OTC-28824-MS

Operational and Safety Improvements of Applying Real-Time Analytics in a

Drilling Contractor RTOC

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A. L. F. Madaleno, S. L. S. Neto, L. A. dos Santos, and C. A. L. de Oliveira, QGOG Constellation

Copyright 2018, Offshore Technology Conference

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, USA, 30 April–3 May 2018.

This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of
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Abstract
This paper will present how QGOG Constellation, an ultradeepwater drilling contractor, is taking advantage
of its Real-Time Operation Center (RTOC) to leverage process safety and performance in six critical areas.
The company applies real-time analytics to automatically identify and alert RTOC engineers of abnormal
situations.
Data analysis is supported by a data collection mechanism, communicating with a real-time analytics
IoT platform. It allows the integration of data generated from drilling packages and BOP, as well as basic
environmental information present on units’ drilling data servers.
Operation modes are automatically detected in real time and used as primary information. Algorithms
developed by the RTOC team search and raise an alert for any abnormal situation. These tools are organized
in six main dimensions: well control, well barrier assessment, equipment safety operational window, drilling
problems prediction, process sensor integrity, and BOP monitoring,
A flexible dashboard platform enables RTOC engineers to develop algorithms and graphics that are
customized to improve monitoring accuracy and fulfill operational needs. The dashboards that come out of
this development target critical operations and allow much more data to be taken into consideration, resulting
in a more structured decision-making process. Examples of successfully implemented real-time logics
include a comparison of BOP-selected EDS and auto-shear status with the operation mode, comparison of
combined loads on a drillstring with the tubular safety envelope, an automated trip sheet which compares
the theoretical displacement of a tubular with the trip tank variation, fingerprinting of pumps-off scenarios,
and automatic assessment of pressure and volume. These logics turn data into useful information and detect
abnormal situations faster, taking into account much more data than a drilling crew could.
Alarms are associated with the scenarios and alert RTOC engineers of any abnormality. After verification,
the RTOC communicates the rig and further actions depend on type and severity of the recognized situation.
The RTOC role within a drilling contractor is a new factor. This paper also introduces a methodology
where a platform can integrate and synchronize data coming from different data sources, including third
party companies and the well operator.
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Introduction
Digitalization in the oil and gas industry is a one-way road. Today, big pieces of equipment are no longer
solely driving the industry's transformation, as has occurred in past decades, but the adoption of analytics
tools and digital techniques are leading the most recent improvements in process safety and operational
efficiency.
The increasing availability of digital drilling data from surface and downhole as well as the emergence
of reliable communication between offshore rigs and well operators’ offices has enabled the oil and gas

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industry to experience a proliferation of RTOCs in the 2000s. Since the beginning of these developments, a
collaborative environment of operators and service companies has allowed enhanced support and "optimized
utilization of expert resources" (Booth, J. 2011).
In most cases, however, drilling contractors have only been seen as the owners of the systems which
generate part of the surface drilling data and have not been engaged in the development of the real-time
analytic tools. The consequence is that the majority of vendors’ solutions are only appropriate for WITSML
(Wellsite information transfer standard markup language) data visualization or have embedded tools which
have been suited for well operators and service companies focused on drilling efficiencies, employing data
and models which are not accessible to the rig operators.
Essential aspects of process safety and operational performance such as procedural discipline and critical
equipment health can be addressed by drilling contractors in real time if appropriate resources are in place.
RTOC has enhanced process safety and surveillance after moving to an approach in which drilling engineers,
assisted by software developers with robust experience in real-time data analytics, started writing automated
operation identification and problem detection algorithms. The cooperative work allowed the creation of
tools adapted to the company's needs and provided a streamlined process to implement, customize, and
repair these tools over time. During the planning phase, it was agreed that initial developments should be
grouped into six important dimensions which strongly influence the overall process safety and operational
performance of the rig: well control, well barriers assessment, equipment safety operational window, drilling
problems prediction, process sensor integrity, and BOP monitoring.
The detection of abnormal situations by RTOC engineers and the comparison of the way in which
various drilling crews are reacting to them feeds a lesson-learned database, which in turn sustains procedural
advancement initiatives, ensuring continuous improvement.
Current technologies have supported the rise of integrated dashboards when data from different sources,
such as drilling packages, BOP control systems, downhole drilling data, mud logging, among others, are
incorporated into the same real-time platform, considerably enhancing the overall decision-making process.

