Professor Roman Shor leads a session with 75 students who runs simultaneous online simulations in OpenLab.

In a remarkable display of interactive education and technology utilization, Texas A&M University has set a new record for simultaneous users on the OpenLab Drilling Simulator. Under the guidance of Professor Roman Shor, 75 students from the courses PETE 335 and PETE 661 used the simulation software simultaneously, marking a milestone since OpenLab's inception in 2018. The previous record, held by the University of Stavanger, was 45 simultaneous simulations.

Educational Milestone Achieved

During a recent session, approximately 75 drilling & well engineering students from Texas A&M logged into the OpenLab web client to participate in a hands-on learning experience. This session not only facilitated practical learning but also demonstrated the robust capabilities of the OpenLab system to handle complex, multi-user operations. OpenLab Drilling is equiped with the world's most advanced simulation models for drilling operations, developed by NORCE- Norwegian Research Centre.

Enhancing Petroleum Engineering Education

By using the OpenLab simulator, students are able to get a deeper insight to a complex physical process, and to apply theoretical knowledge in a virtual, yet realistic, environment. This approach not only enhances their understanding of drilling dynamics but also prepares them for real-world challenges within oil & gas, geothermal energy, and CO2 storage, in particular.

Setting New Standards

This achievement not only showcases the scalability and effectiveness of the simulator but also sets a new standard for educational practices in engineering. The ability of students to run realistic simulations highlights the simulator's advanced technology and reliability, crucial for training the next generation of engineers.

"We are thrilled to see OpenLab being utilized to its full potential, bringing practical and impactful education to students globally," said Jan Einar Gravdal, project manager of OpenLab in NORCE. "This record-setting event is a testament to the collaborative efforts between academia and industry to foster innovation and learning."

Looking Forward

Since the launch in 2018, OpenLab continues to support educational institutions around the world in adopting advanced simulation technologies. In 2024, more than 3.000 people have visitet OpenLab Drilling. The record of simultaneous users set by Texas A&M University not only enhances the learning experience for current students but also paves the way for future educational enhancements.

For more information on how OpenLab can be integrated into educational programs, visit OpenLab's website.

OpenLab Drilling: Paving the Way for DrillTronics' Success

OpenLab has played a crucial role in the development and quallification of DrillTronics, a cutting-edge drilling automation software. Developed over the last two decades, DrillTronics utilizes self-calibrating models created by NORCE and commercialized by Sekal AS. The use of OpenLab has allowed for extensive testing, refinement, and integration with other technologies, culminating in its deployment in the field.

Sekal AS, the owner of the DrillTronics technology, has worked closely together with NORCE and OpenLab during the quallification of this technology prior to installation on the Transocean Enabler drilling rig. This deployment was instrumental in the successful drilling of two carbon injection wells in Q3 and Q4 of 2022, as a part of the Northern Lights carbon transport and storage project—a joint venture by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies.

Helga Gjeraldstveit, Research Director at NORCE, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "We are honored to have contributed to the success of CO2 storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Recognizing that cost efficiency is paramount to accelerate CO2 storage, we remain confident that OpenLab will continue to be a key player in this endeavor."

OpenLab is now actively seeking funding from the Research Council of Norway to expand its capabilities beoynd CO2, petroleum and geothermal drilling operations. These expansions include addressing Hydrogen and CO2 leakage, ensuring well integrity, and enhancing OpenLab's integration with other European R&D infrastructures and centers.

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I flere år har e-Infrastrukturen OpenLab blitt brukt til å simulere boreoperasjoner. Bruken av den web-baserte tjenesten har økt under pandemien. Nå vil forskningsmiljøet videreutvikle verktøyet slik at det kan anvendes til forskning innen CO2 – lagring og geotermisk energi.

OpenLab brukes av forskere og studenter over hele verden for å studere og forbedre metoder for brønnboring. OpenLab er en digital plattform for å generere realistiske men virtuelle data for komplekse dynamiske prosesser. Sommeren 2021 passerte den 1ooo brukere etter at den ble lansert for 3 år siden. Flest brukere er det i Norge, Canada, USA og India.  Nå skal verktøyet utvikles videre og tilpasses til problemstillinger innenfor CO2-lagring og geotermisk energiproduksjon.

