
Leveraging Technology in Shale Oil and Gas
Technology and innovation are what makes our shale operations first-in-class. We use recent advances in automation, digitalisation, and advanced analytics to enhance shale oil and gas well productivity. Our shale “Asset of the Future” is one that combines a suite of innovative technologies allowing us to reduce costs, improve safety, and enhance efficient operations. Automation technology allows us to use remote monitoring at sites and respond quickly to changing conditions, often without putting more people and vehicles on the road.
Innovating Safety – Shell Drone Program
In an area as vast as the Permian Basin in West Texas, reviewing and inspecting field operations can be time consuming and put drivers on the road for hours unnecessarily.
In September 2018, the FAA granted Shell’s partner Avitas Systems first approval to fly drones for civil use Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) with the assistance of radar in Loving County.
The shale industry has mostly focused on incremental improvements to reduce costs. In late 2016, Shell began exploring a vision for the shale field of the future with several suppliers and partners. This “Asset of the Future” would increase production while delivering significant decreases in costs and safety risks. The Asset of the Future would enable quicker decision making and more efficient asset operations. It would also offer environmental benefits in the form of greater energy efficiency and reduced operational footprint
Technology Integration
Shell integrates advanced analytics and automation to reduce the industrial and human intensity of shale development. In short, we identify ways to deliver a technological advancement by harnessing innovation and synergies across the field life cycle. This includes:
- Increasing automation in drilling and frac operations to keep people safer,
- Building fit-for-purpose facilities that can be scaled with production needs,
- Constructing “Smart” wells (wells that are wirelessly interconnected and capable of operating interactively and somewhat autonomously) with onsite wireless instruments for better monitoring,
- Implementing surveillance that is driven by “exception” to standard conditions for efficient operations,
- Monitoring production data analysis and sharing cross-portfolio learnings from central operating centers in Houston and Calgary, and
- Building a fluid “organisation of the future” enabled by a digitally connected and broadly skilled workforce.
This work also signals a shift toward more data analysis across our workforce, from headquarters to operations.
In December 2019, we introduced hydrocarbons to start up the first integrated production facility. The facility was installed 20% cheaper; 50% faster; 60% cleaner, and - above all - intrinsically safer - than traditional shale facilities.
Using technology and data in shales
Title: Using technology and data in shales
Duration: {2:34} minutes
Description:
Using technology and data in shales Transcript
(lively music)
00:02
- [Operator] At Shell, we're always looking
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to improve the way we do things.
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And here in Shells,
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we're using technology and data
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to make our operations better, safer and cleaner.
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Working alongside the central surveillance team,
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operators like me use digital information
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from our field equipment
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to prioritize maintenance work.
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Being able to plan our route each morning,
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to go where we're most needed,
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keeps our operations running,
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and reduces the amount of miles we drive on the road.
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It's better for the environment
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and our local communities,
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and reduces risks for me.
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We're also trialing the use of drones,
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to gain new perspectives out of our equipment
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for conducting inspections.
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Here at the well pack,
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I can use apps for real-time data input
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sending information directly to the cloud from right here.
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Along with the millions
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of other pieces of data we create,
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this information comes together
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in a central data store.
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By bringing our data together,
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we can apply advance analytics
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to see trends and opportunities we couldn't before.
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We're using these algorithms and statistics
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to provide insights
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that help us get the most out of our wells.
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And artificial intelligence
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to help us determine where and how to drill.
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We're also using technology
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such as multiphase pumps
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to reduce our footprint
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and to move gas and oil processing
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to a single site, using a single pipeline,
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in order to remove bottlenecks.
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These pipelines are safer than road transport,
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save time and money,
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and by taking trucks off the road,
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we reduce our road safety risks and emissions.
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This new technology does more
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than just help our business.
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It also helps us manage
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the environmental impact of our operations.
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Across all locations,
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we're innovating the way we power our operations.
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We've been replacing diesel-run equipment
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with equipment that runs on natural gas or electricity,
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reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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And we are using solar panels
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and gas produced in our own fields
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to help supply our energy needs.
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Trust me, this isn't a vision for the future.
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I can tell you, it's happening right now.
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We're building assets for tomorrow today.
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And it's great to be a part of this positive change.
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(lively music)
Our Journey
We are conducting both desktop and field trials to test our development concepts across our shale assets in the United States, Canada, and Argentina. When we identify winning solutions, we aim to integrate them into our assets and operations. For example, in the Permian Basin in November 2019, Shell completed construction of the first integrated, automated multi-well pad and production facility system. The suite of technology used underpins our vision for a potential “Asset of the Future.” It integrates surface and subsurface technologies, leveraging advances in automation, digitalisation, and advanced analytics to reduce the industrial intensity of shale development and implement more efficient ways of working.
More in Energy and Innovation
Shale Oil and Gas Locations
Shell is involved in several shale projects in North America. We are also active in the Neuquén Basin in Argentina.
Putting Safety First in Shale Oil and Gas
Safety drives our actions in our daily activities from exploration through production.