Managing the science of production
An operation that processes hundreds of thousands of barrels
a day into commercial products does not stop on a dime.
Delays are costly on a scale few can imagine. That is why data,
generated from samples far and wide – at wellheads, within
pipelines and during processes, is so important that it truly
functions as operational lifeblood. The flow of data related
to product quality, environmental compliance, worker safety
and equipment is constant, rapid and invaluable. The appetite
for data to make decisions is voracious, and an operation
like Pearl GTL would likely grind to a halt were it not for
sophisticated systems to collect, manage and report on what
is happening in real-time across the enterprise.
Managing the data pipeline with software
If data is the lifeblood of a massive GTL facility such as Pearl, a
laboratory information management system (LIMS) is its heart.
At a simplistic level, massive amounts of unrefined product are
piped into Pearl GTL, processed and then piped back out for
distribution. Only a highly sophisticated software solution is
capable of managing the data generated.
While the data pipeline includes actual data from
pipelines, generated by inline process analysers for example,
it also includes samples taken from wellheads, equipment
calibration readings and environmental analyses, among
other sources. And data arrive at the lab from these sources
unrelentingly, not to mention actual samples that require more
complex sample techniques that trained lab personnel must
perform.
Many standards and guidelines established to ensure
the consistency and quality of results guide labs like those
connected to Pearl GTL. Standards such as ISO 17025, an
international benchmark for running a testing laboratory,
codify important criteria for lab suppliers, training, record-
keeping, equipment calibration and much more. While
many know ISO 17025 for its onerous requirements and
potentially time-consuming audits, the guidelines are much
more, establishing a discipline and rigour to ensure that
data collection, synthesis and reporting is more than just a
compliance exercise – it is a way to keep a business running
efficient and profitably.
Built for complexity: SampleManager LIMS
Pearl GTL is a highly integrated project that spans harvesting
from an offshore gas fields to delivery of finished commercial
products. Not only did Shell require a solution designed for
the rigors of gas extraction and production, it also needed a
solution that integrated with other enterprise management
systems including sophisticated batch tracking solutions and
ERP systems. If these systems cannot communicate seamlessly
– sharing data and consolidating reporting – decision-making
is delayed, information is suspect and production efficiency,
quality and throughput is jeopardised.
Thermo Scientific SampleManager LIMS is designed for
state-of-the-art testing laboratories, from offshore sampling
in remote locations and onshore facilities to the pipelines
that connect them and, ultimately, bring product to market.
From accelerated sample turnaround times to centralised
access to data and operational efficiencies, the proven
benefits of SampleManager LIMS are well-known, but for
operations the scale of Pearl GTL, the system is much more: it
is a system of record for quality, compliance and engineering
excellence.
Figure 2.
Lab photos.
Figure 2.
GTL LES Column at Pearl GTL in Qatar.
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World Pipelines
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JULY 2015