-Det er mange likhetstrekk mellom produksjon av olje og gass, og produksjon av geotermisk energi, så denne videreutviklingen har lagt i støpeskjeen en stund, sier forskningssjef Helga Gjeraldstveit i NORCE. For CO2 lagring så går det ut på å utnytte verktøyet til å beregne hvor brønnene bør ligge og hvordan CO2 blir fordelt og oppbevart i berggrunnen.

Helga Gjeraldstveit leder forskningsgruppen i NORCE som jobber med digitalisering og energieffektivisering for å redusere fotavtrykket fra boreoperasjoner. De er et internasjonalt ledende miljø innenfor fagområdet. Flere forskningsgrupper i NORCE er anerkjente innenfor digitalisering av energisektoren og med stor betydning både for verdiskapning [1], energieffektivisering og CO2-utslipp [2] fra olje- og gassektoren.  

-Brukerne av OpenLab er forskere, ingeniører og studenter over hele verden med behov for realistiske simuleringer av strømning i undergrunnen og i brønner. Vår ekspertise på dataassimilasjon og overvåking og styring av dynamiske prosesser gjør at vi forstår hvordan vi skal tilby disse dataene på mest hensiktsmessig måte til brukerne. Nå er det økt aktivitet innenfor CO2-lagring og geotermisk energi, og det er derfor naturlig for oss å utvikle OpenLab i den retningen, sier Helga Gjeraldstveit.

Sammen med Universitet i Stavanger har NORCE etablert OpenLab som en forskningsinfrastruktur med brukere over hele verden. Jan Einar Gravdal er seniorforsker og prosjektleder i NORCE, og arbeider også på UiS der OpenLab er et viktig verktøy for å gi studenter og forelesere tilgang til data.

-Det går generelt mye tid for å innhente og klargjøre feltdata for forskning. I tillegg er ikke feltdata tilstrekkelig for å utvikle styringssystemer eller studere "what if" scenarier. Dette ville vi gjøre noe med, og timingen viste seg å være god. Vi ser blant annet økt bruk av OpenLab for maskinlæring og også innen helt andre anvendelsesområder enn brønnboring sier Jan Einar Gravdal.

OpenLab er et web-basert verktøy som gir brukerne tilgang til avanserte beregningsmodeller, kombinert med høy brukervennlighet. Den er utviklet med støtte fra Forskningsrådet gjennom Infrastruktur-programmet. NORCE har, sammen med SINTEF, UiS, NTNU, UiO og flere andre forskningsinstitusjoner, søkt om finansiering til å etablere infrastrukturen innenfor flere anvendelsesområder.

Lenker:

[1] Forskningsrådet

[2] NORCE

Troughout 2021 OpenLab has been used extensively to prepare for the first demonstration of autonomous drilling at Ullrigg in Stavanger. In the context of autonomous drilling, the system decides and executes by itself every action that shall be taken and this without human intervention.  In week 36 the project successfully demonstrated the technology at Ullrigg after weeks of preparations in OpenLab.

The research and development of an autonomous drilling system is conducted as part of a NORCE-led project, financed by The Research Council of Norway and AkerBP, Equinor, Petrobras, Repsol, TotalEnergies and Vår Energi, through the Demo2000 program. This is a joint work between NORCE, Sekal, NOV and Odfjell Drilling. The project is entitled “Demonstration of Autonomous Drilling Process Control” (DADPC) and the demonstration was performed on NORCE’s full-scale offshore type drilling rig, Ullrigg.

Read more at NORCE webpage

The Norwegian Minister of Energy and Petroleum visited NORCE and OpenLab today, and was impressed by the infrastructure in combination with Ullrigg at Ullandhaug.

-"We contribute, among other things, by digitizing and automating the oil and gas sector. This leads to safer and more efficient energy production, as well as increased recovery, which in turn contributes to the lowest possible carbon footprint", says Executive Vice President of NORCE Energi, Aina Margrethe Berg.

OpenLab is of great importance for research and commercial businesses that delivers new technologies for automated / autonomous drilling. New technology has proven to significantly reduce the CO2 footprint from the industry, and the potential is significant in the future. NORCE is now seeking funds to expand the OpenLab infrastructure to offer field data and to extend the simulation capabilities towards reservoir simulation and towards geothermal energy and CO2 storage.