Project Phases - Timeline

During the first tryout after gathering drilling and BOP data from the systems installed on the drilling
rigs, the first step was to implement a routine, in which RTOC engineers were responsible for operational
surveillance. Procedures were developed to rank out critical operations, such as drilling of reservoirs, stuck
pipe, negative pressure tests, along with others, documenting the way each of them should be approached.
The available system was intended mainly for data visualization and permitted the setting up of threshold
alarms; detection was based primarily on training and personnel awareness.
The initial methodology worked relatively well and stopped some situations from escalating, allowing
considerable lessons to be learned and new solutions to be added to existing procedures. Still, problems
occurred in operations deemed less critical in the beginning, leading to a lack of RTOC support when it
would have been most beneficial.
After fruitless attempts to enhance the way operations should be classified according to their process
safety risk and trying to increase operational coverage without a proportional need for personnel, a change
emerged in the way the problem was addressed. All solutions, in fact, would involve some level of
OTC-28824-MS 3

automation in operation identification, problem detection, and the inclusion of awareness alarms whenever
abnormal situations were detected.
A few WITSML-based analytic tools available on the market were field tested, and the conclusions
showed that they were not adequate to deal with the specific needs of this new approach in a drilling
contractor's environment, and in most cases, they were oversized for the type and extent of the data
accessible. Customization of the existing products and the use of more than one solution were found to be
economically unviable.

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The alternative identified to match drilling contractors’ expectations was collaborative work with a
proprietary software company on a platform where real-time routines could be developed. Drilling engineers
who broadly know the well and rig equipment issues which have to be overcome worked together with
software developers who know how to address them computationally. The primary drivers of choice are the
possibility of adapting the software to the company's requirements and not vice versa, as well as having the
drilling engineers develop most of the logics and dashboards without the need for in-depth programming
expertise. The adjustments identified to improve detection performance are being carried out in-house, on
demand, and tested with real field data right away.
With the use of automatic identification, one engineer can cover many more operations in a system which
is less susceptible to errors. Once an alarm is activated it draws an engineer's attention, and if required,
additional support is appropriately deployed.

Figure 1—RTOC implementation process

Operational Routine
Data collection from a 5th or 6th-generation drilling rig is not remarkable. Depending on the type of rig and
drilling server, thousands of parameters are monitored and recorded. Even with such robust data gathering,
an ordinary drilling crew continues to make decisions based on the same underlying data it used to 15 years
ago. This development is designed to better integrate the way data is now consolidated and to use it to
address typical well and rig problems.
Automatic detection algorithms run in the background and have been assigned to the operational modes.
Therefore variations in the active volume while drilling are treated in a different way than the same variations
while tripping, for example. Once an abnormal situation is detected, a timeline alarm pops up on the RTOC
engineers’ workstations and, depending on its nature, it is communicated by e-mail to the support team.
The alarm is acknowledged and verified for its applicability and need of additional resources, such as
real-time cameras, procedures, P&IDs, daily drilling reports and other support documents. Some events,
however, must be informed to the rig immediately, which is done by phone or emergency satellite
communication. RTOC engineers follow up on the situation using pre-set dashboards and can call for
assistance from the engineering department, which is located physically near the RTOC, easing the transfer
of information and improving accurate decision making.
Operations involving well barrier tests, such as the subsea BOP pressure test, casing pressure test, inflow
tests, and flow checks prior tripping of drilling BHA (bottomhole assembly) after completing a drilling
section, among others, are formally recorded in a visual and straightforward document known as a one-
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page report. It compiles the significant prints for the event, extracted from the specific dashboards, as well
as the challenges and successes of the operation.
The content of the findings will guide the way they are further communicated - they can become a topic
to be discussed on a monthly call with OIMs and tool pushers, a fleet technical alert can be distributed,
procedures can be reviewed, or more than one of these outcomes can occur. Figure 2 summarizes this
process.

