Electronic Computer Production
Management–A New Era
J. B. CoX, Mobil Oil Corp.
C. F. Underliner, Jr., SPE-AIME, Mobil Oil Corp.
Introduction
The Pegasus Computer Control System is a highly
sophisticated “real-time on-line” electronic system to
control producing operations in the Mobif Oil Corp.
Pegasus complex. The system, functioning on a man-
agement-by-exception basis, controls wells, gathers
all pertinent operating data, checks status, and takes
appropriate control action automatically and unat-
tended. * It was designed, programmed, and installed
between Dec., 1965, and Sept., 1968.
The Pegasus complex is a six-zone oil and gas field
and integrated gasoline plant approximately 22 miles
southwest of Midland, Tex. (Fig. 1). Mobil Oil Corp.
is the unit operator of the Pegasus EUenburger, Pega-
sus Pennsylvanian, Pegasus Spraberry and Pegasus
Field Unit No. 3 units, and in addition operates non-
unitized San Andres wells. The field encompasses 351
~e!!s {including 40 injection wells) with daily average
oil production of 15,500 bbl. The gasoline plant
processes 70 h4M-Cfof naturai gas per dajj and pro-
duces 8,000 bbl of NGL per day. Active fluid injec-
tion projects are in operation in the Pennsylvanian,
Ellenburger, and Spraber~ reservoirs.
-. --..+- O1,, tha
15etore computer ~U1,t, .,lw fk+l
,.-. operations re-
quired a force of 36 employees, including superviso~
employees, and exclusive of plant personnel, These
employees operated, controiied, maintained and re-
ported on Mobil’s operations in the Pegasus field.
*A list of suppliers will be furnished upon written
the authors at Mobil Oil Corp., P. CJ. Box 633, Midland,
This computer control system in the Pegasus field southwest oj Miciiand, Texas,
delegates to a digital computer most of the operational junctions normally performed by
humans and allows local management to be in contact with the entire operation on a
real-time basis. The system has functioned better than anticipated and has efiected
notable improvements in production operations.
JULY, 1971 WI-
Most of the repetitive operational functions previously
performed by humans are now under computer pro-
gram control, and the field operating force has been
reduced by 22 percent. The control system allows
local management, using the general-purpose digital
computer through the control system, to be in contact
with the entire operation instantaneously and simul-
taneously on a preprogrammed management-by-ex-
ception basis. This is similar to talking to aU field
operators with all the operational answers on a con-
ference telephone call, and being able to assimilate
the information instantaneously and take appropriate
action immediately. Exceptions are handled by man-
ual entries. The control system has input and output
capabilities for on-line direct communication with
larger accounting and scientific computer systems.
The expanded use of the Pegasus Computer Control
System ‘Wiii~RXhWe ~,any new intangible benefits
that should eventually be greater than the direct opera-
tional benefits.
Description of the System
The Pegasus Computer Control and Data Acquisition
System consists of severai functional parts as shown
in Fig. 2. The system encompasses approximately
1,400 sfarus, 1,400 control, and 1,400 data acquisi-
tion points and was designed to aliow aii prime ~~vei
devices to remain as they are when power is inter-
rupted. The computer through the control system
request of
?ex. 7’9701, must at all times take the action to move any solenoid
793
 A ~,,i.itien and cOntrO1
.+. HCYW $y$tern
the Eiecircmic Daba . . . . . -- –

