Remote well monitoring

needs an upgrade.
Here’s why.
Remote oil and gas wells are notoriously difficult to
monitor. But new technology may make them some
of the most advanced sites out there.
Introduction.
An oil or gas well leak or blowout is a disaster. NUMBER OF ACTIVE OIL WELLS

For people’s safety, environmental impact and the

commercial impact both locally and globally. Which is

why well monitoring is a vital part of every oil & gas

operation. Especially when you consider that 33% of

wells will encounter an integrity issue at some point in 114k

224k

their life.
19k

Wells in some parts of the world can make use of wired 747k

15k
95k
systems that make monitoring easy. But remote monitoring? 9k

That’s a completely different level of complexity.

25k

This ebook looks at some of the largest problems facing 13k

remote well monitoring today. And explains how new digital

13k

technology is changing the way we monitor, forever.

33% of 1.3 million wells will encounter an

integrity issue at some point in their life.

2
Well monitoring requires a lot
of in-person visits.
For onshore sites that are close to populated areas, monitoring generally isn’t a Sending teams of engineers out on these trips is dangerous. For a number of reasons. From

problem. The wells can often be measured through a connected wired system. Or they bad weather, to lack of police oversight, to simply the remote nature of the locations, there’s

can be measured manually by having engineers drive out and test wells. a lot that can go wrong.

But remote onshore wells or unconnected offshore wells are a different story. There’s no For offshore platforms, one danger is just getting people onto the platform in the first place.

simple way to monitor parameters like pressure from afar. So companies must send out Many platforms are old. And old offshore platforms often have “boat landing issues”. Which

teams of engineers to manually check pressures every few days or weeks. means there is no safe place to step onto the platform from a boat. Instead, temporary

scaffolding has to be built for every visit, or things like an Ampelmann

bridge1 are used. And that gets expensive. Fast.

Remote onshore wells also have unique and dangerous challenges. Especially in areas of

the world where there can be tens of kilometres of open space between sites, where an
There’s no simple way to monitor
engineer must drive between each well. There’s often no communications network in these
parameters like pressure from afar. situations, and little access to local infrastructure or GSM technology. Which leaves the
So companies must send out teams of engineers vulnerable. To the weather. To broken vehicles. And to dangerous gangs that see
engineers to manually check pressures oil companies as profitable targets.
every few days or weeks.

1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1DHYJwXwuQ

3
The costs add up quickly.

Remote well monitoring isn’t just dangerous. It’s also expensive. Partially

because of the dangers involved. But also simply because of the nature of

the work.

Remote monitoring occurs in some of the least-connected areas of the world.

Which means companies either have to build communications systems entirely

from scratch. Use decades-old systems. Or hire specialised engineers who

know how to work efficiently in dangerous territory. You have to provide

the teams with specialised safety gear. Find ways to get them to the well in

the first place. And plan every movement carefully to keep engineers safe.

Sometimes those plans involve shutting down production for a few days.

Often, engineers won’t be on a platform or at a well for more than a day. But

the entire trip, including all preparation, travel, and stay on other platforms,

takes a week. And that week is expensive, with each trip costing anywhere

from $10,000-$40,000. And it’s a trip that needs to be done regularly, just

$10-$40k
to keep the wells safe and meet regulations. Trips to onshore wells are more

affordable, but often still cost hundreds of dollars.

for preparation, transportation,

and insurance

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 The weather doesn’t always play nice.
Sending teams of engineers to remote unmanned platforms is one problem. But another is the fact that

adverse weather conditions may prohibit those engineers from visiting the site altogether for an extended

period of time. There are some areas of the world where regular monitoring becomes impossible during

certain times of the year. The monsoon season is a great example: from June to October, wet, violent

rainstorms batter much of Southeast Asia. These storms are deadly—Al Jazeera claims that monsoons took

the lives of over 1600 people2 in India alone in 2019. And when the rain rolls in, it may be months before it’s

safe enough to visit a platform and measure pressure.

Hurricanes are another weather event that prevent engineers from properly managing wells. When a

hurricane is on its way to the Gulf of Mexico3, for example, oil companies must entirely evacuate platforms of

people. The only people who remain on a platform are skeleton crews that are essential to production. And if

the hurricane is imminent and the platform is on its path, those skeleton crews must be evacuated as well.

Now, wells are tough. Even if there is a months-long period between bleed offs, most wells will withstand

any pressure buildup. But it is nerve-wracking for anyone who works in the industry. If the pressure buildup

becomes too much, there are risks for leaks4. And the risk grows every day that there isn’t a pressure

measurement.