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Figure 2—RTOC routine operation

The Six Dimensions Concept

To better organize the development initiatives and have resources correctly balanced, work was initially
divided into six main categories, all related to process safety and linked with the company's operational
track record:

• Well control

• Well barriers assessment

• Equipment safety operational window

• Drilling problems prediction

• Process sensor integrity

• BOP monitoring

The categories have been approached through routines which are prioritized by their immediate impact
on process safety, available resources, complexity, development time, and other factors. Each of these
dimensions will be detailed and the types of routines which comprise it exemplified.

Well Control
RTOC monitors real-time activities which could directly affect the loss of well control such as volume
variation during trips, fingerprinting of mud returns during drilling connections, critical flow check, and
OTC-28824-MS 5

gain-loss event during drilling. Particular routines were developed to monitor drills - an essential part
of a crew's training effectiveness evaluation - where the steps are compared to operational sequence and
company internal procedures. For key operations, dashboards have been developed that brings together the
features required for proper tracking. Next sections will briefly describe some of these initiatives.
Automated Trip Sheet. Monitoring the balance of the volumes of steel and mud going in and out of the
hole allows kick detection while tripping. Before automation, this type of control was only available via
spreadsheet, which calculates the discrepancies between measured and theoretical volumes.

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The Tripping In-Out Dashboard compares the measured trip tank volume with the theoretical
displacement of the pipe being run into or out of the hole. Theoretical displacement is represented by the
slope of the lines, plotted automatically anytime the trip tank is filled up or drained.

Figure 3—Tripping In-Out Dashboard

An alert has been created to indicate the possible kick and it is triggered when the measured trip tank
volume deviates from the expected calculated value. This automation of the trip sheet allows the RTOC
engineers to monitor different wells at the same time.
Fingerprinting in Drilling Connections. Available kick-detection systems are designed primarily for
detecting kicks during pumps-on activities (BSEE 2013), although at least 25 % of all influx events on
deepwater wells occur while making connections (Brakel et al. 2105). Flowback fingerprinting tracks the
flowback and pit volume's signatures anytime pumps stop, for example, in order to make a connection.
Several parameters can affect the pit volume behavior; this makes the detection of a kick during this interval
quite challenging. The approach here is the direct comparison of the current connection with the three
previous ones, and visually comparing how they deviate from each other.
The algorithm automatically identifies a connection, based on the events that generally precede it. The
pit volume curve, starting at the moment the pumps reach zero SPM, is then plotted in the same window
as the previous connections, allowing for quick comparison. Due to the numbers of parameters that can
affect the behavior of the curve, it is crucial that drilling crews strictly follow connection procedures to
reduce uncertainty.
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Figure 4—Dashboard used during pumps-off events

Gain and Loss While Drilling. Detecting gain and loss early allows drilling crews to react appropriately,
minimizing the attendant risk and cost of such events. Rig alarm systems are configured to alert the crew
when mud levels move outside a predefined range, normally ± 5 barrels. As mud levels are affected by
parameters such as pipe movement, heave, and changes in flow rate, many alarms will be generated that
do not mean the well is flowing indeed.
The algorithms running in the real-time platform significantly reduce the number of false alarms
generated by:

• Frequency filtering of the mud pit volume signal to reduce heave influence

• Automatic detection of the active pits - mud transfers are detected automatically

• Detecting changes in flow rate (main well and riser booster)

Well Barrier Assessment

According to NORSOK D-010, "all parameters relevant for preventing uncontrolled flow from the well shall
be monitored." In drilling activities, drilling of the top hole for conductor and surface casing can be carried
out with the fluid column as the only well barrier. Then, the surface casing shall be installed before drilling
into an abnormal pressurized zone, and, from this point, two well barriers are required. Two well barriers
also shall be in place when drilling through hydrocarbon-bearing formations. When two well barriers are in
place, basic construction principles dictate that they should be independent of each other and avoid having
common well barrier elements.
Well barriers are normally divided into primary and secondary barriers. The primary barrier function
is to prevent unintentional flow to the environment or other formations. The secondary barrier is to stop
unintentional flow if the primary barrier fails.
RTOC routines assess well barriers in two different ways:

