RAM software for the upstream oil and gas sector

Process Asset Integration and Management Ltd (ProAIM) is in the process of developing
innovative software to address the Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM)
aspects of the upstream oil & gas industry to increase recovery efficiencies and improve asset
utilisation. Upstream oil and gas production operations typically comprise production streams
of 3 primary fluids: oil, gas & water. Process plants have to achieve a high level of separation
to provide maximum resource usage, maximum value to the operating company and minimum
hydrocarbon emissions to the environment. The 3 fluids from the production wells have
varying flow rates over time, and this requires careful control of the flow from each well to
maximise production and recovery from the reservoir. Commercially available RAM
modelling tools only represent a single fluid stream with proportional control of flows from a
number of sources when there is a downstream processing capacity or constraining event
(equipment failure). These tools can significantly underestimate the production availability of
an upstream operation and often lead to inappropriate costly decisions being taken in respect
of over-sizing capacities, architecture design and/or excess sparing of equipment. The
proposed software will represent 3 fluid streams with full separation, permit the smart
turndown of individual production and allocate lost production to the individual item of
equipment causing a reduction in capacity. Automatic reports will also facilitate the
interpretation of results; RAM analysis traditionally requires careful interpretation