The Digital Twin: Are You Prepared?

Posted on September 7th, 2021
Posted in Uncategorized

Digital twins have been garnering a lot of attention lately, but talk to ten people and you’ll probably get ten different answers as to what a digital twin is, so let’s start with some basics. What is a digital twin?

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses
simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision making.

The digital twin marketplace is poised to explode in growth, with a projected market size of $16.4B by 2024. Early movers who have taken advantage of this technology are healthcare and pharma industries, manufacturing asset excellence, and commercial building optimization. In the oil and gas and petrochemical industries the use has been primarily limited to plant turnarounds and large scale engineering projects. Specifically, the upstream oil and gas community has been slow to adopt, with understandable technical hurdles, namely desperate and aging OT systems, poor communication infrastructure, and lack of scalable products on the marketplace. That paradigm is shifting. Industrial IoT devices are dramatically decreasing in cost, and it is now easier than ever to acquire high frequency data, and either run advanced computations at the edge (i.e. onsite with field deployed hardware) or in a cloud instance.

When it comes to digital twins, the natural place to start is with Advanced Fault Detection. SCADA systems are great at alerting operators when telemetry readings fall above or below a threshold. They can even handle more advanced computations such as rates of change or duration, but there is nothing to guarantee that the previously established alerts are “correct” or “accurate” for the current state of the system. As wells mature, fields develop and infrastructure changes so does the operating envelope of the equipment. This is where digital twins come into play. By creating a digital copy of the system using physics and statistical based equations, the digital twin is able to constantly compare real world values with that of the model. This produces a continually updating system that can alert operators when the system is not operating efficiently.

The next logical step is to look into the future and predict the Remaining Useful Life of a piece of equipment or system. By labeling and identifying previous failures, a digital twin is able to detect how current conditions affect the remaining life of equipment. Finally, the “holy grail” of digital twinning is Supervisory Process Control. Essentially, this is an advanced operating layer above the traditional SCADA system focused on optimizing pad or full field operations in a closed loop control system.

All of this sounds great, but how do you actually implement a digital twin, and “train” this software? This requires two key elements to seamlessly come together. First, is a powerful piece of software that can ingest OT data, and contains a development environment where all the necessary code can be developed, tested, deployed, and maintained. Second, are subject matter experts that can identify key problems, label data sets and develop interfaces that allow other subject matter experts to interact with the software and continue training it. This is where a strong implementation partner, such as Halker Smart Solutions, that can leverage both years of process and mechanical knowledge, and industrial automation, can offer an advanced level of insight and control to upstream oil and gas operators.

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Noelle Ford, PHR, SPHR

Director of Human Resources

Noelle Ford graduated from the University of Colorado (Go Buffs!) with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and also has her PHR and SPHR. Her oil & gas career began in 2009 with a recruitment firm specializing in the oil & gas and mining sectors. She joined Halker as the resident human resource and recruiting specialist in 2014 and has been a part of Halker’s growth and success over the last 10 years. Noelle brings a great balance of professionalism and a sense of humor to the office culture, which makes her both approachable and respected among her team mates.

Noelle is a Colorado native and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves seeing movies, plays and travelling around the world.

Matt Halker

Founder

Matt Halker, founder and CEO of Halker Consulting, earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Matt is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Colorado, and several other states. He is an E&P professional with engineering and construction experience in the oil and gas industry, spanning the Gulf of Mexico to the Rocky Mountains. He began his professional career as an offshore engineer for Vastar Resources before he moved to Durango and managed compressor and pipeline projects throughout the SW Colorado area. Beginning in 2003, Matt became a project engineer for CBM gas field operations at Thunder Creek Gas Services, working on various pipeline and compressor station projects in Gillette, WY. Matt resigned and made his next moves as an entrepreneur in 2006. Halker Consulting and Dry Creek Petroleum were founded in 2006 as mechanisms to work engineering consulting and oil field operations opportunities. Halker’s consulting and engineering services became Matt’s full-time pursuit after 2008.

Since 2012, Matt has founded multiple companies including EIS, SWEVCO-SABW, Slipstream Environmental Services, and most recently Halker Smart Solutions. Throughout his career he has managed many aspects of oil and gas business including commercial M&A, operations, engineering, construction and commissioning. A few notable projects include a helium recovery plant, a solar powered-pump off a separator solution, a microscale-liquid hydrocarbon recovery project, the first Econode production facility, and an aboveground, downhole casing R&D simulator.