• Real-time barrier monitoring

• Creating holding-points whenever a well barrier is tested

Real-Time Overbalance. The overbalance (measured in psi) acts as a barrier, stopping the hydrocarbon
from the formation from flowing into the well. To create an overbalance condition, pressure exerted by the
fluid's column in a static or dynamic condition need to stay above pore pressure. In the RTOC, static and
dynamic overbalances are evaluated in real time. Based on the BOP stack pressure, the mud weight value is
OTC-28824-MS 7

estimated and, in turn, the estimated mud weight is used to calculate the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom.
The dynamic pressure and ECD come from MWD when made available by the operator.
To estimate the mud weight and the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom, it is assumed that riser and
wellbore are filled up with homogeneous fluid, which provides satisfactory accuracy for this purpose.
Another important aspect of the monitoring of mud weight in real time is the possibility of assessment of
the riser safety margin (RSM). The RSM ensures that the well will be in overbalance if a BOP disconnection
occurs at a moment when the drilling fluid is the first WBE in the primary envelope. The RSM is the

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difference between the hydrostatic pressure of the entire fluid column and the contribution of the drilling
fluid inside the riser. In the RTOC, the RSM is also evaluated in real time and it is part of the static
overbalance evaluation. Overbalance and riser safety margin are functions of the calculated mud weight and
the manually input pore pressure and they are presented in drilling and tripping dashboards.
Inflow Test. The inflow test consists in creating an underbalance scenario above a well barrier or a set of
barriers so if this well barrier does not prevent the well from flowing, an abnormal pressure increase and/
or a volume gain response on the surface will be noticed during the test. Validation of inflow tests is a task
supported by RTOC using specific dashboards and automatically detecting abnormal pressure increases or
volume gains. Acceptance criteria are input and results compared to those limits, simply by positioning a
selection window on the interval of pressure or volume curve the operator chooses to verify. Finding one of
these parameters above the limit may indicate a failed plug. Additionally, the algorithms calculate negative
pressure (net differential pressure between internal and external pressures) acting on BOP components and
automatically compares it to the limit set by the manufacturer or internal policy.
BOP Pressure Test. In the RTOC, engineers evaluate real-time pressure behavior in each test cycle, while
the dashboard shows the status of valves and preventers, allowing the operator to define which of them are
exposed to the pressure and to identify the failed element in case of test failure. The evaluation is based
on the BOP Test Dashboard that integrates the drilling system and BOP system data into a single screen,
making the evaluation of the correlation between different data easier.
On the BOP Test Dashboard, the analysis of each test cycle is automatically done by a routine embedded
in the graphic after manually selecting the type of data regression to be applied.

Figure 5—BOP Test Dashboard

Equipment Safety Operational Window

The management of critical equipment health is essential for successful operations of drilling contractors.
With the advance of data acquisition systems, information related to the way that critical rig equipment,
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such as drillstrings, motion compensators, BOP, and pipe handling systems are being loaded can be remotely
assessed. As essential rig equipment, linked to safety and efficiency, they need to be operated within their
safety operational envelope. Some routines will be presented on the next section, showing how RTOC have
contributed to an improvement in equipment reliability.
Comparison of Combined Loads on a Drillstring With the Tubular Operational Window. During oil
well operations, drillstrings are subjected to a combination of tension and torque. When applied alone,
maximum torque allowable on a specific tubular is approximately the makeup torque of the tubular, while

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tension equals its tensile strength. However, the strength of drillpipe decreases when these two loads act
simultaneously on it, so it is critical to the rig that these forces be monitored at all times. The operational
window of a drillpipe is established by API RP7G and is widespread in the industry.
RTOC has developed routines to assess combined loads in real time as well as create a visual tool for
combined-loads monitoring. A dot is plotted every minute in a pre-defined envelope, giving the operator an
approximation of what force the current combined loads represent compared to the tubular safety envelope.
If hookload and torque readings coming from the rig sensors cross the operational window, an alert is sent
to the RTOC engineers.
The Figure-6 represents the work on a stuck pipe occurred during the drilling of a 17 1/2″ phase, where
a premium 5 7/8″ XT57 drillpipe was in use.

