Flowco Production Solutions releases multi-well controller well solution at SPE ATCE 2023
(WO) — At the SPE Annual Technical Conference, Flowco Production Solutions announced the immediate availability of the APEX Multi-Well Controller, giving oil and gas operators more precise monitoring and control technology to optimize their well pads for gas-lifted, plunger-lifted, and GAPL (gas-assisted-plunger-lift) assets. The solution optimizes a single well or a pad of connected assets.
“Optimal control of the well is automated,” said Dean Lehner, Director of Digital Solutions at Flowco, “whether manually set or assisted through AI. The operator has the flexibility to use the intelligence built into the system or custom set the parameters of each well and make adjustments as required”.
Overwhelmingly positive results. Many oil and gas operators have already benefited from deploying the APEX Multi-Well system in multiple geographies across the United States. Major global operators and independents alike have been involved in strategic field trials since January of 2022, to test and further develop the technology for commercial application.
“The APEX unit is seamless,” said a Permian basin-based petroleum engineer for a multinational operator, “their hardware plugged right into our existing SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and connected our well pad. I don’t need to leave the cab of my truck to download the data from daily operations or reset well parameters.”
Controller availability in basins near you. The APEX Multi-Well Controller is a technology innovation over traditional automation driven by customer feedback and a breakthrough approach for oilfield digitalization. The system works with many major proprietary and retail SCADA packages on the market, as well as the Flowco LiftSight SCADA system. The system provides powerful computing capabilities at the wellhead and supports critical, real-time reservoir-monitoring data garnered from the addition of a downhole gauge or gauges. The APEX Multi-Well Controller also reduces the overall environmental impact of activities with a reduced hardware footprint.
Optimal control and production of the well can be automated and remote, whether points are manually set and assigned by the operator, or the assignments made by the AI algorithms in the controller. The operator has the flexibility to tune each artificial lift platform for peak performance. The system has the capability to optimize each well “regardless of lift platform” simultaneously.
Multiple ports offer configurable connectivity options and are rated Class 1, Div 2 to meet oilfield requirements. The Flowco App enables system configuration, data access, and download capabilities and can be configured for all forms of artificial lift. The APEX Multi-Well controller approach simplifies and unifies critical data and workflows for production solutions for all well types in today's broad range of production environments.
