As oil and gas producers look to find efficiencies in their production operations, the first and best solution to discuss is adding automation to their well site operations. Traditionally, some may be hesitant to implement a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, due to the initial capital costs involved and complexity. However, when one is looking at reducing total operational costs and increasing recoverable reserves, the positives from investing in SCADA become clear, especially when one considers the increased affordability brought by modern technology.
When starting the discussion to decide on whether or not to invest in SCADA, you should consider these three things:
A SCADA System will allow for improved operations management by streamlining processes to utilize personnel more effectively. The immediate impact of this is to allow the operations team to manage more wells per individual through a reduction in downtime, site visits, and windshield time. A producer can grow their asset base efficiently without having to extend their personnel in the field.
When you take these three questions into consideration, the decision to invest in SCADA becomes much easier. Cutting-edge technology has made SCADA systems an increasingly lucrative investment for producers ready to find efficiencies and optimize production. With the integration of modern communication technologies, the risk of adoption is greatly reduced, making SCADA systems a very affordable option for all tiers of producers.