Case Study

Six Sigma - Card Analysis Failure Reduction

Led a Six Sigma project to analyze and reduce pump-off controller card analysis failures, improving automated production calculations and eliminating the need for costly outsourced well testing through data-driven root cause analysis and instrumentation maintenance optimization.

Six Sigma Data Analysis Root Cause Analysis Instrumentation Production Optimization Cost Reduction

Executive Snapshot

Objective
Reduce pump-off controller card analysis failures to improve automated production calculations, pump efficiency metrics, and eliminate costly outsourced well testing through systematic root cause analysis.
My Role
Six Sigma Project Leader. Led requirements gathering, data analysis, root cause investigation, and solution implementation. Presented findings to operations, managers, and lead engineers.
Process
XSPOC automated analysis • Nightly card collection • Production calculations • Pump efficiency metrics
Scope
Oil well pumping units • Load cell instrumentation • Automated card analysis • Well testing optimization
Impact
Thousands of dollars saved monthly • Eliminated outsourced well testing • Improved production accuracy • Enhanced pump efficiency calculations
Pareto Analysis Error Log Analysis Load Cell Calibration Instrumentation Maintenance ROI Analysis Stakeholder Presentation

Outcome

  • Identified faulty wiring and uncalibrated load cells as primary root causes of card analysis failures.
  • Presented compelling ROI case to operations, managers, and lead engineers for instrumentation maintenance investment.
  • Achieved thousands of dollars in monthly savings by eliminating outsourced well testing costs.
  • Improved automated production calculations and pump efficiency metrics accuracy.
The Six Sigma approach delivered measurable cost savings and improved operational efficiency through data-driven decision making.

Problem

XSPOC runs a nightly automated process to analyze pump-off controller cards collected from oil well pumping units. A significant number of wells experienced card analysis failures, resulting in incomplete data that prevented accurate calculation of production metrics, pump efficiency, and other valuable KPIs. This data gap forced reliance on costly outsourced well testing and manual well testing processes, impacting operational efficiency and costs.

Solution

  • Conducted Pareto analysis on error logs to identify the most frequent failure modes.
  • Performed root cause analysis to determine that card collection failures and corruption were primary issues.
  • Investigated deeper to identify faulty wiring and uncalibrated load cells as root causes.
  • Developed ROI analysis demonstrating the value of addressing instrumentation maintenance issues.
  • Presented findings to stakeholders including operations, managers, and lead engineers.
  • Implemented instrumentation maintenance program to prevent future failures.

Pumping Unit Overview

Oil Well Pumping Unit Diagram
Oil well pumping unit with pump-off controller and load cell instrumentation for automated card collection and analysis.

Pump-Off Controller Animation

Automated pump-off controller operation showing card collection and analysis process.

Six Sigma Methodology & Analysis

Phase Activity Key Findings
Define Project scope and requirements gathering Card analysis failures affecting production calculations and pump efficiency metrics
Measure Error log analysis and data collection Significant number of wells experiencing analysis failures on a nightly basis
Analyze Pareto analysis and root cause investigation Faulty wiring and uncalibrated load cells identified as primary root causes
Improve ROI analysis and stakeholder presentation Instrumentation maintenance investment justified by cost savings and improved accuracy
Control Implementation and monitoring Thousands of dollars saved monthly through eliminated outsourced well testing

Root Cause Analysis Results

Primary Issues Identified
  • Card Collection Failures: Pump-off controller cards failing to collect properly
  • Data Corruption: Collected cards coming in corrupted or incomplete
  • Faulty Wiring: Load cell wiring issues causing signal problems
  • Uncalibrated Load Cells: Instrumentation out of calibration affecting data quality
Impact on Operations
  • Incomplete Data: Unable to calculate production metrics accurately
  • Pump Efficiency: Missing data for pump efficiency calculations
  • Cost Impact: Reliance on expensive outsourced well testing
  • Manual Processes: Increased manual well testing requirements
  1. Requirements Gathering: Understanding the XSPOC process and failure patterns.
  2. Data Analysis: Analyzing error logs and failure frequency using Pareto analysis.
  3. Root Cause Investigation: Drilling down to identify faulty wiring and calibration issues.
  4. ROI Development: Calculating cost savings and benefits of instrumentation maintenance.
  5. Stakeholder Presentation: Presenting findings to operations, managers, and lead engineers.
  6. Implementation: Executing instrumentation maintenance and monitoring improvements.
  • Operations Team: Presented findings on production calculation improvements and operational efficiency gains.
  • Management: Demonstrated ROI and cost savings potential from instrumentation investment.
  • Lead Engineers: Technical review of root cause analysis and proposed solutions.
  • Cross-functional Alignment: Ensured buy-in across all stakeholder groups for implementation.
  • Cost Savings: Thousands of dollars saved monthly by eliminating outsourced well testing.
  • Improved Accuracy: Better automated production calculations and pump efficiency metrics.
  • Operational Efficiency: Reduced manual well testing requirements and improved data quality.
  • Preventive Maintenance: Established framework for ongoing instrumentation maintenance.