Case Study: Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Compliance with Cimarron’s Sytelink360? Real Time Monitoring System

Introduction

Cimarron's Sytelink360? Real-Time Monitoring System (“Sytelink360”) represents a leading-edge solution designed to enhance both operational efficiency and emissions control in the oil and gas sector. By integrating proprietary software, hardware, and comprehensive field services, Sytelink360 provides customers with real-time data that drives equipment optimization, performance guarantees, and seamless emissions monitoring and management.

In our latest case study, Cimarron showcases how the Sytelink360 platform optimized equipment performance, reduced downtime, and ensured regulatory compliance for an oil producer in Oklahoma. The insights provided by the system led to improved decision-making, delivering an estimated incremental value of $200,000 to $435,000 compared to alternative solutions.

Case Background

The customer, a small oil producer operating multiple wells in southern Oklahoma, sought to enhance both operational efficiency and environmental compliance. Their commitment to embracing low cost, high value technologies as well as regulatory compliance risk from state regulators positioned them as an ideal candidate for Cimarron’s Sytelink360 solution.

Regulatory Context: Air Quality Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) OOOOb imposes stringent regulations on oil and gas operators, mandating continuous monitoring of combustion devices (ECDs), including pilot flame and stack temperature monitoring. In Oklahoma, these regulations are enforced by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) through air permits. Furthermore, EPA regulations under 40 CFR 98, Subpart W require annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, adding another layer of compliance for oil and gas facilities.

Customer Challenges: Compliance, Monitoring, Production Downtime

Prior to implementing Sytelink360, the customer faced several critical challenges:

• Regulatory Compliance: Manually collecting data for DEQ-required reports was labor-intensive, often resulting in delays and increasing the risk of non-compliance.
• Inefficient Monitoring: Field operators manually checked the status of the pilot flame and stack temperature, a process prone to inaccuracies and inefficiencies.
• Operational Downtime: Undetected issues in the combustion equipment led to unplanned outages, negatively impacting oil production and profitability.

Cimarron’s Solution: Sytelink360 with Opti Link and ARControl

Cimarron's Opti Link, part of the Sytelink360 ecosystem, provides advanced and customizable monitoring controls to optimize combustion equipment performance. By offering real-time data on key parameters such as pilot flame status and ECD stack temperature, Opti Link enhances both operational control and compliance. Additionally, Cimarron’s integrated ARControl burner management system improves pilot control and burner management.

Implementation

The oil producer successfully integrated Sytelink360 into its existing operations with a focus on the following key areas:

• Dashboard Access: Using Sytelink360's customizable dashboard, the customer could monitor the pilot flame status and stack temperatures in real-time.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Sytelink360's robust data collection allowed for continuous monitoring and analysis of combustion parameters, ensuring optimal performance.
• Automated Reporting: The system generated automated compliance reports for the DEQ, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.

Cimarron's Sytelink360 system delivered more than just basic operating pilot status by providing real-time monitoring of adjacent facility and equipment data points, such as combustion stack temperature and pressure. Correlating these data streams is essential for assessing the combustor's overall health, enabling early detection of overheating or excessive pressure and preventing catastrophic failures. For instance, when stack temperatures exceed 2000°F, the risk of combustor damage, visible flames, and safety hazards increases significantly. Continuous monitoring of both temperature and pressure in addition to pilot status helps maintain system safety and compliance.

Key Benefits Delivered to Customers

The Sytelink360 implementation delivered multiple significant benefits:

1. Enhanced Monitoring and Control

• Real-Time Data Visibility: The customizable dashboard provided a clear view of key combustion metrics, such as pilot flame status and stack temperature, enabling the team to take proactive steps in managing combustion processes.
• Early Issue Detection: Continuous, real-time monitoring allowed for the early detection of potential issues, minimizing unplanned downtimes.

2. Improved Regulatory Compliance

• Accurate Documentation: Automated data collection and reporting ensured all necessary compliance documentation was accurate and up-to-date.
• Timely Submissions: The streamlined reporting process enabled the timely submission of required data to regulatory agencies, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.

3. Increased Operational Efficiency

• Reduced Downtime: The early detection of issues minimized operational disruptions, leading to increased uptime and higher productivity.
• Cost Savings: By enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime, the company realized significant cost savings.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Considerations

In the base case scenario, where the customer had not implemented any advanced monitoring technology, they faced frequent venting events due to inadequate combustion equipment and rudimentary procedures. These venting events led to costly production shutdowns imposed by local regulators, resulting in substantial profit losses and non-compliance penalties. The high cost of these inefficiencies far outweighed the investment in Cimarron's Sytelink360 solution.

Compared to a high-capital expenditure SCADA system—typically not feasible for smaller operators—Cimarron's Sytelink360 provided a much more affordable option. The total cost of ownership, factoring in annualized equipment costs, compliance costs, emissions-related expenses, and service fees, resulted in an estimated value increase of $200,000 to $435,000 across just four production sites as compared to the SCADA deployment option and base case scenario, respectively.

Conclusion

Cimarron’s Sytelink360 monitoring system significantly improved the operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and profitability of the oil producer. Real-time data visibility, automated compliance reporting, and early issue detection minimized unplanned downtimes while ensuring accurate and timely submission of regulatory reports. With its advanced capabilities, Sytelink360 provided the company with substantial cost savings, increased productivity, and enhanced regulatory adherence. This case study underscores the vital role of adopting advanced technologies in driving efficiency and compliance in the oil and gas industry.