmRT (Real-Time Gas Well Monitoring)

This module provides the ability to accurately monitor gas wells equipped with Electronic Flow Measurement (EFM) devices. It gathers status and operational parameters as well as EFM custody transfer information. It can collect data from devices from multiple vendors on the same communication channel. Efficient use of communication bandwidth enables it to handle hundreds of devices on the same channel. Any "auxiliary input" register in the RTU can be scanned and trended along with the EFM information. It also supports a number of communications media including: radio, cellular, CDPD, and satellite.

efmRT Well Configuration

Wells can be easily added, modified, and deleted in the database by field personnel without the assistance of a system administrator. This facilitates having up-to-date information in a field as new wells are drilled and old ones are re-completed or plugged and abandoned.

efmRT Highlights

• Interface to a variety of EFM controllers
• Custody transfer data log collection
• Local editing of data logs
• Unmodified data logs transferred to accounting system
• Remote control of wells

Well Services Management

The Well Services Management module gives the user the capability of tracking well histories, processes and events, equipment usage, and failure rates. By providing this functionality, the Well Services Management module can help the producer determine best practices and best equipment to meet the needs for any given well or field.

The needs of different users within an oil and gas producer's operations are met with pre-selected views and tools tailored to improve the producer's workflow process. All phases of the well servicing process are tracked to maximize daily control and optimization of well work. Well management processes and failure analysis are used to enable proactive well management.

Failure Optimization

One of the primary ways a producer increases production in a field is by reducing well downtime. Although downtime is most commonly thought of as simply deferred production, downtime can also be due to well intervention work which also reduces monthly production. Well Service Management is designed to help reduce this type of deferred production.

The producer can determine how the number of well interventions can be reduced by using LOWIS software to determine if the required intervention is due to equipment failure or an improper procedure. This results in decreased cost and increased oil production.

Building “Best Practices and Procedures”

All wells are "constructed electronically" by taking equipment components such as casing, tubing, pumps, rods, cables, etc., and listing them in the order they are assembled in the well. As these assemblies are listed, the software automatically builds the well schematic. As workovers occur and equipment is changed in a well, histories of these events are created showing what equipment was replaced and when it occurred. Graphical presentations of pull histories of individual wells or entire fields can be used to benchmark improvements and generate best practices.

Web Reports

LOWIS Web-Reports delivers a new dimension of information possibilities to all levels of the corporation. Using a"publisher/subscriber" hierarchy, LOWIS Web-Reports provides corporate wide access to production and management information generated in LOWIS software.

Any user in the system can become a publisher of reports, charts and analysis done in LOWIS software. This information is then shared on a one-time, or regular basis with designated subscribers. Automated reports to subscriber groups can also be generated.

Technical Summary

LOWIS software is a client rich suite of applications based on Microsoft's ActiveX component technology. This means that although LOWIS software is running as a web page in the browser, most of the software's functionality is actually encapsulated within the ActiveX controls and components. These controls and components reside on the client computer, rather than the server, and are called on by the server as they are needed. This conserves bandwidth and greatly increases performance since the server no longer has to provide all the functionality for the client machine. This allows the server to be dedicated to providing timely data.

The architecture of the software enables all LOWIS products to be web accessible and real time bi-directional. Being real-time and bi-directional not only allows the user to view the most recent data, but also enables the user to interact with the data. Having this capability empowers the user to perform data mining and analysis in real-time utilizing the power of the Internet or Intranet.