Getting Started with Oil and Gas PDT
A comprehensive introduction to the Oil and Gas Project Development Toolkit. From your first project to a complete gate-package export, this guide walks you through every step of the platform.
1. Overview
Oil and Gas PDT is a complete Project Development Toolkit purpose-built for upstream oil and gas engineering. It replaces the fragmented ecosystem of spreadsheets, proprietary vendor tools, and offline reference manuals with a single, unified platform that covers the full lifecycle of a capital project -- from initial concept screening through final investment decision.
The platform is organised around three integrated modules, each addressing a distinct phase of project development:
Technical Estimation
A verified, standards-cited suite of engineering calculators, growing every release, organised across seven categories -- from process separators and heat exchangers to subsea production systems and drilling operations. Each calculator sizes equipment according to industry-standard methodologies (API, ASME, TEMA, GPSA) and outputs both technical specifications and parametric cost estimates with P90/P50/P10 confidence intervals.
Cost Engineering
Equipment costs from the technical module feed directly into a Work Breakdown Structure that applies RICEI escalation, regional cost factors, and material multipliers. The result is an AACE Class 5 capital cost estimate suitable for conceptual engineering, screening studies, and portfolio planning.
Financial Analysis
Capital expenditure estimates are carried forward into a discounted cash flow model with production decline curves, operating cost schedules, fiscal regime parameters, and commodity price assumptions. The platform computes NPV, IRR, payback period, and profitability indices, with full Monte Carlo simulation capability across 100,000 iterations for probabilistic analysis.
Together, these three modules form an end-to-end workflow: size the equipment, estimate the capital cost, and evaluate the investment economics. Every output from one module becomes an input to the next, eliminating the manual data transfer errors that plague traditional engineering workflows.
This guide will take you through the essential workflow, from project creation to report export. By the end, you will have a working understanding of how to use each module and how the modules connect to deliver a cohesive project evaluation.
2. Creating Your First Project
Every analysis in Oil and Gas PDT begins with a project. Projects serve as organisational containers that group related calculations, cost estimates, and financial models into a single coherent workspace. They also define the contextual parameters -- geographic region, field type, development phase -- that inform cost factors and reference data throughout the platform.
Step-by-Step: Create a New Project
- Navigate to the Projects section from the main navigation sidebar. This is your central dashboard for managing all active and archived projects.
- Click the New Project button in the upper-right corner of the projects list. A creation dialog will appear with several configuration fields.
- Enter a Project Name that clearly identifies the asset or study. Use a naming convention that your team can search later -- for example, "North Sea Block 22/4b Concept Study" or "GOM Deepwater FPSO Screening."
- Provide a Description summarizing the project scope, objectives, and any relevant context that collaborators may need.
- Select the Location / Region from the dropdown. This selection determines the regional cost multiplier applied to all equipment estimates within the project. Available regions include Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, West Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australasia, and others.
- Choose the Field Type that best describes the development: onshore conventional, offshore shallow water, offshore deepwater, FLNG, or unconventional.
- Set the Project Status to reflect the current development phase. This determines default contingency ranges and the level of detail expected in estimates.
Understanding Project Statuses
Project statuses in Oil and Gas PDT align with the standard stage-gate process used across the upstream industry. Each status carries implications for the expected accuracy range, default contingency factors, and the depth of analysis the platform recommends:
| Status | Gate | AACE Class | Accuracy Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept | Opportunity Identification | Class 5 | -30% to +50% |
| FEED | Concept Selection / FEED | Class 4 | -20% to +30% |
| Detailed | Detailed Engineering | Class 3 | -15% to +20% |
| Approved | Sanction / FID | Class 2-1 | -10% to +15% |
Selecting the correct project status is important because it calibrates the platform's contingency calculations and informs the appropriate level of uncertainty to communicate in your deliverables. For a first-pass screening study, "Concept" is almost always the right choice. You can update the status as your project matures through the gate process.