is made up of highly complex electronics that are

housed in enclosures that are not environment con-
trolled. These field electronic multiplexer units con-
tain electronic logic that can store volumes and can
receive electrical impulses from the system master
(either manually or from the computer interface). The
multiplexer unit decodes and directs the signal to the
correct end device to take action, receive data, or
sense operational status, This unit also encodes the
data or status from the end device into digital elec-
tronic impulses that are fed back over the communica-
tion lines to the system master and then to the com-
-- puter.
,... . fl --. J-.+;-. Lines _ The communication
!. 0+..
>. Lt)rrtrrturm.wwrb
Fig. l—Pegasus computer coritroi system. rn.edia are Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Type 4A
data charnels that are essentially underground from
valve, start or stop any motion, or cause a change in the field to Mobil’s Midland Div. office. These chan-
any status-sensing switch not associated with alarm- nels handle the 1,200 BAUD (600 reversal/second)
type off-normal conditions. The system cannot be frequency shift carrier signal of 1,100 and 2,300 kHz
upset by the loss of any power source or any massive that conveys digital information to and from the field.
failure, such as would result if the communication and 4. lrrter/ace-Master and Computer Interface are
control circuits were cut. Thk is termed a “fai! soft” a portion of the control system that functions as a
system. centralized electronic encoder and decoder capalie
The over-all system consists of five major parts. of taking the serial by bit frequency shift carrier sig-
1. Field End Elenfenrs-These are the total means nals and converting them to visual status and data or
in the field to sense status, measure data or take con- converting the signals into parallel bit configurations
trol action. to present them to the computer registers. This master
2. Mt[ltiplexer Units (Fig. 3)—The field portion of through the interface takes parallel bit configurations

~~-J~ ~~ ~.*D

) SATEIJ.TTE STAT1 ON CSNTKAL BATTERY GAS PLMT

. 1 1—1
1. BAD OIL
1. NI LQD . LEVELS 1. VOLONE
2. bicT FA1LUBE HIL4SUSM?NT
2. PSODOCT3 ON
oIL , GA.5b WATER 3. m LQD. LmELS 2. GAS METE+
SJLADING
3. TSST: OIL, GAS k. IACT RPADING
J . .....”..
& WALI.K J.
, .,-,”-.,,.,.
“4-- . “,....”,..
-,..,.

II I I
I
I 5, TANK LEVELS
OIL & WATES
l-l BALSS TO BE DSTEKMINED

I —aAl
INPUTI
ONTPNI
,,... UR2TEK

I . : .
6. GAS METES READING
%.,
: .*:.? I 1 •1

4 “%”-
‘ .a’-4
DISK
,,,,.
FILE
n

-1-1 h
—P- !
T
.

t
-...
,,
.......... ...........
,,,,,,,,gr;~gz!s
:
,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,,,,.,,,

kEd-p-
LIhlll’EO
CONTROL I

3
&
PRoDOCING
W EU
d DIsPUY
~PE WRITES

APPROX . 160 UNLTS

5 Pm TEL. LINE

FziFl--
p
/ : %.
,
Lffi!SiD
1. WAT= INJSCT3 CN
PIMP STATION
~ pIpELINEs
PDUSlt LINES 2. GAS INJECTC ON
—P— ccs4PRESS0s
----.T,--- -.
TSLEPHONE CIRCOITS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,..,,,...,....
NNDSXGROOND CcTiD03TS 3. OTHER

c1

Fig. 2—Pegasus field computer control system.

