Exploration & Production

Improving the process of exploring new resources and exploiting existing ones will depend upon the effective use of available technology. Modern exploration and production processes include 3D and 4D seismic processing, reservoir monitoring and modeling, and sophisticated plant and platform design and modeling capabilities. Each of these technologies can generate massive volumes of data, which typically need to be shared across the enterprise or with outside partners or consultants.

SAIC has a developed a deep understanding of all these requirements and technologies. Our capabilities focus on being able to design, build, implement and operate these solutions. Many of our customers have identified these areas as business critical or as an area they want to advance in technically. SAIC helps support these exploration and production activities by offering a full range of capabilities and services SAIC's expertise in capturing, modeling and presenting data and integrating systems and services. The following are just a few examples of these capabilities and services:

Exploration & Production Solutions

Drilling Technologies
SAIC has helped to develop new drilling technologies using robotic pipe handling and dual-wall reverse air circulation to drill boreholes with air and minimize formation damage. For empty boreholes (containing no drilling fluids), we developed borehole geophysical logging programs. For drilling optimization, SAIC is researching whether a neural network/artificial neural system can be trained to predict rate of penetration with sufficient accuracy to be trusted as a good model of drilling practice.

High-Performance Simulation
The state-of-the-art in 3D reservoir simulation today primarily relies on streamlined models, parallel codes, and higher order methods for accuracy and speed. These methods use basic meshing strategies for simulations. SAIC originated rapid methods for automatic generation and intelligent placement of high fidelity, adaptive, unstructured meshes. These mature technologies may be applied to the next generation of reservoir simulators for accurately and rapidly predicting fluid movement and reservoir performance.

Image Processing and Simulation
A broad range of SAIC-developed technologies for image and data compression can be used for the analysis and visualization of geophysical datasets such as 3D and 4D seismic data. Our data compression technologies allow data to be decompressed at increasing levels of fidelity, based on the needs of the user.

SAIC-developed systems for automatic detection, recognition, and analysis of features within images and multidimensional datasets are currently used in many user environments and can operate on business standard computer platforms.

Petrotechnical Data Management
The databases and applications used to store and analyze geophysical, geological and petrophysical measurements and derived/interpreted results require a high level of domain knowledge and industry experience in order to be used effectively. Drilling, reservoir and production engineers face similar challenges in using their computer-based analysis tools.

SAIC provides advice, consultancy, project management, and business-focused IT solutions for a range of technical data management issues faced daily by oil and gas companies seeking to maximize the use of their assets. Working closely with our clients, we deliver a carefully crafted blend of standards, best practices, and tools utilizing the best data management technologies available across the industry. This is integrated within an architectural framework and can be scaled from a local to global level. SAIC is vendor neutral and is able to exploit its neutrality in advising and recommending enabling technologies from a wide variety of vendors.

Our petrotechnical data management consultancy services include:

• A world-class experienced petrotechnical data management team
• Industry-certified project management professionals
• Domain expertise in borehole, seismic, production, and spatial data types
• Project and master data loading and maintenance
• Architectural framework design
• Technology migration and implementation
• Process and standards development and deployment
• Quality metrics assessment/monitoring
• Data storage and connectivity solutions
• Web-based data access, browsing, and connectivity
• Spatial data management
• Data migration and consolidation
• Petrotechnical application support

Production Reporting and Hydrocarbon Accounting
SAIC's consultants have domain and legislative experience in the field of hydrocarbon management that is second to none. We implement industry recognized production reporting solutions and integrated information systems that calculate, monitor and report hydrocarbon allocation with speed and precision. Our highly skilled development and implementation teams are located at many of the leading oil and gas companies. These teams have created flexible, efficient, seamlessly integrated, and auditable - but secure - environments that reliably report production allocation. Our competencies and expertise in this area include:

• Production reporting - plant information (PI) systems
• Allocations
• SAIC has implemented many of the industry standard allocation and integrated production management systems that are designed to support global exploration and production operations. This enables companies to manage field operations, optimize and account for production, generate regulatory reports and analyze production, revenue and cost data.
• Financial reporting - SAIC specializes in the integration of all three financial systems (production, revenue and accounting) from the offshore data historian, to onshore allocations, to regulatory and financial reporting.

The benefits realized from SAIC's expertises in these areas are:

• Consistent processes and tools for quick access to current production allocation records for any asset
• Timely and accurate production data and production allocation information for better operations decisions
• Internal control and fewer errors by reducing manual entries and maximizing total allocated volume to its rightful owner
• Consistent roles and responsibilities allowing the right people with the right skills to perform the right job at the right time
• Quick, accurate and confident response to Minerals Management Service (MMS), Sarbanes Oxley (SOX), and partner audits

Plant Planning and Optimization
SAIC provides:

• Economic evaluation
• Definition engineering
• Project costing, scheduling and risk assessment
• Contract strategy and bid package development
• Conceptual and detailed design, procurement and construction management
• Technical, market and economic studies
• Failure investigations
• Expert witness evidence to public inquiries, field surveys, and site investigations

SAIC also has experience in feasibility studies, detailed design and field installation, joint industry research projects, and providing expert advice on litigation.

SAIC develops and markets user-friendly software for marine pipeline engineering. This software has been selected by industry leaders in exploration and production and many other operators for application by their in-house engineering groups.

SAIC can work with petroleum engineers to optimize field development and ongoing operations. We also provide process engineering services that serve as the link between field engineering and facilities design, specification and the costing of the facilities required to meet specific reservoir development scenarios.