2
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/2/over-1600-killed-in-indias-heaviest-monsoon-in-25-years
3
https://www.shell.us/media/us-storm-center/offshore-preparation-during-storm-season.html
4
https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/otras-ciudades/ecopetrol-presento-informe-sobre-causas-de-derrame-del-pozo-lisama-158-245580

5
The data is acceptable, at best.
Besides the expense and the danger, the data collected YOUR WELLS ARE ALWAYS WORKING, BUT MONITORING IS INFREQUENT.

through manual readings simply isn’t spectacular. Too often,

00:00h

data readings are more like looking at snapshots of the well

every few weeks, recorded with pen and paper, rather than

actively monitoring the data over a longer period of time.

18:00h

The infrequent data collection means risk for integrity issues 98% of the time, it’s
grows. Because wells are only checked every few weeks, there’s impossible to know what’s
actually happening at the well.
no way of knowing what happens between checks. And that’s

dangerous territory. Because if there is a well integrity issue,

12:00h

chances are high that by the time it’s discovered, it’s been growing

for a few weeks. Engineers can only know what’s happening at

a well while they’re out gathering the data. Which means that

the other 98% of the time, it’s impossible to know what’s actually
6:00h

happening at the well.

Engineers are also human. Which means they can make mistakes.

If the weather is hot. Or there are hurricane-force winds whipping

Week 1 Week 4 Week 8
around a platform. Or even if they’re just tired from two days of

travel to a well. Sometimes numbers can be misread or misheard. TIME YOUR WELL IS ACTIVE TIMES YOUR ENGINEERS CHECK ON THE WELL

6
Updating monitoring systems is challenging.
As a safety measure, oil wells typically have multiple annuli that prevent oil or gas

from being exposed to the outside environment. Each annulus is a ring around the

production tubing that has a specific job. But they all work together to maintain

pressure on the tubing and serve as barriers between the oil and the outside world.

Pressure is one of the most important parameters for monitoring annuli. Because the

pressure should always remain constant. If there are any pressure changes within any of the Some platforms and onshore sites
annuli, it could be a sign of a down hole leak. Which means the well is in trouble.
already have some type of monitoring
in place, typically through a wired
Many oil companies want to expand or upgrade their current monitoring systems. But there’s

no easy way to build out this expansion. Especially if you need to add wires. And especially
connection. These systems can be
in remote, hazardous areas. You have to open up the existing monitoring system, shut it decades old though, and they may not
down temporarily, and physically plug new pieces with wiring into the system. It’s expensive. measure everything you want to know.
And dangerous. And requires a lot of permits, engineering hours, and double, triple, or

quadruple checking.

Plus, you’re adjusting an old system. A slight twist in a wire may break the whole monitoring

framework. Meaning you lost crucial engineering and production hours just to create a more

expensive and dangerous problem.

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Satellite technology changes everything.
Well monitoring, especially in remote areas of the world, has a unique set of a wired connection. The sensors give regular readings every hour, which means you have a

challenges that, up until now, have been nearly impossible to overcome. But new better understanding of what happens at your wells around the clock. Within a few hours,

technology changes things. Tech like the Internet of Things (IoT) and satellite the new well will be connected to your existing monitoring system—whether you’re in

connectivity. Romania or Tunisia.

All you have to do is install a few sensors on the wellheads, connect a gateway, and within Monitoring wells means you have to jump over a lot of hurdles. But new technology is

a few hours you’ll receive pressure and temperature monitoring data that’s as accurate as changing the game completely. And that’s what we specialise in, here at Hiber HQ.

REMOTE SOLAR POWERED API OR

SENSORS SATELLITE
WELL GATEWAY DASHBOARD

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We developed HiberHilo specifically to make well

monitoring easier and affordable. Especially in remote areas

of the world. Thanks to satellite connectivity. Which means

it’s finally possible to expand monitoring systems. Gather

data on ageing wells. Keep oversight on assets around the

world. Even in adverse weather conditions or remote areas.

All for a low monthly subscription price, and without any

capital investments in expensive equipment.

It’s changing the world of oil and gas. And making it a lean,

mean, technologically streamlined machine.

Curious how it works? Check out our recent case study

with Shell, who needed a digital monitoring solution that

was easy to pick up and move around the world.

R E A D T H E C A S E S T U DY
in cooperation

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Address Contact

Moermanskkade 600, Phone: +31 20 2440 420

1013 BC, Amsterdam Email: sales@hiberhilo.com
The Netherlands. Web: www.hiberhilo.com