Figure 6—Drillpipe safety envelope

Activation of Motion Compensator During Critical Sections of the Well. The crown mounted compensator
(CMC) applies a constant tension to the drillstring and compensates for any rig movement. Thus, the CMC
shall be activated at some moments of the operations in order to maintain the safety and efficiency of the
equipment on the well. As per company procedure, CMC shall be activated when the drillstring end crosses
the slip joint, BOP, wellhead, casing crossovers, and shoes as well as any restriction on the well.
To assess the way the mentioned procedure is being followed, RTOC engineers implemented an algorithm
to real-time monitor CMC activation and drillstring depth and compare it with all restrictions on the well,
previously input by the operator. If the drillstring is run through a known restriction and the CMC is not
activated, the system alerts the RTOC engineers.
A status bar has been included on the Tripping In-Out Dashboard to quickly inform the operator of the
points where the compensator has been activated.
OTC-28824-MS 9

Comparison of BOP Annular Closing Pressure for Stripping With Tubular Diameter. Stripping is the
process of moving the drillstring through the BOP when the well is shut-in. It is required when a kick
is taken, and the well is shut-in with the string off bottom, during hangoff operations and other various
tasks that require the well to be kept closed while the string is moved. In general, stripping operations are
performed using the annular BOP. The annular closing pressure during stripping operations is defined based
on annular type, tubular diameter across the preventer, and wellbore pressure.
The stripping process does, however, involve some wear on the BOP annular, which can lead to premature

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failure of the element if the wrong closing pressure is used. Thereby, RTOC features an algorithm to real-
time monitor annular closing pressure during stripping operations. If stripping occurs with the incorrect
pressure, an alert is sent to RTOC engineers. The operator has to input tubular type before the process
commences and the system automatically searches the correct parameters from a look-up table, taking into
consideration the current wellbore pressure. Stripping is detected by a combination of a moving string and
a closed annular BOP.

Drilling Problems Prediction

In general, drilling problems are related to equipment and BHA components wearing out or related to a harsh
environment caused by complex geological conditions. Understanding, anticipating, and taking preventive
measures is important to avoid drilling problems and the high costs associated with them.
The most common drilling problems are drillstring sticking, circulation loss, influx, and drillstring failure.
Regarding drillstring failure, the drilling contractor developed customized dashboards and alerts that
allow the RTOC engineers to more consistently and quickly evaluate situations before they deteriorate and
to propose actions to mitigate or avoid the problem. MSE, drillpipe connection overtorque, and washout are
associated with each other since vibration can lead to overtorque, which can lead to connection damage,
which can lead to washout. In turn, if washout is not detected early, drillstring twistoff can occur and
operational costs can increase dramatically.
The way RTOC deals with MSE, drillpipe connection torque, and washout detection is described in the
following sections.
Mechanic Specific Energy (MSE). MSE is a parameter that depends on weight on bit (WOB), surface
torque, bit rotation per revolution, and rate of penetration (ROP) for a given hole size. It provides a measure
of the energy required for a drilling assembly to drill through a unit volume of formation and correlate with
the compressive strength of the rock being drilled.
The basic idea is to use MSE trends to identify and respond to drilling-system performance limiters
such as bottomhole assembly (BHA) whirl vibration, bit balling vibration, and stick-slip vibration, with the
ultimate goal of producing consistently better and longer bit runs.
A significant part of the damage observed on drill bits is due to vibration. By reducing vibration by
analyzing and reacting to changes in MSE, not only longer bit runs can be achieved, but also string failures
are mitigated.
In other words, MSE should be kept as low as possible and ROP as high as possible by varying WOB
and rotation per revolution. Unexpected changes in MSE may indicate changes in rock properties or drilling
inefficiency.
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Figure 7—Changes in MSE due to change in rock properties

