DZERZHINSKY SONGA FERREIRA

• This involves analyzing the formation during oil well drilling to confirm the geological formation to the desired depth, which is the reservoir. This analysis confirms, at each depth, all the geological studies included in the geological map using microscopy and chemical gas monitoring.

• Production Operator in the Soyo province, working onshore, which involves operating all gas, oil, and water processing, as well as chemicals. I worked in various fields such as Pangala, Kinguila, and Cabeça da Cobra, handling all onshore production up to the oil storage facility.

• In my first year, in 2007, I worked as an offshore Production Operator on the FPSO DALIA.
• The FPSO DALIA came from South Korea to Angola, where we carried out the towing and commissioning of the entire process for the start-up in Block 17. I participated in the FPSO's start-up (first oil production) .
• A Production Operator on an FPSO is the hands-on field operator responsible for physically running, monitoring, and maintaining the production equipment on deck. If the control room is the “brain,” the production operator is the eyes, ears, and hands in the field.
• 🎯 Core role: operate and maintain production equipment
  
  Their main job is to ensure all process equipment is running safely and efficiently by working directly on the plant.
• 🔧 Field operations (day-to-day work)

Operate and monitor equipment like:
Separators (oil, gas, water)
Pumps and compressors
Valves and pipelines
Start up and shut down equipment
Adjust manual valves and local controls
Carry out routine checks and inspections

🚨 Safety and emergency response

Act as first responders in case of:
Gas leaks
Fires
Equipment failure
Execute emergency procedures (isolation, shutdowns)
Participate in drills and safety routines

🛠️ Maintenance support

Prepare equipment for maintenance (isolation, depressurization, draining)
Issue or follow work permits
Assist technicians during repairs
Return equipment safely to service

🧪 Sampling and testing

Take oil, gas, and water samples
Perform basic tests or send samples to lab
Ensure product quality and process efficiency

🤝 Communication with control room

Receive instructions from control room technicians
Report field conditions and abnormalities
Confirm actions (e.g., valve positions, equipment status)

🛢️ Support storage & offloading

Monitor tank conditions locally
Assist during crude offloading to shuttle tankers
Ensure transfer operations are safe

In 2010, I was sent to South Korea (OKPO) during the construction of the FPSO Pazflor to be part of the team.
The job consisted of supervising the construction, preparing all start-up procedures, monitoring the installation of machinery and all other systems, carrying out commissioning, pressure testing of systems, general safety equipment, visits to storage tanks, all fire-fighting systems, and all oil, gas, and water processing.

Management of subsea production operations, hydrocarbon processing, storage and export systems.
The FPSO PAZFLOR was transported from South Korea to Angola, where we carried out the towing and commissioning of the entire process for start-up in Block 17. I participated in the start-up and first-oil.

A control room technician on an FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel) is responsible for operating and supervising the entire production process remotely, ensuring it runs safely, efficiently, and within design limits.

Here’s what that role specifically involves:

• 🖥️ Real-time process monitoring
  
  They continuously monitor all production systems using control systems (like DCS/SSS/PSS/PCS), including:
  
  Oil, gas, and water separation processes
  Pressure, temperature, and flow rates
  Tank levels and storage conditions
  Power generation and utility systems

🚨 Alarm handling and emergency response

Respond immediately to alarms (e.g., high pressure, leaks, equipment failure)
Diagnose issues and take corrective actions
Initiate emergency shutdowns (ESD) if necessary
Follow strict safety and escalation procedures

📊 Data logging and reporting

Record operational data and key performance indicators
Maintain logs of events, alarms, and interventions
Generate production and incident reports

🤝 Coordination and communication

Communicate with field operators working on deck
Guide maintenance teams during interventions
Coordinate with supervisors and engineers
Ensure safe work permits and isolation procedures are followed
Ensure safe work permits and isolation procedures are followed

🛢️ Storage and offloading operations

Monitor crude oil storage levels in the FPSO tanks
Oversee offloading operations to shuttle tankers
Ensure safe and controlled transfer of oil

⚙️ Systems they typically handle

Process control systems (DCS)
Emergency Shutdown System (ESD)
Fire & Gas detection systems
Utility systems (power, water injection, gas compression)

A Production Support Engineer in Onshore Luanda is the person who sits between operations, engineering, and maintenance, making sure the plant not only runs—but runs better, safer, and more efficiently over time.

