Optimisation work fails in two common ways. The first is optimising things that are not the constraint, which produces effort and no production. The second is fixing one constraint without seeing what lies behind it, so a compressor upgrade delivers nothing because the separator or the water plant becomes limiting the day it starts.

Finding the binding constraint is therefore the first task, and it is usually answered by data rather than opinion. Well models show whether wells are inflow or outflow constrained. Pressure surveys through the network show where pressure is being lost. Facility utilisation data shows which unit is at capacity and how often. Deferment records show what actually stops production. Most fields have a handful of constraints that account for the majority of lost production.

Value ranking comes next. Some constraints can be relieved by operating changes at no cost: lowering separator pressure, rebalancing lift gas, changing choke settings, rerouting wells. Others need capital. The cheapest gains should be taken first, which also gives better information about where the next constraint lies. This course teaches that sequence and the analysis behind it.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify binding constraints across wells, network and facilities.
• Use production data and models to quantify constraint effects.
• Screen and rank optimisation opportunities by value, cost and risk.
• Optimise individual wells, including tubing, choke and artificial lift settings.
• Optimise networks, including back-pressure, routing and lift gas allocation.
• Identify and relieve separation, compression, water handling and export bottlenecks.
• Assess the interaction between constraints and predict the next bottleneck.
• Plan and cost debottlenecking projects.
• Implement operating changes with appropriate controls and monitoring.
• Track realised gains against predictions and sustain them.

Organisations sending participants to this training will:

• Increase production from existing wells and facilities.
• Direct optimisation effort at the constraints that actually limit production.
• Sequence debottlenecking spend so each step delivers.
• Capture no-cost and low-cost gains before capital projects.
• Track and sustain optimisation gains rather than losing them over time.

Participants will:

• Be able to identify what is limiting production in a field.
• Be able to rank opportunities by value and cost.
• Be able to optimise wells, lift and networks.
• Understand facility constraints and debottlenecking options.
• Be able to plan, implement and track an optimisation programme.

• Production engineers
• Production optimisation and surveillance engineers
• Facilities and process engineers
• Operations engineers and supervisors
• Reservoir engineers working with producing assets
• Asset and planning engineers

Upon successful completion of this training course, delegates will be awarded an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Petroleum Engineers Association (PEA), an ISO 9001:2015 certified training organization. The certificate carries 10 Credits and formally records the total learning hours completed.

Each certificate is signed by the Course Facilitator and the CEO of the Petroleum Engineers Association, and serves as verifiable proof of professional training that delegates can present to employers and professional bodies worldwide.