development of a plunger lift playbook - alrdc · development of a plunger lift playbook . focused...

Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado

February 23 – 26, 2014

Shane Myers & Kelli Poppenhagen

Encana

Development of a Plunger Lift Playbook

Focused Problem Solving Groups – “Focus Groups”

• Good knowledge sharing framework base • How can we be even more effective?

• Topics determined in annual meeting, steering committee, etc. • What do people have energy to work on?

• Chairs for focus groups are not the same as subgroup facilitators • Delegate, preferred engineer-run

• Set their own goals, meetings, run separately from main quarterly meeting • Specific project milestones

• Goals do not have to be earth-shattering • Develop contact list, set up a regular discussion, compile

what others have done, post a result to SharePoint

• Report progress to Steering Committee

• Never more than 4-5 at a time to focus resources

• Follow DMAIC or DMEDI problem solving process 2

Plunger Lift Playbook Focus Group

• Need identified at 2012 Summit

• Kick-off September 2012

• Key Playbook deliverables rolled out July 2013

• Presented lessons learned and best management

practices at 2013 Summit

3

Charter – Problem Statement

• Limited communication and uniformity company-

wide regarding plunger lift operation

• Lacking consistent set of operating practices:

– Encana currently operates ~5300 (36%) plunger lift wells

and counting

– 91% of surveyed prod ops personnel believe plunger

operation is somewhat consistent to not at all

consistent

• Successes and failures of formal and informal

testing of tools, techniques and concepts are not

always shared effectively

4

Total Production from Plunger Lift (Mmcfd) & Wells on Plunger Lift

5

Production Ops Survey – Consistency?

6

Production Ops Survey – Resources?

7

Developing Focus Areas

2011 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Denver, Colorado 8

Goals

• Document current plunger lift usage and

operating practices of each SBU, distribute this

information via SharePoint

• Establish consistent communication and

knowledge sharing via Focus Group

• Develop a playbook for plunger operation,

including Best Management Practices (BMPs)

• Conduct formal testing of new technologies,

equipment and processes, incorporate findings

into the Playbook

9

Completed Work

• Recurring Focus Group meetings held to improve knowledge sharing and communication

• Surveys completed by 11 of Encana’s SBUs and analyzed using Spotfire visualizations

– Results posted to SharePoint

– Used to quickly identify SBU plunger lift details and personnel

• An Action Workout was completed April 24-25, 2013 to develop top four priority deliverables:

– Plunger Lift General Guidelines

– Operational Guidelines for Non-traditional Plungers

– Plunger Safety and Maintenance Guide

– Plunger Lift Operational Guide for Deviated and Horizontal Wells

10

Survey Sample Data – Wellbore Issues

Maximum Deviated Well Inclination

Action Workout

• Two-day Kaizen-style event

– Pre-defined protocol was followed:

• No non-emergency email and/or phone calls

• No unrelated work nor internet browsing unrelated to the project

• Each location had a facilitator

– First day was focused on data dump and documentation

– Second day was focused on review and refinement

– Mid and end of day meetings

• Held jointly in Denver and Calgary

– Communication via video conference and WebEx

– Subgroups organized by location

• Members included office and field personnel / experts from 8 SBUs

• Developed full guides and condensed field guides

13

Playbook Deliverable Examples

Plunger Safety and Maintenance Guide

Next Steps for Focus Group

• Gather feedback on and improve Plunger Lift

Playbook as needed (repeat survey)

• Turn focus towards new / emerging / improving

technologies

– Fluid measurement technologies

– Investigate new plunger lift technologies/ideas/needs

with staff and vendors

– Compile database of plunger equipment with real-world

learnings

• Improve communication between Focus Group

and rest of Production Operations

15

Best Management Practices

• Build momentum early

– Build and involve focus group early and often

– Start small and advertise achievements, especially

initially

– Meet regularly and often, especially at the onset

– Continually solicit group feedback for improvements or

ideas

• Keep it fun!

– Face-to-face meetings, ice-breakers

• Use technology to bridge distance gap, i.e.

SharePoint, video conference, and WebEx

16

Acknowledgements

• Encana

• Lean Coach – Brent Chance

• Focus Group Members

• Encana Technology Exchange

Partnership

17

Back-up

18

Process Map – Standardizing Focus Group Approach

19

Typical Meeting

• Every two weeks, 1 hr

• Prepared agenda

– Recap last meeting, purpose for this meeting

– Review action items from last meeting

– New business / open discussion

• Goal / progress check-in vs charter

• Maintain member participation by having 10-15

minute knowledge share (rotate among SBUs)

– Assign action items, Bs&Cs

Control

• Follow-up survey

– Is improvement having the desired effect?

• SharePoint discussion boards for feedback and

Focus Group governance

• Key Challenges

– Handling member position changes

– Maintaining participation

– Assessing playbook use, value, and feedback

throughout Encana as a whole

Feb. 23 - 26, 2014 2014 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Denver, Colorado

22

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Feb. 23 - 26, 2014 2014 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Denver, Colorado

23

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