If the control room technician is the one operating the system in real time, the Production Support Engineer is the one analyzing, troubleshooting, and improving it.

🔍 Core responsibility: optimize and support production

The Production Support Engineer main job is to maximize oil and gas production while staying within safety and equipment limits.

They do this by:

Analyzing production data and trends
Identifying bottlenecks or inefficiencies
Recommending adjustments to improve throughput or stability

📊 Performance monitoring & analysis

Review daily production figures (oil, gas, water rates)
Track KPIs like uptime, efficiency, and losses
Investigate deviations (e.g., why production dropped)
Use simulation tools or spreadsheets to model improvements

🛠️ Troubleshooting & technical support

When something isn’t working properly:

Diagnose process issues (e.g., poor separation, pressure instability)
Support the control room and field operators with solutions
Work with maintenance to fix recurring equipment problems
Perform root cause analysis (RCA) after incidents

⚙️ Process optimization

Adjust process parameters (setpoints, flows, pressures)
Improve chemical injection (e.g., corrosion inhibitors, demulsifiers)
Optimize wells and flowlines in coordination with reservoir engineers
Suggest upgrades or modifications to improve capacity

📋 Procedures & documentation

Develop and update operating procedures
Ensure compliance with safety and operational standards
Participate in risk assessments (HAZOP, HAZID)
Prepare technical reports and performance summaries

🤝 Cross-team coordination

Work closely with:
Control room technicians (daily operations)
Maintenance teams (equipment reliability)
Reservoir engineers (well performance)
Onshore engineering teams

Production Support Engineer → Improves how the plant runs over time

The Production Support Engineer is the “optimizer and problem-solver” of the FPSO—constantly looking for ways to increase production, reduce downtime, and prevent problems before they happen.

I worked as A Well Performance Engineer (WPE) on an FPSO PAZFLOR focuses specifically on the behavior, productivity, and health of the wells feeding the vessel. While the Production Support Engineer looks at the whole processing plant, the WPE looks “upstream” at the wells and reservoir interface to make sure each well is producing optimally and safely.

🎯 Core mission: maximize well productivity

The WPE’s main goal is to get the best possible production from each well without damaging the reservoir or the well itself.

That means balancing:

Production rate (oil, gas, water)
Reservoir pressure and sustainability
Equipment limits (e.g., tubing, valves, subsea systems)

📊 Monitoring well performance

Track daily production per well (oil, gas, water rates)
Monitor pressures and temperatures (downhole and surface)
Analyze trends to detect decline, water breakthrough, or gas coning
Compare actual vs expected well performance

📈 Well optimization

Adjust choke settings (controls flow from the well)
Recommend changes to flow rates and pressure drawdown
Optimize gas lift or artificial lift systems (if installed)
Balance production between multiple wells

🔍 Diagnostics & problem-solving

When a well underperforms:

Identify causes (e.g., reservoir depletion, blockage, scaling, water ingress)
Run analyses like nodal analysis or well modeling
Recommend interventions (e.g., well stimulation, acidizing, shut-in)
Work with subsea and intervention teams

🧪 Well testing & data interpretation

Plan and interpret well tests
Validate reservoir models using real production data
Support pressure transient analysis (PTA)
Ensure accurate allocation of production to each well
🤝 Coordination with other teams

The WPE works closely with:

Reservoir Engineers (long-term field strategy)
Production/Process Engineers (FPSO constraints)
Subsea Engineers (well and flowline hardware)
Control room operators (daily adjustments)

⚙️ Tools and methods used

Nodal analysis (inflow vs outflow performance)
Well performance software (e.g., Prosper, GAP)
Production data systems and real-time monitoring tools

⚠️ Key responsibility: protect the asset

It’s not just about producing more—it’s about:

Avoiding damage to the reservoir (e.g., excessive drawdown)
Preventing issues like sand production or water coning
Extending the life of the field

Position: Work Permit Coordenation

• Participation in PBF Project (Project Brownfield), including operations support and Permit to Work coordination, daily monitoring of all ongoing work, creating new permits for work while adhering to all safety procedures and identifying high-risk areas. Monitoring the replacement of risers from topside to the manifolds by flexible lines. Participation in the installation of cold flares and mooing chain.