Conceptualization of smart solutions in oil and gas industry

Abstract

Technological solutions called “smart wells” and “smart fields” have been applied in petroleum industry for nearly two decades. They aim to improve the knowledge of petroleum production processes, and thereby improve the efficiency of operations. Researchers and companies in pursuit of their goals tend to use one-sided implications and numerous synonyms when describing the substance of the term, which leads to an occasional confusion. In order to study the concept of smart field from a general perspective, a literature review has been conducted, and main characteristic attributes of such solutions have been revealed. Selected marketed products offered by engineering companies have been analyzed as examples of the technology implementations. A definition has been proposed along with its practical implications for the companies management. Additionally, an attempt has been made to place these solutions in a broad scientific context of intelligence and sustainability in contemporary business processes.