794 JOURNAL OF PETROI.EUM TECHNOLOGY

generated by the computer program and transforms
thereto serial by bitcontigurations.
5. Computer (Fig. 4)—The Computer System con-
sists of ~om,pd~er core storage of 32,000 sixteen-bit
words, a four microsec memory cycle time, and the
following peripheral equipment: two typewriter print-
ers, 1,024,000 sixteen-bit words of storage on mag-
netic disks, a Card-Read Punch, a manual entry
programmable keyboard, and five sixteen-bit real-
time: registers to transfer and receive bit configurations
from the computer through the interface to the master
under on-line program control.
The entire system is designed to be largely self-
diagnostic. The field electronic multiplexer units in-
clude a means to sense the presence of current in an
operating circuit at the correct message time, Status
sensing contacts are au closed on “normal” conditions
to give the system a means of immediately detecting
an open wire or other end-sensing device malfunction
before it is called into service. A daily system reli-
ability computer program helps to diagnose over-all
field communication and equipment problems. This
feature allows pinpointing of potential system prob-
lems before they become serious. Usually the percent-
age of reliability is 99.8 to 99.9.
The end elements in the field have many functions
and a partial listing of the devices follows:
1. Pressure Transducers — Approximately 500 of
these units are installed to convert pressure to an elec-
tronic analog current. This current is digitized on a
time-share basis using a common analog-to-digital
converter in each of 17 multiplexer units located in
the field. These devices have essentially eliminated
the requirement of chart readings and mercury meters,
and have increased accuracy. Meter maintenance
labor has been reduced.
2. Net Oil Units— A capacitance product analyzer
and turbine meter are coupled through local elec-
tronics to read out net oil and water of a dynamic
on-line stream.
3. Turbine Meters—These are used extensively to
.. .
measure uquld and are COUp,&U ,.-1A to
.“ -P-.. -., designed
= W;a]IV –
electronics to condition the low-energy-level turbine
output for the data acquisition function. These elec-
tronic signal conditioning units are passive devices
that use the signal lines as power source and sensing
!ines.
4. Pumping skuus — Local iogic, aii-soiid-state
Fig. 3—Multiplexer units. (1) Field telephone system
terrnj~at!on, (~) Multiplexer. (3) System power supply.
JULY, 1971
load detection units determine optimum pumping well
operation,
5. Ball Valves — These are special three-way, two-
position ball valves with electric operators for well
—.
test headers. 1hese units are ~~iii~p~w
“ --.--I .T; h envir-O~-
}. ,L ----
ment-free switches to minimize the switch problems
usually associated with automated test headers.
6. Flow-Pressure Transducers—Combination elec-
tronic-pneumatic transducers integrate gas flows in
the field and provide an electrical analog or pulse
signal to the control system.
7. Densitometer — This is coupled with a trans-
ducer to detect electronically the output to input gas
density to the system.
8. Pressure and Level Switches—Various new de-
signs use environment-free switches for separator-
level sensing, position sensing, and pressure moni-
toring.
9. Special Pulse Relays — With magnetic latches,
these are used as interposers to implement the “fail-
soft” concept.
Field Production Functions
The Pegasus complex involves many different types
of production and plant operational methods. The
wells in the Ellenberger and Fusselman zones are pri-
marily flowing wells. Devonian producers are gas
condensate wells. Pennsylvanian wells are mostly on
gas lift. Spraberry and San Andres wells are produced
with beam pumping units. There are two water injec-
tion systems and two gas injection systems. In addi-
tion, the gasoline plant processes all of the field gas
and gas from outside sources.
Flowing Wells
At the flowing oil wells, the wellhead pressure is
measured continuously with a force beam static-
pressure-to-current transducer, and the wells are com-
puter controlled through electrically operated two-way
ball valves.
The Devonian wells yield gas condensate produc-
tion with a liquid allowable (see Fig. 5). Gas and
liquid volumes are sensed at each weii. Eacii Weii k
equipped with an orifice plate and a static and differ-
ential pressure transmitter to provide system data for
calculating gas volume. A turbine meter with an elec-
tronic signal conditioner provides system input data
f~r eai~~iating !!quki volumes. This electronic signal
Fig. 4-Computer system.
795
conditioner takes the low-energy, high-frequency :ig-
nal from the meter and changes it to a compatible
digital signal. The Devonian wells produce into a
900-psi, 300-psi, or 50-psi gas-gathering system, de-
pending upon wellhead pressure. In the high-pressure
system, glycol is injected to prevent
- .n~a+.r ch,, t-in
freeze-up.
~~!v~ that
The
oper-
Devonian weiis have d S~lu,Y.l.U. ...
ates from local logic (high pressure, high temperature,
etc.). The position of this safety valve is sensed elec-
tronically. The most important function performed at
the Devonian wells is computer control of the choke
to regulate production. This on-line control was ac-
comdished by adapting a special electric operator to
the ;xisting rising stem choke.
Gas-Lift Weik
Gas-lift wells (Fig. 6) are computer controlled using
a solenoid valve to operate a diaphragm valve on the
lift-gas line. The lift gas is measured by the standard
orifice plate and the pressure and delta-pressure trans-
mitter. Production return is sensed by a preset tubing
limit switch.
Beam Pumping Wells
The wells on beam pump are regulated by the system
in much the same way that a centralized time clock
control would work. Stut%ng-box leaks are detected
by a modified float device. Motor current and flow

sTATIC AND DIFF .

