Lost profit reduction process and system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a hydrocarbon production trend using a well volume comparison. The method generally includes acquiring well volume data corresponding to a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells, comparing the acquired well volume data with target well volume data, assigning a loss production code to at least one of the hydrocarbon-producing wells based on the comparison; and detecting a hydrocarbon production trend utilizing the assigned loss production code.

1 . A method for detecting a hydrocarbon production trend, said method comprising:
 (a) accessing loss production codes assigned to a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells; and   (b) detecting a hydrocarbon production trend utilizing said assigned loss production codes.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including before (a)—
 (c) assigning said loss production codes to said plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells based on a comparison of acquired and target well volume data.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said well volume data comparison is performed by a computing device and said assigned loss production codes are inputted by a user to said computing device. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein (c) includes assigning one of said loss production codes to a first of said hydrocarbon-producing wells only if said comparison indicates that said acquired well volume data for said first hydrocarbon-producing well varies from said target well volume data for said first hydrocarbon-producing well by more than a tolerance volume. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said loss production codes are assigned to each hydrocarbon-producing well corresponding to acquired well volume data that varies from said target well volume data by more than said tolerance volume. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , further including before (a)—
 (d) acquiring well volume data corresponding to said plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said user acquires said well volume data by instructing said computing device to access a plurality of measurement devices positioned in a hydrocarbon gathering network. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a hydrocarbon production process based on said detected hydrocarbon production trend. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating (a) and (b) such that said detected hydrocarbon production trend represents a hydrocarbon production trend over a period of time. 
   
   
       10 . A method for detecting a hydrocarbon production trend, said method comprising:
 (a) acquiring well volume data corresponding to a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells;   (b) comparing said acquired well volume data with target well volume data;   (c) assigning a loss production code to at least one of said hydrocarbon-producing wells based on said comparison; and   (d) detecting a hydrocarbon production trend utilizing said assigned loss production code.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting a hydrocarbon production process based on said detected hydrocarbon production trend. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising indicating said detected hydrocarbon production trend on a human-readable display. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein (a) includes acquiring said well volume data from a plurality of measurement devices positioned in a hydrocarbon gathering network. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein (a) includes acquiring said well volume data from a computer-readable memory. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein (c) includes assigning said loss production code to at least one of said hydrocarbon-producing wells only if said comparison of (b) indicates that said acquired well volume data varies from said target well volume data by more than a tolerance volume. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said tolerance volume is predetermined. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of a plurality of loss production codes are assigned to each hydrocarbon-producing well corresponding to acquired well volume data that varies from said target well volume data by more than said tolerance volume. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising repeating (a) through (c) such that the detected hydrocarbon production trend represents a hydrocarbon production trend over a period of time. 
   
   
       19 . A system for detecting a hydrocarbon production trend, said system comprising:
 a plurality of measurement devices positioned in a hydrocarbon gathering network, said measurement devices operable to acquire well volume data corresponding to a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing wells; and   a computing device coupled with at least one of said measurement devices, said computing device operable to—
 acquire said well volume data from at least one of said measurement devices, 
 compare said acquired well volume data for each of said hydrocarbon-producing wells with target well volume data for each of said hydrocarbon-producing wells, 
 provide an indication of said comparisons to a user, and 
 receive a loss production code from said user in response to at least one of said comparisons and assign said received loss production code to at least one of said hydrocarbon-producing wells. 
   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said computing device is operable to access at least one of said measurement devices through a communications network. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a human-readable display coupled with said computing device and operable to visually present said indication of said comparisons. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a computer-readable memory coupled with said computing device and operable to store data corresponding to assigned loss production codes. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said computing device is further operable to prompt said user for said loss production code for a first of said hydrocarbon-producing wells only if said comparison indicates that said acquired well volume data for said first hydrocarbon-producing well varies from said target well volume data for said first hydrocarbon-producing well by more than a tolerance volume. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said tolerance volume is a predetermined volume stored in a computer-readable memory. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said computing device is further operable to prompt said user for said loss production code for each hydrocarbon-producing well that corresponds to acquired well volume data that varies from target well volume data by more than said tolerance volume.