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Digital Oilfields special: Soft Skills

Software bridges the digital elements of DOF implementation

Software bridges the digital and the human elements of DOF implementation, says Abid Abou-Alshamat from Kongsberg Group

The potential for DOF implementation to increase the effective management of reservoir resources is widely understood. With ever more data flowing from well sites, getting software which allows the right data to reach decision makers in the right way is not easy.

Software platforms must also encourage the human side of DOF, to ensure an organisation is prepared for the imminent Great Crew Change.

Abid Abou-Alshamat from Kongsberg Groups’s Oil & Gas Technologies division, give his company’s view on how software fits in to the developing DOF landscape.

At IDOC we will hear a lot about the need for organizational change. How does Kongsberg equip operators to meet this human challenge?
We develop our technologies not only to meet future challenges to enhance operations, but also to enhance collaboration and knowledge-sharing between divisions in an organization, and to ensure critical information is delivered in a human-friendly format.

We encompass our clients’ feedback into product development, and support our customers with consulting services that train and guide them from development and implementation to operational analysis and best practice.

We are also in dialogue with local universities and other academic institutes, to ensure the need for future change management is minimized.

Can you give a recent example of where Kongsberg helped a DOF implementation project in the region?
Kongsberg have delivered online applications for pipeline management, dynamic reconciliation & decision systems, and drilling management solutions to operators in the region. The West Delta project for eight gas fields offshore Egypt will be presented as at IDOC.

Delegates will see how we use an advanced dynamic model to assist operators with long distance pipelines, decreasing reservoir pressure, leak detection and virtual metering.

What do you think are the most common misconception you find about DOF implementation?
I think the level of customization is underestimated. We are very much aware that you can’t take a solution that has worked in the North Sea or the Gulf of Mexico and plug it in here. Systems and methods should to be customised.

What has changed in DOF over the last few years?
DOF practices are now thought of at an earlier stage of field development. It becomes an integral part of field developments processes. Also a great deal of effort is now paid to providing knowledge-sharing platforms such as IDOC 2012.

What interests you about IDOC 2012, and what do you hope to get out it?
The conference can inspire you to think about future developments strategies. The attendees’ technical calibre is high, and the focus is impressive.

This year I am looking forward to seeing how knowledge exchanges between outside voices inform the region about DOF solutions. I am particularly interested to hear from regional operators such as PDO and ADMA on how their DOF adoption is progressing.

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