The Problem

Daily operations is driven primarily by production deferment. Unfortunately, this methodology encourages fire fighting, workarounds, and permanently poor data utilization.

Deferment in Operations Doesn't have to Be Shitty

Problem #1

Deferment false positives and true negatives persist in operations without timely feedback, leading to distrust and workarounds.

Solution: Connect the models & production target owners with the operators. Embedding a feedback loop into the daily deferment workflow builds system trust & accuracy.

Problem #2

Deferment labeling is generic & nonstandard; it prevents accurate insights from field summaries.

Solution: Stop labeling production volumes. Instead, label specific SCADA signals that aggregate into higher-level general categories. Rolling up the details is more accurate than pushing down the generalized.

Problem #3

While deferment labeling is important, it has created a massive database of poorly structured event descriptions with shallow utility.

Solution: Capture the action taken that brought the well back to the desired performance. Labeling actions allow you to prescribe the most effective step the operator can take for the related issue.

Problem #4:

Teams pass deferring wells back and forth with little prioritization, prolonging the time from issue to resolution.

Solution: Stop trying to firefight all work; prioritize the right work and strive for quality of wells actioned instead of quantity. Use prioritization logic, cycle time metrics, and precise assignment of work to counter fire fighting.

Workflow Reimagined

Tasq automatically detects well deferment and anomalies which allows operations to stay ahead of firefighting with a prioritized, role-specific list. Tasq captures operator feedback to improve work accuracy and reduces false positives & true negatives.

As an operator actions their prioritized Tasq list, they input the specific issue and action taken. Paired with production & pressure data, this enables the Tasq model to recommend the most effective action an operator can take when a similar issue occurs in the future. Tasq can also distribute prioritized work to the right individual through automated event labeling. Precise event labeling joined with user roles, schedules, and skillsets ensures that the right person is assigned to the work.

Deferment Challenges

I know from experience that more deferment labeling will lead to continued fire fighting and consistently low performance. Only by focusing on the process can we produce consistent, desirable results.

The table below answers the most commonly discussed deferment challenges in O&G operations. If you haven’t found yourself asking these questions, you may be early in the technology journey. However, there will come a day when you will undoubtedly ask these.

All too often, the source of O&G technology articles come from unfamiliar entrepreneurs or marketing teams that have only heard about the challenges. At Tasq, we have lived through the pain of technology applications continually failing O&G operations. We are here to turn the tide.

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