WELL MONITORING

Gas Well Monitoring and Control
Hohn Engineering, PLLC manages producing properties in a professional and cost efficient manner incorporating the best of new technology. We have engineering, operations, and administrative staff capable of managing, operating, and enhancing any oil and gas property in the Northern Rockies. The company has developed a computer-based system to monitor gas wells from our Billings, MT office. Operational and sales information is retrieved from a remote well via cell phone, processed, and then posted to a password protected client web page located on our own secure website server. Polling frequency and data presentation are tailored to client needs and all data may be easily downloaded to MS Excel for analysis. Near real time production and sales information allows timely management and marketing decisions and more efficient use of field labor by saving unneeded trips to the wells.

Our monitoring service has brought technology that was previously available to only the largest of oil and gas producers, to the small operator, giving them a competitive edge. Modern communication, computing capabilities, and the Internet allow us to collect information from any location and present it how, where and when the client needs it. This system has redefined well operations for our clients

Equipment
The wellsite equipment we use is state of the art electronic flow measurement equipment manufactured by Fisher Control. Our computer software will handle a variety of other manufacturers equipment, but we have found Fisher equipment to be reliable and accurate plus service is readily available in our area of operation.

Communication
Currently there are three options available for communication between the remote well and the server in our office: Standard land based telephone lines, cell phones (the most versatile and economic), and radio wave based systems. A fourth possibility is satellite phones, but they are too costly to use but in the most extreme cases.

• Land Based Telephone
  Where landlines are available, they provide reliable, consistent communication. Land lines are expensive to install, and are typically expensive to operate, long distance charges mount up if frequent polling is required.
• Cell Phones
  Cell phones are typically the most economic alternative for remote locations. They require modest capital to purchase and install, and tolerable monthly charges for use. Frequently cell service suppliers have rate plans that result in reasonable costs for communication. Where cell signal is strong, these phones provide excellent communication service.
• Radio
  Where properties are geographically concentrated, spread spectrum radio communications can be used. Significant capital investment may be required to establish the system, but once operational, it is an inexpensive form of communication. Reduced costs allow more frequent polling of the wells, which translates to better information, decisions and economic returns.

Currently, all wells monitored by Hohn Engineering, PLLC use cell phone communication.

Control
Our system allows control of flow and equipment from the office either through automated schedules that are reliably programmed, or by manual instructions transmitted from our office to the control equipment in the field.

Alarms and Notification
The system has the ability to monitor any parameter the client chooses. Should the parameter fall outside of a client defined operating range, it will trigger an alarm. The computer telephones a predefined list of telephone numbers to notify the appropriate parties that a problem exists. The computer continues to call down the list of parties and starts over at the top of the list until the alarm is acknowledged. The acknowledging party hears a human voice recording that clearly describes where and what the problem is.

Other Applications
Although the system has been developed to monitor gas wells and their operation, it is capable of monitoring any process, equipment, or remote operation. It only requires the appropriate measuring, sensing or control equipment at the remote site with communication capability.

What Our Business Associates have to say:
"Timely and accurate production flow information is essential for the natural gas producer to maximize value of his production. Real-time data allows taking advantage of daily cash price swings in addition to reducing or eliminating costly pipeline imbalance penalties. Those familiar with the volatile nature of natural gas pricing and pipeline imbalance penalties can appreciate the potential economic value of real-time production information...."

Summit Energy Trading, Salt Lake City