Despite market fluctuations, Matt’s commitment to grow and execute Halker’s mission has remained strong. Today, Halker’s full-service Energy engineering services encompass multiple aspects of upstream and midstream projects including feasibility studies, project management, economic analysis, oil, gas and water handling facility design, pipeline design, among many other oil & gas, power and renewable engineering activities. Matt is always looking to the future of energy and will continue to be an innovator and industry thought leader.

Matt, Gretchen and their 4 children live in Colorado and enjoy indoor and outdoor activities, including team sports, off-road motorcycle riding, skiing, hiking and road tripping.

Andrew Depperschmidt

CEO & President

Andrew Depperschmidt is a graduate from the Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He has experience in a variety of construction and facilities projects including both upstream and midstream natural gas and crude oil processing. He joined Halker in January of 2015 as the Mechanical Department Manager and has since taken on several different responsibilities with the firm, including General Manager and Vice President. Over the course of his time with Halker, he has overseen the company’s growth, helped develop the management team, and helped structure operational processes around project execution for maximum quality. He’s inspired by Halker’s outstanding team daily and takes pride in being people-focused while driving the company’s progressive and forward-looking culture.

Andrew and his wife have four children. Their family loves doing things together, whether it’s running a 5K or spending the day sailing at the reservoir. Andrew enjoys trying new things and is always learning a new hobby or building a new project around the house. His favorite hobby, though, is undertaking new entrepreneurial opportunities. He’s also a loyal Denver Broncos fan – go orange and blue!

Mike Czuchna

Director of Facilities Engineering

Mike Czuchna is a licensed professional engineer and graduate of University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 2001. He has more than 18 years of experience in Engineering consulting firms in the Mining, Power, and Oil & Gas industries working on numerous projects. Additionally, he has worked on the upstream Oil & Gas producer side of the business. He has brought his experience to Halker’s Upstream Facilities & Process Department since 2024 ensuring that our upstream clients receive exceptional quality and value in facility engineering and design.

Kathryn Goodman

Director of Mechanical Engineering

Kathryn Goodman graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2011. She is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas and brings over a decade of mechanical and pipeline engineering experience to her role. Throughout her career, Kathryn has worked on both small and large-scale oil and gas projects in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.

Since becoming Director of Halker’s Mechanical Department in 2022, Kathryn has been instrumental in ensuring high quality of execution on all projects, drawing on her diverse background to enhance the team’s performance.

Originally from Austin, Texas, Kathryn now resides in Houston with her husband and three children. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, playing games, and traveling with her family.

Jeff Wellen

Vice President of Operations

Jeff Wellen graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in business and economics in 2002. Jeff is a licensed professional engineer with over 22 years of project management, project engineering, and mechanical engineering experience. Most of his professional career has been in the Oil & Gas industry with a wide range of experience across various types of projects including gas treating, LNG, well pad sites, cryogenic processing, biofuels, and more. He has also worked as a field engineer to support construction, as well as in a fabrication shop to oversee module/pipe-rack assembly. As a member of the Halker team since January 2018, his breadth of involvement in various projects provides Jeff a strong basis to provide operation execution support for successful project execution teams through the trials and tribulations when executing any type of project ranging from technical studies to full EPC projects in the rapidly evolving midstream and upstream industry sectors. Jeff was named an Engineering News Record (ENR) Top Young Professional in 2018 for the Mountain States Region.

In his free time, Jeff loves all things outdoors including hunting, camping, and ice fishing. He has lived in Colorado since 1980 with his wife and twin daughters, who also love to go fishing and camping and root for the Nuggets and Broncos! Jeff’s biggest piece of advice for new college grads interested in joining the energy industry is to always work hard to grow and maintain a professional network!

Matthew Koch

Director of Environmental Engineering

Matthew (Matt) Koch has 8 years of environmental engineering experience in the areas of remedial construction management, regulatory compliance, process design and evaluation, sustainable infrastructure assessment, waste management, site characterization, due diligence, groundwater studies, and hazardous waste investigations. He has served as project manager and principal engineer, serving clients in the construction, agricultural, solid waste, commercial development, wastewater treatment, mining, and oil & gas industries. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Matt is a certified Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) and a licensed professional engineer in the states of CO, NM, and WY.