//h/v
PRESS. TRANSDUCERS hiql

/1’
PRESS. REGULATOR \
\= ‘.
$( GAS FLOW

—-—.
s~EH
- VALVE
.
. >tlUL-LN
-...,- 7.,

.,.
,,:
/
?’“M~?”P:FL~
y,
\ ‘+
L“,
,

GLYCOL
m
TUBING ~~~CONTROL t PUMP
\ . \!$ ,. “:%. !J HEATSR /1
....... ;’ .:.. LIQUID FLW
,...
)
I \
ADJUSTABLE ~ !7$+- SEPAIL4TOR LEv~
CHOKE LIQUID
TURBINE METER CONTROL

/ — LEGEND —

1111 Fig. %Devonian

y

‘En
CONTROL LINK

CONTROLS AND SZNSING DEV_lCES

gas condensate well installation for computer control.

/
I
+

//

DIFFERENTIAL
PRESS . TRANSDUC=
KICK DETECTION
DEVICE

GAS LIFT GAS ORIFICE METER

— LEGEND —
GAS LIFT
DGUNHOLE
/
CONTROL LINK VALVES
+

/’m CONTROLS AND SENSING DEVICES

Fig.xas-lift well installation for computer control.

. —--. ... a, fin-v
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM I ECHNUI-UU 1
796
sensors regulate the pumping cycles electronically. low tank level are performed locally and by the con-
trol system. Run tank oil volumes are calculated by
Lease Facilities the system using an electronic differential transducer
Oil treating, storage, and custody transfer in the field static head input. From these volumes and the LACT
is consolidated by zones. Well testing is done at 21 meter reading, daily production is determined and
different satellite stations (Fig. 7). Computer-con- regulated by the control system. All tank batteries are
troheu‘ ~ --.-11-.. 0- ~
WtXI~L1ea,L,s .w ....
ar~
. ..
indivi~U~fJy routed into com- equipped with vapor recovery, and the control system
mon gathering systems for transfer to the central .-1.-.”*C nf
momtors various operating CICIJIU1l.. “. these
.- - vapor
batte~. The electronic multiplexer are located at recovery systems.
satellites and at the central battery. At the satellites, In brief, all of the routine status monitoring and
a three-way, two-position electrically operated ball data gathering functions that are normally performed
valve directs the well stream into the test or produc- in the field are being handled by the Computer Con-
., tr~! System. In addition, a number of control pro-
tion manifold as controiiea Dy the ivelf test program.
The well stream, moving through the appropriate grams automatically regulate gas-lift efficiency, gas
manifold, next goes to the test or production sep- and oil well allowable, well testing, production
arator where a possible high level is sensed to pin- optimization, etc.
point any spill-over of liquids into the gas gathering
system. From the separators, liquid flows through a Secondary Recovery
net oil unit to dynamically determine water and oil Water and gas are injected into four reservoirs in
content. Separator gas goes directly to the plant, and this field. The Pennsylvanian and Spraberry zones are
static and ditlerential pressure transducers on both under waterflood; the Devonian gas condensate reser-
the test gas and production gas meter runs are used voir is cycled; and the Ellenburger reservoir is under
to determine sales gas volumes. Gas is gathered pressure maintenance by gas injection.
through a low-pressure (50 psig) or high-pressure In the waterfloods, operating times on the water
(300 psig) system. Some wells normally flow into the pumps and produced and injected well volumes are
high-pressure system but require periodic unloading documented, as well as certain critical injection sys-
into the low-pressure system. This switching between tem pressures. On the Ellenburger injection system,
systems is under Computer Control. Another function the running status of the injection compressor, the
performed at all satellites is the detection of gas vent- injection well casing pressure, and the vent valve posi-
ing from the separators using a iiquid, Yiow, no$o-w” ~i~fi ~re mo~j~ored. The volume of injection gas is
sensing device. also documented by the system.
When the crude has passed through the central
treating facilities, it moves into pipeline run tanks. Gasoline Plant
The automatic custody transfer is conventional; and In the gasoline plant, the system calculates the vol-
all normal functions such as meter reading, and moni- umes of gas and produced liquid streams. These data
toring of high BS&W, low flow, high tank level and provide a dynamic volume balance around the plant.

