Engineer-Centered Process Creates Digital Twin of Completions Operations

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 35540, “20/20 Vision of Your Operations: Creating an Operational Twin of Completions Operations,” by Travis Thomas, SPE, Yunxho Zhou, and Robert Fairley, NOV, et al. The paper has not been peer-reviewed. Copyright 2025 Offshore Technology Conference. _ The industry has seen an increase in the need for digitally connected completions operations, pushing for companies to sensor, aggregate, and stream data to remote operation centers (ROC). While using sensors to monitor critical parameters is vital to operations, the most important element generally is excluded from the ROC—contextual perspective only provided by personnel. This paper proposes an approach that creates a digital twin by aggregating the three elements into one digital context. The method outlined leverages a tridirectional sync from the operational controls, remote platform, and phone application that allows users to include operational states and human-sensored elements used to align prejob modeling and actual operations once the job is started. Operational Twin The leverage of an ROC with subject-matter expert (SME) oversight can only be realized when all systems are organized on a single timestamp. The method outlined in the complete paper creates an operational twin by using a tridirectional sync from the operational controls, a remote platform, and a phone application. By allowing users to digitize previously handwritten and disconnected parameters, prejob modeling assumptions can now be recalibrated with actual operations once the job is started and a single source of truth and simplified access to the data can be provided for all users (Fig. 1). Building Blocks of an Operational Twin Data Collection: Sensors, Manual Channels, and Human Context. Direct Measurement Sensors. Most modern oilfield equipment comes standard with sensors focused on the primary service performed by each individual piece of equipment and not comprehensive operation. Still, key parameters to understanding the operational context only are available to the equipment operator. Providing a complete connected sensor package increases the visibility and clarity of the operation while reducing analysis and decision time and increasing detection of deviations from standard operating procedures and prejob modeling. Manual Channels. Manual channels are nonsensored data points that can be updated throughout the platform for the use of tracking operational changes throughout a job. These also could include operational traits such as wellbore and conveyance tubing measurements for the use of oilfield calculations. Many oilfield operations use equations to calculate operational success metrics within their siloed part of an overall completions scope. Many of these equations have been simplified over the years to allow on-site personnel the ability to have a general idea of how the operation is proceeding. A person updates these manual channels within an acquisition software or through a mobile application in sync with the software. Human Sensors. Human senses are the best sensors to track very difficult-to-qualify but tangible elements, such as return rate. These are, in turn, used to derive complex equations, such as annular velocity and fluid-carrying capacity, that are critical to successful completions operations. Additionally, incorporating human context with engineering and sensored data provides an extension of the operation to be viewed remotely, as opposed to an aggregation of sensors that rely on data analytics and engineering deduction.