RTOC's first use of MSE is to create a databank which would allow, by employing proper computational
tools, the establishment of the relationship between vibrations and measured MSE for a given formation
and type of drill bit. Downhole vibrations are being shared by one of the current company's clients and are
fed to a data source developed for that purpose.
Drillpipe Connections Torque Monitoring. The drillpipe and bottomhole assembly elements used to drill
a well are exposed to loads which can lead to failure. Drillpipe connections are mechanically designed
to be made up to a certain torque upon assembly. Therefore, before running pipe, it is necessary to make
sure sufficient make-up torque is applied to the connection because it will likely be exposed to vibrations
during drilling, such as stick and slip, which are very damaging to connections and can induce higher-than-
planned torque. If the proper make-up torque is not reached, the connection will continue making up while
drilling or reaming. On the other hand, it is also possible to accidently apply more make-up torque than the
connections are designed to withstand due to wrong sensor readings or wrong make-up torque setting. Both
cases can damage the threads, which can lead to failures, leading to rig downtime, or expensive connection
repairs and shortening of the tubular's life.
Trying to avoid what has been discussed above, RTOC includes a routine to record and analyze make-up
torque being applied to the tubular run in hole. When applied make-up torque is lower or higher than the
recommended or when breakout torque is higher than the expected, an alert is sent to RTOC engineers.
The graph below is part of the Tripping In-Out Dashboard and provides a visual tool for makeup torque
assessment.
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Figure 8—Tripping In-Out Dashboard showing torque and limits

Washout. Washout can be defined as a hole on a component of the drill string, such as the drillpipe and
drill collar, that allows the drilling fluid to escape from inside to the annular between the tubular and casing
or open hole.
In general, the washout is small at the beginning and as far as the operation continues the drilling fluid
wears it out and makes it more significant causing the standpipe pressure to drop further and the drillstring
to break.
Some of the causes for washout are connection torque below the recommended value (generating bad
sealing at the interface) or above the torque connection (generating damage at the sealing faces), damage
due to impact during the component movement for positioning on the rotary table, and presence of H2S or
another corrosive component in the drilling fluid.
Washouts are primarily detected by comparison of surface flow to the MWD turbine rotation, made
available by the well operator. If the flow going through the drillstring is kept constant and a decrease in
MWD turbine rotation is detected, it is possible the fluid is escaping before it reaches the bottom section
of the string, which in most cases is associated with a washout. An alert will be generated and the RTOC
engineers will search for further indications.

Process Sensor Integrity

The era during which drillers relied only on their intuition and experience has ended. Modern rigs feature
instrumentation throughout and decisions are primarily made based on readings such as pressures, loads,
torques, or pit levels.
Critical systems tend to feature redundant readings, which automatically alarm whenever levels are above
a predefined point. Extra oversight may be required, however, in situations with a single sensor or when
there is a possibility of one of the readings might be neglected. Techniques have been implemented for
checking redundant pit volume sensors’ readings, creating redundant pressure readings, and comparing
hookload against calculated weights. This last is achieved using a semi-automated approach, what means
the RTOC engineers select a window where the two known weights have appeared:
Minimum weight: Hoisting system + Riser running tool
Maximum weight: Hoisting system + Riser running tool + 90 ft. slick riser joint + BOP
The system automatically detects minimum and maximum weights and compares them to both calculated
values, plus and minus a defined tolerance. An example of this verification is shown below:
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Figure 9—Dashboard for hookload verification and historical record

This customized dashboard also allows the measurements to be recorded and show the history of
verifications. Then, by evaluating the previous measurements, it is possible to identify a sensor drift along
time that could indicate deterioration of the measurement device.

BOP Monitoring
The last line of defense against blowouts is the BOP, equipment installed at the wellhead to contain wellbore
pressure during drilling, completion, testing, or workover operations. In conventional drilling it is activated
when the primary well barrier fails. Due to its importance, its real-time operational monitoring is one of the
main aspects of process safety in drilling contractor.
Emergency Disconnect Sequence Versus Current Operation. Emergency Disconnect Sequence (EDS) is
an operational automatic sequence of LMRP (Lower Mariner Riser Package) disconnection, activated on
control panels when the rig reaches the maximum deviation limit from the vertical of the well or in a well
control loss event. The EDS should be set in a way to leave the well in a safe condition after a disconnection.
The EDS selected on the rig is received on RTOC as a status signal. In order to automatically identify the
current operation, a set of logics were created based on basic drilling data such as block position, hook
load, mud pump pressure, and rotation. With this information, it is possible to real-time monitor the current
operation versus EDS selected. Consequently, if these conditions are not matched an alert is sent by email.
The Table 1 shows the EDS expected for main operations.