Maintenance
Company personnel in most cases have received train-
ing as maintenance technicians by attending manu-
WELL $1 facturers’ and suppliers’ schools, and industry schools
41Cfl PRESSL?tC WELLS
such as the Odessa College School of Automation.
,, :
Most maintenance and repair w?rk is now performed
by company personnel. The basic philosophy was
4,]
that the critical installation work would be done by
L*V pREssLmE wELLS
Mobil Oil Corp. personnel and that after the system
,,4
.M:. ,. was complete, the same people would be responsible
for maintaining the devices they installed. This con-
cept has worked very well.
The system is designed so that when driving power
m
GAS
k sti!l avai!ab!e in the field itself — regardless of
TO GAS PLT. whether there are electronic system troubles or there
:,)L p~’~
are no problems and the computer is on line — the
field will continue to produce normally. In the case
lES? [ of gas-lift wells, local logic can continue to control
GAS gas-lift operations on a preset sequence. When the
TO GAS PL1 . Y . . - A ●.11*
h- ~nmnllter w~ll
50 PSIG STATIC A!!D
computer or the system IS rep=iieu, ~vl.jr ---
DIFF. PRESS.
TRANSDUCERS
— LIQ1<lD !30LLWE immediately take over this local function. Over-all
— LEGSND — maintenance costs have been reduced as a result of
/ TO &SN the installation of the control system.
/, BATTERY
k~ COh’TSOL LINK ~ NET oIL UNITS WING
CAPACITAXC E PROBE PJVALYZERS Computer Programming
d CONTROLS AN, SENSING r),!’,,,, SAVE REPLACED HSATER TRL.4TERS
The control computer serves as the “nerve” or con-
Fig. 7—Typical Pegasus test satellite station. trol center. In addition to the standard features pre-

