SPE Archives

Your Oil Well Is a Patient. So Why Aren’t You Treating It Like One?

Operations, SPE

Looking at the water chemistry data through a first-principles lens, I could see what was actually happening inside these wells. Iron counts and manganese counts trending upward in a specific pattern, that signature tells you that acid has been pumped without a corrosion inhibitor. The chemistry does not lie. It leaves fingerprints. You just have to know how to read them.

Dr. Huzeifa Ismail

What Happens When You Let AI Answer Your Operational Questions Directly in Teams

Operations, SPE

We held one of our recent lunch and learn sessions on something that has been quietly gaining traction across data-forward organizations: Databricks Genie AI. What started as an internal knowledge-sharing session turned into one of the more honest conversations we have had about where AI fits into operational workflows, and where it still falls short.

Ravjot Kaur, Laura Naaykens, Rhonda Rudnitski, Timothy Chan, Parnian Radmand, Sania Hetavkar, Wajia Rahman, Huzeifa Ismail

Data-Driven Framework Provides Systematic Approach for Software Selection

Operations, SPE

This research developed a clear framework for assessing and selecting fit-for-purpose software. The study focuses on the role of a data-driven approach in the decision process, with application to operational software systems in the oil and gas industry. The software industry is growing rapidly, and companies are creating and deploying products to help accomplish everyday activities and strategic goals. There is a constant need to evaluate “buy vs. build” to support optimal operational performance. This is crucial for the oil and gas sector; the choice of the right software serves as a key decision point.

Ravjot Kaur, Laura Naaykens, Rhonda Rudnitski, Timothy Chan, Parnian Radmand, Sania Hetavkar, Wajia Rahman, Huzeifa Ismail

Innovation Advances Digital Culture Throughout Company

Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, Operations, SPE

A technology initiative is changing more than the digital landscape at Murphy Oil. Since its deployment in November 2018, Murphy Labs is changing the very culture of the corporation.

Eric Hambly, Sean Aslam, Huzeifa Ismail

Digitized Workflow Aids Water Management for Hydraulic Fracturing

Completions, Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, Operations, SPE

A comprehensive, digitized water-management application has been designed to streamline and enhance the monitoring and management of water resources used in hydraulic fracturing.

Adam McConnell, Molly Smith, Huzeifa Ismail

Data Science Offers Perspective on Downtime of Production Facilities Caused by Storms in the Gulf of Mexico

Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, Operations, SPE

Tropical storms severely affect oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, especially during the storm season from June to December. Offshore well managers often need to shut down operations and evacuate the facility because of storm alerts. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of storms on production by quantifying metrics such as downtime days and downtime percentage after the storm has passed and whether a facility’s platform type affected these metrics.

Olasimbo Ogunde, Huzeifa Ismail

Proposed Framework Normalizes Completions Tags

Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, Operations, SPE

Murphy Oil has created a work flow to normalize the tags it uses when collecting data on its hydraulic fracturing stages. The work flow described here empowers decision makers, who no longer wait for hours to collect data or waste hours cleaning and preparing data for analysis.

Molly Smith, Sarah Carr , Huzeifa Ismail

Digital Approach to Operations Management Empowers the Oil Field

Oil & Gas, Operations, Sanchez Oil, SPE

Digital is replacing manual at Sanchez Oil & Gas. Since its implementation in 2017, the company’s Production Maintenance Tracker application has been transforming its operations management by bringing together all the assets, departments, and routes into one hub.

Justin Bender, Khuzema Sunel, Leslie Malone

Framework for AI- and ML-Based Predictive Maintenance for Offshore Rotating Equipment

CanaryLabs, Data Historian, Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, SPE

This study examines the implementation of a predictive maintenance method using artificial intelligence and machine learning for offshore rotating production-critical equipment. Conducted over 2 years at Murphy Oil’s deepwater platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, the project aimed to detect equipment issues early, reduce downtime, and streamline maintenance processes.

Bilal Hussain, Andrea Vigueras, David Jones, Graeme Smith, Huzeifa Ismail

Data Historian and Trending Tool Transforms Company Operations

CanaryLabs, Data Historian, Murphy Oil Corporation, Oil & Gas, SPE

In 2018, Murphy Oil launched an initiative to open-source all internal live streaming data to its engineers. The process led it to implement a global data historian and a corresponding visualization tool. The insights provided are shaping the future of operations at the company.

Huzeifa Ismail, Francisco Ruiz, Thomas Nix