Method and apparatus for configuring oil and/or gas producing system

A computer-implemented method of identifying a plurality of operating points for an hydrocarbon producing system, the hydrocarbon producing system comprising a plurality of components including a well, a flow line and riser unit and a separator unit, said well, flow line and riser unit being configured to output fluid to said separator unit on the basis of a plurality of independent variables and the separator unit being configured to separate liquid and gas from the fluid output thereto, wherein operation of the hydrocarbon producing system is simulated by a producing system model, the producing system model being configured to generate values for a plurality of dependent variables corresponding to pressure and/or flow rates achieved by respective units of the hydrocarbon producing system under control of said independent variables, the method comprising:

• tuning the producing system model, including:
• setting values for independent variables,
• executing the producing system model to obtain a plurality of model outputs, and
• comparing the model outputs to a plurality of historical outcomes until the model outputs match or suitably approximate the historical outcomes;
• generating one or more sets of values of said independent variables corresponding to one or more operating points, respectively, from the tuned model, the operating points representing, proposed operation of the hydrocarbon producing system and comprising a set of operating parameters for the components of the hydrocarbon producing system;
• performing a process in respect of said generated one or more sets of values of independent variables to optimize the tuned model, the process comprising:
• operating the producing system model in accordance with each set of values of independent variables so as to generate a corresponding set of values of said dependent variables;
• for each set of values of dependent variables, evaluating the values of at least one of said dependent variables in accordance with a predetermined evaluation criterion, a value of the evaluation criterion being included in the set of dependent variables;
• storing the evaluated set of values of dependent variables in association with the corresponding set of values of independent variables;
• and,
• if a predetermined criterion has not been reached, using the evaluated set of values of dependent variables to generate one or more further sets, of values of said independent variables;
• repeating the process for successively generated further sets of values of independent variables until the predetermined criterion has been reached;
• forming an operability map operability map including a plurality of potential operating points by mapping stored sets of independent variables and at least one dependent variable against corresponding sets of dependent independent variables;
• and
• selecting one or more potential operating points from the operability map, selecting a preferred path to manoeuvre between operating points, or both selecting one or more potential operating points from the operability, map and selecting the preferred path to manoeuvre between operating points for the operation of the hydrocarbon producing system.

A hydrocarbon producing configuration system for use in identifying operating points for an hydrocarbon producing system, the hydrocarbon producing system comprising a plurality of components including a well, a flow line and riser unit and a separator unit, said well, flow line and riser unit being configured to output fluid to said separator unit on the basis of a plurality of independent variables and the separator unit being configured to separate liquid and gas from the fluid, output thereto, wherein operation of the hydrocarbon producing system is simulated by a producing system model, the producing system model being configured to generate values for a plurality of dependent variables corresponding to pressure and/or flow rates achieved by respective units of the hydrocarbon producing system under control of said independent variables, the configuration system comprising:

• a data generator configured to generate one or more sets of values of said independent variables corresponding to one or more operating points, respectively;
• a processing system configured to perform a process in respect of said generated one or more sets of values of said independent variables, the process comprising:
• tuning the producing system model, including:
• setting values for independent variables,
• executing the producing system model to obtain a plurality of model outputs, and
• comparing the model outputs to a plurality of historical outcomes until the model outputs match or suitably approximate the historical outcomes;
• optimizing the tuned model, including:
• operating the tuned producing system model in accordance with each, set of values of independent variables so as to generate a corresponding set of values of said dependent variables, the independent variables corresponding to one or more operating points representing proposed operation of the hydrocarbon producing system and comprising a set of operating parameters for the components of the hydrocarbon producing system;
• for each set of values of dependent variables, evaluating the values of at least one of said dependent variable in accordance with a predetermined evaluation criterion a value of the evaluation criterion being included in the set of dependent variables;
• storing the evaluated set of values of dependent variables in association with the corresponding set of values of independent variables in a data storage system;
• and,
• if a predetermined criterion has not been reached, using the evaluated set of values of dependent variables to generate one or more further sets of values of said independent variables wherein the processing system is configured to repeat the process for successively generated further sets of values of said independent variables until the predetermined criterion has been reached;
• the configuration system further including an output engine for forming an operability map using presenting a plurality of operating points by mapping stored sets of independent variables and at least one dependent variable against corresponding sets of dependent independent variables.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• tuning a producing system model of a hydrocarbon producing system, including:
• setting values for a set of independent variables,
• executing the producing system model to obtain a plurality of model outputs, and
• comparing the model outputs to a plurality of, historical outcomes until the model outputs match or suitably approximate the historical outcomes;
• iteratively deriving and evaluating from the tuned model of the producing system a set of values for the set of independent variables of the producing system model;
• and
• forming an operability map including a plurality of potential operating points, each potential operating point representing a respective set of independent variables the operating points representing proposed operation of the hydrocarbon producing system and comprising a set of operating parameters for the components of the hydrocarbon producing system.