How Did Adopting ComboCurve Refine Enbridge Wexpro’s Workflow?

“I want to help evangelize using the full utility of adopting ComboCurve. You’ve clearly invested in something to give people what they want and you’ve thought ahead of things that users haven’t even asked for yet. That’s why, for me, I’ve watched your customer base grow, and who’s getting into it. To me, it’s just a matter of time at this point, because it makes so much sense – ComboCurve’s just a superior platform in my opinion.”

– Darin Oberg, Sr Staff Reservoir Engineer, Enbridge Wexpro

Enbridge Wexpro has always been keen on strengthening their operational efficiency and decision-making. They immediately took note of ComboCurve’s auto-forecasting capabilities’ potential to quickly outperform any existing solutions.

 

Antiquated Workflows and Inadequate Reporting

Enbridge had been using IHS, which allowed for a relatively clean way to load data into ARIES. However, switching platforms to Drilling Info also proved challenging. “We switched to Drilling Info, and it was pretty painful to try and get everything mapped into an ARIES database.” Enbridge’s Sr Staff Reservoir Engineer, Darin Oberg, recounts. The inherent design of ARIES meant that pulling in data was not straightforward. This necessitated the rebuilding of the entire theme from scratch. Although they eventually worked through these issues, it required collaboration between multiple people.

Brooks Black, Supervisor of Reservoir Engineering, found it unusual that people would manually forecast PDP in an acquisition setting without conveying the error expected in their forecasts to decision-makers.

 

So, How Did Adopting ComboCurve Affect Enbridge’s Workflow?

Seeking to improve forecasting accuracy and operational efficiency, Darin conducted a side-by-side comparison of ComboCurve and ARIES. “I ran all the economics in ComboCurve and ARIES, comparing results with one of our ARIES super users to see if we could replicate the same numbers and build that competency in-house.” This evaluation helped streamline their workflow and improve decision-making.

 

Efficiency Gains

One of the most notable benefits of adopting ComboCurve has been its impact on efficiency, particularly in streamlining workflows. Darin shared how the ability to quickly pull data from Drilling Info and create forecasts in minutes has significantly improved their operations. “For me personally, it’s cut down on the number of people that I have to rely upon to just get going and produce a product at the end of the day,” he explained.

Brooks echoed this sentiment, stating, “It’s light years above having to write a bunch of queries for an ARIES database, and then organize your data after that in Excel. It’s a lot easier to be able to diagnose our forecast.”

 

Cloud-Based Flexibility and Repeatable Insights

ComboCurve’s web-based nature and intuitive interface have enabled more independent and flexible work. Darin emphasized, “I could describe to Brooks or a peer the steps, and they could reproduce the exact same numbers that I produce.” This repeatable insight capability, particularly in auto-forecasting, ensures consistency and accuracy across their operations, reducing the reliance on busy colleagues and enabling faster decision-making. Darin also appreciates the accessibility, noting, “What I love too is that it’s all web-based, so I can log in here, at home, or anywhere I need to.”

 

Integrations with Other Platforms 

ComboCurve integrates with other platforms within Enbridge’s workflow. Once forecasts are established, they are exported and loaded into ARIES for economic runs. Additionally, ComboCurve integrates with Python, Spotfire, and Excel for data sorting, clustering, and visualization, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of their forecasting and analysis processes.

 

Darin’s Top 5 ComboCurve Benefits:

“There’s so few barriers to getting your job done efficiently, that’s what I really like about it.” – Darin Oberg, Sr Staff Reservoir Engineer, Enbridge Wexpro

• Fast forecasting: Get into DrillingInfo, identify an area of interest, load wells, and start forecasting within a matter of minutes.
• Efficient workflow: Reduce reliance on others, allowing for quicker product creation and decision-making.
• Web-based accessibility: Log in from anywhere at any time, ensuring seamless work continuity.
• User-friendly interface: Visually intuitive and easy-to-learn platform, that makes users more effective at their jobs.
• Responsive support: Excellent CS team with minimal wait time through the learning phase and daily operation.

 

Adoption, Banks and Industry Shifts

As early adopters of ComboCurve, Enbridge has witnessed the tool’s growing popularity across the industry. Previously, there was a prevailing belief that investment banks would never use ComboCurve, prompting companies to continue to stick with ARIES. However, Darin suggested ComboCurve’s rise as an industry standard saying, “I’ve seen job postings at banks and they list ComboCurve. That tide is definitely changing.”

Darin recently watched an end-to-end deal evaluation led by ComboCurve Senior Reservoir Engineer, Dylan Breaux. The webinar features an ARIES database conversion from EnergyNet to evaluate Wasatch Energy Management, a company Enbridge knew well. “I watched that whole thing thinking, ‘why this isn’t just more prevalent? Why are people so slow to adopt?’ When new tools for RTA come out, companies are very quick to adopt and move over to that.”

 

ComboCurve Leading the Way for Operators

Transitioning to new software tools can significantly improve utility and efficiency, as seen in various industries. Drawing a parallel, Darin explains, “I see this as the same thing – it’s a tool that helps you get your job done more efficiently, more accurately. ‘Why not switch to ComboCurve? What are you afraid of?’ would be my question if you’re willing to make changes in other places.”