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Smart Fields
Better understanding of the pressure, temperature and flow of oil and gas helps to improve recovery and raise production by responding quickly to any problems. We use advanced technology to obtain detailed data on oil and gas fields.
Extracting oil and gas efficiently and maximising production of fields is vital. Using our Smart Fields® technology to learn more about a reservoir can help increase the total amount of oil recovered from a field by 10% and gas by 5%. It can also boost the rate of production.
Learning more
Smart Fields - Brunei Champion West, 2008
In our Smart Fields®, sensors with fibre-optic cables relay digital information on temperature, pressure and other field conditions to control centres. Engineers can continuously monitor production and make quick decisions on how to best extract oil and spot any problems, such as blockages. They can for example, activate underground valves electronically to resolve a problem or increase production by better managing the oil flow.
The first field to have Smart Fields® technology from the start was Champion West, 90km (56 miles) off the coast of Brunei in the South China Sea. Its oil reserves are 2,000-4,000 metres (around 6,500-13,000 feet) beneath the seabed in scattered reservoirs. For 30 years companies considered them too expensive to develop. Smart Fields® technology and new drilling techniques have made it into one of the most advanced oil and gas fields.
Snake wells
A snake well criss-crosses a reservoir. Combined with Smart Fields® technology, a snake well can access multiple pockets of oil to produce the equivalent to several individual wells. It reduces the chance of oil being left behind and it lowers cost.
