Automated IPM GAP Building

For the past 3 weeks I have been working with a client in Houston on a new onshore field.  The field will eventually be more than 1000 wells.  Fields this large with this much equipment can be modelled in Petroleum Experts IPM Suite, in GAP.  However, the process of building such models can be tedious, especially since the wells are very similar and so are the facilities.  The client had already put together a macro to build the PROSPER models.  I spent much of the past three weeks creating a macro to build the entire GAP model.  The first step is to create templates for similar equipment configurations, then build portions of the GAP model from a list of well and facilities names using these templates. 

The middle layer of a three level hierarchy of a large GAP model.

I also arranged the model in flowsheets with a three layer hierarchy to make navigation and viewiing much easier.  One good thing about creating a model purely from data and a macro is that with a little work different views of the model could be created, for example an x,y coordinate layout or a hierarchical tree layout.  Probably the best thing is that all the elements of the model are created consistently, with proper naming and the correct values.  Small errors do sometimes creep into models that are built manually.



Such a large project requires as much automation as possible.  The client already has a great plan for building an digital oilfield solution, including automated surveillance support systems.  Petex IFM and IVM feature in this plan.  The first of many IFM workflows are alredy built for PVT matching and FBHP calculations.


We also put together the beginning of a training plan and support model. Multi-discipline work will be very important to the success of this project.  Already we have had several interesting conversations between Reservoir Engineers, Production Engineers and Facilities Engineers.  It is always great when you can see the team starting to really work with the same data, tools and understanding.