time for change in south & east Kuwait - KwIDF

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. HESHAM AL-NOURI, MANAGERCORPORATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GROUPProviding The BackboneFor KwIDFA long time interestHesham Al-Nouri, KOC’s Manager of Corporate Information Technology hasbeen interested for a long time in using information technology to improve theperformance of oil fields. “I remember working with Cambridge Energy ResearchAssociates some years ago on the Digital Oil Field of the Future and beingimpressed by the ways that major companies were investing in the technology. Ialways believed that KOC should create the infrastructure in place to enable us toimplement smart approaches and best practice. We have worked hard with ourcolleagues in R&T to spearhead the development of technology to push KwIDFforward. We have begun to introduce Smart Field technology into KOC andstarted the challenging journey to changing the way we work.Providing the backbone for KwIDFCIT provides the backbone for KwIDF bydelivering real-time data from the wells withoutany delays and integrating it with data from otherapplications for field monitoring, productionand reservoir computing. The use of softwaredata modeling and visualization creates a richinformation environment that is easily accessibleto users in the Collaboration Center. Data andcommunication links enable further collaborationwith the Decision Center in the Gathering Centerto allow effective actions to be agreed rapidly; italso provides remote control of the chokes on thewells to regulate production more effectively. Thesmooth flow of reliable and timely informationprovides the data backbone, holding the projecttogether.As well as having the largest fiber-optic networkin the Middle East, CIT is also looking forinnovative ways of connecting the last few milesto the well. “We currently use microwave access[WiMAX technology] to collect this data, butwill continue to look for advances such as 4G tofurther improve data collection in the field”.The challenge for CITCIT has already expanded the Data Center toaccommodate the volume of data that will begenerated from the three KwIDF pilots. As KwIDFgains momentum, one of thebiggest challenges for the CITgroup is to keep pace withthe capacity and processingrequired for holding andtransmitting the data. In thenext few months, the KwIDFproject centered on GatheringCenter 1 [GC1] in theGreater Burgan field will begenerating, storing, managing and transmittingdata from up to 53 wells connected to that center.“This will be a significant amount of data in itself,but we are already looking beyond the pilots.Imagine the capacity needed when we add theother 13 Gathering Centers in the Burgan Field,and then the other production fields to integratefully all of KWIDF capabilities. We will need tocontinue working closely with R&T and our othercolleagues to be able to plan for and managethis.”KwIDF is an amazing challengeCorporate IT is a strong supporter of the KwIDFinitiatives and committed to the project’s success.Hesham Al-Nouri said, “We want KwIDF to besuccessful. This is a dream for us working withnew technologies and new approaches suchas the Collaboration Center. Most of our teamleaders have already been involved and arecommitted fully. We have dedicated some of ourbest IT people; resources fluctuate with the needsof three KwIDF projects but, at any one time,there can be up to 9 of our people working onthem”.“The approaches being tested in the threeKwIDF projects have the potential to make KOCa world leader in using Smart Field technology.The technology and solutions will be in placeto provide a sophisticated decision-makingenvironment on which to base collaboration;the major challenge is for our people to use thisinformation creatively, communicate effectively,work in new ways and share best practices asthey are developed”.“We need to blend the experience of ourolder and most experienced employees withthe enthusiasm of young people joining theorganisation. Technology can help here also. Forexample, social networking solutions within theKOC environment can be used to support thisknowledge exchange.”It will be an exciting challenge for all of us to keepup with the pace of change that technology canenable but I’m very optimistic. The sky’s the limit!PAGE 4