State-of-the-Art Summary

• Tried TOW (Landmark oracle production accounting data base, now owned by Halliburton)—did not like the slow response to company requests
• Looking at switching to SAP accounting system

Company 4 (Large publically-owned independent)—Uses Laptops to enter data into a company network.

• Pumpers use laptops to enter their daily production data into TOW
• Pumpers capture data by hand then enter the data into the laptop workstations toward the end of the day.
• Pumpers not happy with system. To change or upgrade the system each laptop has to be retrieved and worked on. Causes delays. Office personnel verified that they were not happy with the TOW support, that it took too long for them to honor requests.
• Company is trying a pilot with hand-helds in the Hugoton Field.

Company 5 (Small-medium size, privately-owned independent)—Uses laptops with software package.

• Uses WINTANK 2.01 software on laptops
• Pumpers mail a computer printout into the office on a weekly basis, unless it is an important new development well or lease and then the pumper calls in the data daily. (If they have a laptop, why not transfer the data electronically daily. Using a modem is cheaper than faxing or mailing.)
• Some pumpers still using hand-prepared reports
• Concerned about fixed costs of one hand-held system. (Need to really look at the costs they are already incurring with the paper system plus the time)

Company 6 (Medium size, publically-owned operating company, 900 wells)—Faxing production data.

• Previously used Field View on a laptop computer system. Only had one computer for 8 pumpers so waiting time became a problem.

• Now they are entering their data by hand-prepared sheets that are faxed to a field production clerk who has to re-enter all the data into a Lowis system for their production accounting. (This is extremely time consuming for the field Production Clerk, as well as the pumper's time. Faxing is slower)
• Also their field supervisors still require a separate excel spreadsheet for their use that the production clerk has to prepare.
• They are considering a pilot with hand-helds.

Company 7 (Small privately-owned independent)—Uses hand-held computers and laptops for data collecting.

• Use Field Direct by pumpers for daily production, well tests, downtime, fluids
• Use 4 palm pilot units and 8 laptops
• Office says it cuts the pumpers time by 50%
• Their working interest owners and CEO use Field Direct to monitor daily operators on a "read only" basis.

Company 8 (Small privately-owned independent)—Uses both hand-held and laptops (pumper preference).

• Use Merrick's latest version (eVin)
• Totally pleased—like the 30 day graphs and 7 day averages
• Much faster to enter than Field View
• Does interface with Excalibur and Aries software
• Negative figures can be displayed in red to alert you to a problem

Company 9 (Very large, publically-owned independent)—Uses a combination of methods due to mergers.

Majority of fields are automated. Data is retrieved thru SCADA systems. SCADA systems bring in LACT reading but not test data. Some sites are pencil and paper;

hand-helds and laptops are not used for data collection and entry. There is the capability to enter data  into the SCADA systems from vehicles. Laptops are used some for data monitoring only. Originally some palm pilots were used to enter data into various meters but they had problems with the data entry. These were a low $ unit, the batteries would die, and they were poorly designed, not allowing for fat fingers. Actually the test of the palm units was doomed in the beginning because the instruments were cheap in quality. This company has just finished a major study on what methods they will be trying in the future.

Moving Beyond Data Capture to Control
Digital data collection by pumpers still requires that they visit the well site, typically every day. With costs for basic automation systems dropping every day, a degree of automation or control becomes more viable. Early morning lists of "normally operating" and "exception" wells/leases allow pumpers/field staff to focus their efforts where it will have the most impact. All wells/leases still need visits, but those operating normally don't need visiting every day. As with the overall subject of field data capture, owner/management philosophy exerts a strong influence on the extent that operators employ automation. The financial accounting perspective may also see benefits from the additional data gathered with automation.

Future Game Plan
As noted, technologies are changing rapidly and many companies are now in the middle of pilot tests of new (for them) systems. I will continue following up with companies I have contacted and welcome comments or insights (phone 432-552-3432, E-mail (pttc
permianbasin@marshill.com) from additional companies. My intent is to become an objective resource of "what's happening" in this field. PTTC plans future workshops, so watch the calendar (www.pttc.org/events.htm) this fall for something scheduled in your area.

For further information, contact Lance Cole at lcole@pttc.org.