Jeremy Montoya

Director of Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls

Jeremy Montoya graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with an Electrical specialty focus in 2010. Jeremy is a licensed professional engineering in multiple states and has over 14 years of experience in consulting engineering and has working in nearly every sector or the business, from oil and gas to food and beverage, mining, pharmaceuticals, commercial and residential applications. Jeremy joined Halker in 2021 and has brought a passion to build up and support staff as they provide quality engineering and design services to every client we have the opportunity to work with. With an eye for detail, value and confident support- our EI&C group will continue to grow and be recognized for their expertise, attentiveness, and quality deliverables in every project. Jeremy has also volunteered engineering services abroad, helping with the design of water/wastewater treatment facilities and medical facilites in Kenya, as well as master plans for facilities in Mexico.

Jeremy and his wife Audrey have 2 children and love traveling and doing anything outdoors. Jeremy loves to hike, play basketball, or ride his electric skateboard.

Tor Vestad

Director of Process Engineering

Tor Vestad is a graduate of Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical engineering in 2003 and a Masters in 2005. Since 2007, Tor has worked on a diverse set of projects in the Oil & Gas industry. His experience spans Advanced Biofuels, Low Carbon Power, Refineries, Upstream, Midstream, Gas Treating and Acid Gas removal. He has brought his diverse experience to Halker’s Process Department since 2021 ensuring that the Process group provides clients with soundly engineered designs and deliverables.

Originally, from Yakima WA, Tor grew up on an apple and pear orchard and came to Colorado to attend CSM where he met his wife and settled down.

Russel Ferne

Director of Structural Engineering

Russel Ferne graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a Civil specialty in 2011. He is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states. He has more than a decade of structural engineering experience on small and large projects in industries such as oil and gas, pharmaceutical, microelectronics, industrial manufacturing, and mining. These industries have given him a strong background in high-seismic design, complex structural steel design, deep foundation design, and many other aspects of structural analysis and design.

Russel grew up in the Denver area but has lived in Greenville, South Carolina for 13 years with his wife and now their newborn son. He enjoys spending time gardening, cooking, and learning about astronomy and physics.

Austin Dean

Manager of Process & Mechanical Engineering – Billings, MT

Austin Dean graduated from Colorado School of Mines in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. He has experience in engineering design projects for well pad facilities, gathering systems, and midstream natural gas facilities. Starting his career at Halker in 2014, his roles and responsibilities have spanned Process Engineering, Project Engineering, Project Management, and Facilities Engineering. He specializes in jet pump artificial lift surface facilities and dynamic hydraulic modeling. Austin brings an E&P perspective to the Halker team, with a focus on project economics and larger implications of design decisions.

When he is not in the office, you can usually find Austin on the golf course, searching for a poker game, or enjoying time with his wife and two young children.

Paul Brennan

Director of Automation

Paul Brennan is an industrial automation specialist, PLC programmer, business manager and product development professional. He graduated from Colorado Mesa University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Paul now has over 25 years of experience providing industrial automation solutions and large-scale automation integration projects for oil & gas, water/wastewater, irrigation, and greenhouse industries in the US and Eastern Europe. Paul’s career has been spent developing leading edge, revolutionary automation products, and in the process, he has obtained several US Patents. Paul has notably designed products such as PADPro, PADManager, PROView and QLogiX for upstream oil & gas facilities, utilizing state of the art technologies with PLC’s and high-powered single board computers to provide advanced data collection and data processing at the well head.

Paul has a knack for being able to create logical solutions for industrial processes, dedication to hard work, and his relentless drive distinguishes him as an industry leading expert. He describes his greatest achievements around his ability to identify, manage and drive talented individuals and contractors towards a common team goal. In his spare time, Paul is a hot rod enthusiast and enjoys building and restoring classic cars. You can also find him outdoors year-round hunting, fishing or playing golf.

Dan Sirridge

Director of Piping Design

Daniel Sirridge graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Architecture in 2003. Starting his career in architecture, he worked on various project types ranging from religious and educational projects to large government projects. In 2009 Dan continued his career, transitioning to the Oil and Gas Industry, starting work at Halker Consulting. Through the years, Dan has been a key contributor and design-lead for many various upstream and midstream oil and gas projects. These project types include: salt water injection facilities, well-pad facilities, compressor stations, and plant retrofits.

In Daniel’s free time he enjoys being part of a pool team, playing disc golf, and enjoying Colorado and everything that the state has to offer.

The Digital Twin: Are You Prepared?

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision making.

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses
simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision making.