Oil well operators use edge computing for anomaly mitigation and setpoint optimization

September 11, 2018 | Case Study

More than 95% of oil wells in the U.S. need artificial lift, a process used to increase reservoir pressure and push oil to the surface. The rise of horizontal drilling and U.S. oil production has driven the demand for artificial lift in unconventional wells, which create operational challenges due to high gas and sand content. To maximize efficiency and production, operators need to fine-tune their artificial lift operations and mitigate various anomalies, such as gas lock, pump debris, and valve issues, in real time. To achieve this, employees physically download the sensor and SCADA data to computers, correct anomalous values, and analyze the data to identify anomalies, a process that can take months and cost thousands of dollars.