Processing, April 2018

APRIL 2018 www processingmagazine com 25 Advanced analysis After reviewing various advanced analytics software packages Pioneer selected Seeqs visual advanced analytics application with key components such as a graph database time series optimization and a clean browser based interface along with advanced analytics and information sharing capabilities is advanced analytics software enables Pioneer to optimize the data stream It can define simple computations to be performed at the edge to determine what data needs to be streamed to Pioneer headquarters for analysis and what data can be archived locally at the sites The software is currently used to analyze and understand historical data and to generate and de ne new rules for operating parameters see Figure 3 Applications are endless In a continuous improvement cycle all data has potential value if it can be unlocked and leveraged This software provides an environment for experimentation and learning and its instant visual feedback is an appropriate way for engineers to analyze complex data in a reasonable amount of time For example key components of Pioneers technologies are advanced refrigeration system designs that can be sensitive to changing operational conditions e advanced analytics software has allowed Pioneer to isolate these effects identify their causes and develop simple operational rules to extend the life of its capital investment One of Pioneers core o erings is operating systems remotely If the software helps identify a problem with equipment in the eld corrective action can be taken quickly For instance Pioneer uses air cooled cascade refrigeration systems During hot days discharge temperatures and pressures can rise to elevated levels leading to hardware failure Detecting this with advanced metrics and predictive analytics allows operators to intervene and turn down the system throughput until the condition has cleared All data from the well site is streamed to a centralized secure data center where a Seeq server resides and accesses all eld data From there the software interface is made available via a web proxy server Pioneer Energy technicians and engineers can access the data anywhere there is a network connection including at the well site with a cellular hot spot see Figure 4 Installation startup After two on site training sessions in addition to remote installation and code development help sessions Seeqs application engineers identified an unusual issue causing an installation failure Pioneer had made Seeq accessible through a web proxy server which involves multiple port forwarding and security rules Due to the many operations tools running on the server there was a port con ict A quick live session with Seeq identi ed the issue Other than this issue installation and startup proceeded as planned Results The single biggest outcome of the installation is improved operational intelligence Seeqs visualization and analysis tools shed light on otherwise complex processes e only challenge now is deciding which mystery to tackle next At this point Pioneer is looking to increase Seeqs uptake and adoption throughout the organization as a fundamental design and operations tool Conclusion As remote data collection and storage technologies advance ever more data is available for analysis but this can be a complex task using traditional general purpose software such as spreadsheets A better solution is to use advanced analytics software speci cally created to analyze process data as shown in this case study Andy Young is the director of operations at Pioneer Energy He oversees all aspects of operating mobile gas processing solutions including the controls software and network layers necessary to provide access to remote machine data His team conducts 24 7 operations of Pioneer Energy assets from its headquarters in Lakewood Colorado He holds a bachelor of science in chemical and life science engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University Pioneer Energy www pioneerenergy com Seeq Corporation www seeq com