JULY, 1971 797

viously mentioned, special features include electrical
power failure detection and automatic restafl when
power returns, and an alarm circuit to a telephone
answering service for detecting system or program
malfunctions after normal work hours.
The computer is programmed for maximum auto-
matic initiation of field operational control (including
optimization logic), data reporting, and exception re-
porting functions. Computer-initiated functions are
performed at predefine time intervals, program cal-
culated time intervals, a particular time of day or a
given day of the month. For example, a program
executes every 30 seconds to control gas injection for
intermitting gas-lift wells, and another program func-
tions every morning at 6:30 to produce a production
report. Other programs are called into operation and
receive certain input data if needed via the “manual
entry” keyboard, (The degree to which the computer
capability is utilized in a computer control system
depends on the extent of computer-control systems
design and program development.)
Operating Control Programs
In all, 84 operational programs and s.itibprcygramshave
been developed. The computer supervisory system is
an integral part of the computer programming and
operating concept. Following are some of the major
programs.
Intermitting Gas-Lift Control. This operation invoives
five programs. One program, which executes at 30-
second intervals, initiates cent rols to start and stop
lift-gas injection based on individual cycles for each
well. It uses on-line data to calculate injected gas
volumes. A second progralm --- . .. tests gas-lift
rmlti . ~~lv
wells and empirically optimizes gas injection cycles.
A third program checks for production returns and
varies the length of injection time as needed. A fourth
program checks the gas-lift wells every two hours for
!ift-gas injection status. If abnormal conditions are
found, corrective control action is taken, A fiftt, pro=
gram, executed on manual request, redistributes in-
jection cycles to minimize the number of wells receiv-
ing gas at a given time. On at least one gas-lift well,
this on-line control has resulted in a production in-
crease of 331/3 percent.
Devonian Gas WeII Production Contioi. A package
of three programs allocates produced gas and con-
densate vo!umes, schedules, and regulates to maxi-
mize condensate production by adjusting weii chokes.
This also includes the necessary aii~~ation, reservoir
v-oi-u~leCFiiC’Ui~?iOP ., ~fc,, to balance production with
gas injection for the gas cycling project.
Switching of Flowing Oil Wells Between High- and
Low-Pressure Separator Systems. This program maxi-
mizes production of casinghead gas into the high-
-pressure gas system (minimizes gas compression at
gas piafit) by switching wells into the high-pressure
system when the well pressure indicates this capability.
This is especially important for wells that will some-
times flow into the high-pressure system but require
periodic unloading into the low-pressure system.
798
Well Testing. This program performs all the neces-
sary control actions, data gathering, and manipula-
tion to accomplish routine 24-hour well tests at each
production satellite. The normal sequence can be
interrupted for a special well test request. The pro-
gram also retests a well if the test results appear ab-
normal.
Oil Production Allocation and Control. If the well is
in a producing status, oil, water, and gas production
is allocated to each well based on latest well test data
from the well test program. When the allowable is
exceeded, the program allows for shutting in wells
with excess producing capacity.
Any control operation can be executed through a
manual entry request.
Exception Reporting
Status Interrogation and Off-Normal Report. This
program scans all field points on 15-minute intervals
and prints descriptive messages for new off-normal
conditions. A summary of current off-normal condi-
tions is printed several times daily. This report per-
mits early detection of malfunctions and reduces pro-
duction down-time.
Data Out-of-Limits Report. To report abnormal read-
ings, this program functions every 6 hours to scan all
fieid data points (analog and accumulator devices).
In the case of accumulators (metered volumes), rates
are checked for reasonableness and pressures are
compared for prescribed limits.
Communication Error Message. On request, a print-
.. obtained
out of commumcauon eiro~ ck?a cm be
when the computer fails to receive a valid reply after
three attempts to complete a request to a remote
station.
Water Injection Monitoring. This program monitors
the water injection system every 4 hours and reports
abnormal conditions.
Other Reports
Well Test Reports. Results of the prior day’s well
tests are printed each morning. Also, the most recent
~i~ well tests for a well can be printed upon manual
request.
pro~Jction and IniectionReport. This includes sev-
.
eral daily report programs that yield the foiiowing
data, both as daily figures arid as the month’s pro-
duction to date: (I) ~ii, water, and gas production
voiumes, (2) injected water and ga~ volumes, (3)
GORS, (4) pressures, etc.
Gas Plant Report. This program performs daily to
report inlet and outlet gas volumes and gas liquids
production for the gas piant, in terms of the past 24
hours’ pr~dtiction and the month’s production to date.
Well Production Report. This is a monthly report
showing monthly and cumulative produced oil, water,
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
and gas volumes and GOR as allocated to the well. agement decisions and control; and (1O) the system
is effective for extending the economic limit of pro-
Field Data Scan Report. A program was developed ducing properties.
to cause the computer to scan all field data and status The entire system, including the computer, elec-
points and to tabulate results in a logical sequence tronic system, communication media, and end devices,
so the field production and control systems can be has worked better than originally anticipated. The
..
checked m detad. This programl is“ narticlllarly
~~. . -----
im. ultimate intangible benefits from accounting and
portant during installation and check-out of field con- scientific programs may far exceed the immediate
trol equipment. It is also good for analyzing problems tangible benefits from field operations.
in the remote stations after on-line computer control The computer control system concept must encom-
operations begin. pass the entire scope of field operations functions,
electronic system configuration, and real-time com-
Conclusions ~dter application, and if its capabilities are to be fully
Electronic Computer Production Management using exploited, the total system must function as an entity.
a large “on-line real-time” control system is an accom-
plished fact. Results show many areas of tangible im- Acknowledgments
provements: (1) production downtime is minimized; We express our appreciation to the management of
(2) personnel is used more efficiently; (3) the entire Mobil Oil Corp. for permission to publish this paper.
producing operation is under centralized control; (4) Special thanks are offered to P. E. Harrison, L. A.
gas is measured more accurately and easily; (5) the Davis, D. R. Briggs, W. H. McGahey, J. R. Stoltz
lifting cost in a gas-lift system is reduced and the pro- and other Mobil personnel for their help in the devel-
duction is increased; (6) secondary recovery is regu- opment, preparation and critique of this paper. JI?T
lated for increased reservoir yield; (7) well testing and
production scheduling are automatic; (8) malfunc-
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers
tions can be detected immediately, resulting in re- office July 16, 1970. Revised manuscript received March 17, 1971.
Paper (SPE 2934) was presented at SPE 45th Annual Fall Meeting,
duced maintenance and repair costs; (9) more accurate held in Houston, Oct. 4-7, 1970. Q Copyright 1971 American insti-
historical and current data can be obtained for man- tute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

JULY, 1971 799