Cloud RTU Configuration for Remote Well Sites

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators at hydrocarbon well sites face challenges in configuring, commissioning, and maintaining remote terminal units (RTUs) due to remote locations and lack of technical support, leading to inefficiencies in hydrocarbon extraction and production optimization.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-computing system that communicatively couples with RTUs to provide configuration data, analyze data from multiple wells, and send commands to adjust operations in real-time, leveraging cloud-based services for data storage, analysis, and operational support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If operators manually configure and maintain RTUs at remote well sites, then technical support can be provided, but the time and resources required increase significantly due to remote locations

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveRTU configuration and maintenance qualityVSAvoidTime for technical support deployment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables RTUs to automatically self-configure by receiving configuration data from the cloud-computing system based on their asset type and operational parameters, eliminating the need for manual technical intervention at remote well sites

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A cloud-computing system acts as an intermediary between central management and remote RTUs, providing automated configuration, monitoring, and control capabilities without requiring physical presence at remote locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If cloud-based automated configuration is implemented, then technical support efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveRTU configuration efficiencyVSAvoidCloud-based system architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud-computing system provides multiple functions including configuration management, data analysis, command transmission, and monitoring through a single unified platform, reducing the need for separate specialized systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If real-time data analysis from multiple wells is performed, then production optimization improves, but data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveHydrocarbon production efficiencyVSAvoidComputing power for data analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the most relevant operational parameters and performance metrics from well data for analysis, rather than processing all available data, reducing computational requirements while maintaining optimization effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20210406786A1Systems and methods for cloud-based asset management and analysis regarding well devices

Publication Date: 2021.12.30 SENSIA NETHERLANDS BV

AI summary

A method for a cloud-computing system to communicatively couple with a remote terminal unit (RTU) that monitors and/or controls one or more operations a well device associated with a hydrocarbon well may include receiving, via at least one processor, a request from an asset attempting to communicatively couple with the cloud-computing system. The method may then include determining whether the asset is known and receiving one or more attributes regarding the asset when the asset is not known. After receiving the attributes, the method may include determining whether a profile that corresponds to the one or more attributes exists and sending configuration data to the asset based on the profile when the profile exists.