Table 1—Operation versus expected EDS

Operation Expected EDS

Drilling Casing Shear Ram + Upper Blind Shear Ram

Tripping - Drillpipe crossing BOP Casing Shear Ram + Lower Blind Shear Ram

Tripping - Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) crossing BOP No Shear

Tripping - Drillstring above BOP Lower Blind Shear Ram or Upper Blind Shear Ram

Differential Pressure Acting on Each Preventer or Valve. For subsea BOP system applications, external
pressure capacity may be a performance concern in the design of sealing for pressure-containing joints.
This is especially so as water depth and thus ambient hydrostatic pressure increases. It is of special concern
because of the potential for unanticipated loss of fluid inside the equipment due to gas-in-solution, loss of
circulation events, and inflow tests (API 53 STD).
Once water depth and seawater density are known, it is possible to calculate the outside pressure acting on
the BOP. Inside the BOP, to measure internal pressure, there are two sensors: the LMRP sensor on the top of
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the BOP assembly and stack sensor at the bottom of the same equipment. Based on the difference between
the pressures outside and inside the BOP, it is possible to calculate the negative pressure in real time.
Besides that, using the same sensors’ readings and preventers’ status, it is possible to real-time calculate
the reverse pressure acting on a closed preventer.
According to manufactures, each BOP component should clearly state reverse and negative pressure
rating. Based on calculated pressures and manufacture limits, alerts were developed for when reverse and
negative pressure are higher than operational, increasing the reliability.

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Conclusions
1. Process safety and surveillance have been considerably improved with the employment of real-
time analytic tools being developed in the RTOC. The use of a software platform is affording
flexibility which is allowing the creation of a solution fit for purpose, covering primary operational
objectives. Drilling engineers are in charge of monitoring processes and development of most
detection algorithms, relying on the support of software experts when needed and resulting in an
optimized solution reached after a short period of development.
2. The work method which seems to provide better results is a hybrid method, i.e. detection algorithms
running in the background based on the automatically detected operation mode combined with
procedures, which establishes the holding points where the RTOC engineers should carry out specific
measures.
3. Proper planning should be done during initial phases of the project to ensure that the most affecting
sub-projects are being prioritized and to ensure that the efforts for its conclusion were well-defined.
This approach fosters an environment where RTOC engineers stay engaged in the project, following
up on all phases, from the planning to the delivery of the service.
4. Successful implementation also relies on a well-structured communication protocol, which should
define at least what type of alarms or deviations shall be communicated and to whom the information
should go, how it should flow and when it should be triggered.
5. Procedural discipline - a critical aspect of safe and efficient operation - shall be addressed and
reported, whenever surveillance algorithms detect deviations in critical operations. Programming is
less complicated when the procedure is standardized. To improve procedures based on what was
learned from real-time monitoring will enable greater operational consistency and make it safer at
the same time.
6. RTOC outcomes directly depend on data availability. High costs could be involved in mapping
additional channels and upgrading drilling data servers if they had not been taken into account during
the system's design and acquisition phase.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank QGOG Constellation administration for envisioning the importance of
having a RTOC and for providing support when additional equipment and software resources were needed
during the development of this new way for a drilling contractor to look at operations. Also thanks to QGOG
Constellation for the permission to publish this paper.

References
API RP 7G, Recommended Practice for Drill Stem Design and Operating Limits. 2000. Washington, DC: API.
API STD 53, Blowout Prevention Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells. 2012. Washington, DC: API.
Booth, J. (2011, June 1). Real-Time Drilling Operations Centers: A History of Functionality and Organizational Purpose
- The Second Generation. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi:10.2118/126017-PA.
14 OTC-28824-MS

Brakel, J., Tarr, B., Cox, W., Jorgensen, F., & Straume, H. V. (2015, September 1). SMART Kick Detection: First Step on
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