3. Running Your First Calculator
With your project created, you are ready to run your first engineering calculator. The Technical Estimation module provides a verified, standards-cited suite of calculators spanning process equipment, rotating machinery, subsea systems, drilling operations, and more. For this walkthrough, we will use the Three-Phase Separator calculator as a representative example, but the general workflow applies to all calculators in the platform.
Navigating to Technical Estimation
Open your project and navigate to the Technical Estimation module from the project sidebar. You will see the calculators organised into seven categories: Quick Project Estimation, Process Equipment, Rotating Equipment, Utilities and Infrastructure, Subsea Systems, Wells and Drilling, and Emissions and Sustainability.
Select the Three-Phase Separator calculator under Process Equipment. The calculator interface opens with two primary areas: an input panel on the left and a results panel on the right.
Loading a Reference Project
Rather than entering every parameter from scratch, the platform offers a library of pre-loaded reference configurations. These are based on anonymized data from real-world installations across multiple geographies and field types. Click the Load Reference button at the top of the input panel and browse the available configurations.
Each reference entry displays its source context -- for example, "North Sea 20,000 bopd Production Separator" or "GOM Deepwater 50,000 bopd HP Separator." Select the reference that most closely matches your project scenario. All input fields will populate with the reference values, which you can then customize to match your specific requirements.
Customizing Inputs and Running the Calculation
Review and adjust the input parameters to match your design case. For a three-phase separator, key inputs include liquid flow rate, gas flow rate, water cut, operating pressure, operating temperature, and retention time. Material of construction, design code, and corrosion allowance are also configurable.
Once you are satisfied with the inputs, click the Calculate button. The platform runs the sizing algorithm according to API 12J methodology and returns results within seconds.
Understanding the Results
The results panel displays three categories of output:
Equipment Dimensions
Vessel diameter, tangent-to-tangent length, wall thickness, and estimated weight. These values are sized to meet the specified retention times, gas velocity limits, and liquid dropout requirements per API 12J.
Cost Estimate (P90 / P50 / P10)
A parametric cost estimate for the equipment, expressed at three confidence levels. The P50 value represents the median expected cost. The P90 and P10 values define the range within which the actual cost is expected to fall with 90% confidence. Costs are base-year 2024 and can be escalated using the Rhino Intelligence Cost Escalation Index (RICEI).
Design Considerations
Context-specific guidance flagged by the calculation engine. This may include warnings about operating near the upper bounds of a reference dataset, notes on material selection for sour service, or recommendations for internals configuration (e.g., vane packs vs. mesh pads for mist extraction).
You can save the calculation to your project for later reference, export the results as a datasheet, or allow the equipment cost to flow directly into the Cost Engineering module for inclusion in the project's Work Breakdown Structure.
4. Understanding Cost Estimation
Every equipment cost generated by the Technical Estimation module feeds into the platform's Cost Engineering module. This is where individual equipment costs are aggregated into a structured Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and adjusted for real-world project conditions.
The cost estimation methodology is grounded in three key adjustment mechanisms. First, RICEI escalation adjusts base equipment costs from their reference year to the current year using the Rhino Intelligence Cost Escalation Index (RICEI) — a multi-component index with sub-indices for equipment, materials, labour, services and transport, calibrated to upstream cost movements — ensuring that inflation and market conditions are reflected accurately.
Second, regional cost factors account for the substantial differences in labor rates, logistics costs, regulatory requirements, and environmental conditions across different operating environments. The platform includes 28 regional multipliers calibrated against actual project outturn data from 2018-2024. A North Sea installation, for example, carries a multiplier of 1.3-1.5 relative to the Gulf of Mexico baseline, reflecting harsher weather windows, higher labor costs, and more stringent regulatory frameworks.
Third, material multipliers adjust costs for equipment constructed from specialty alloys rather than standard carbon steel. The platform includes 21 material factors, from stainless steel 316L (2.5-3.5x) to Inconel (5-8x), reflecting the premium associated with corrosion-resistant and high-temperature alloys.
For a comprehensive treatment of the cost estimation methodology, including the AACE classification system, power-law scaling, and confidence level calculations, see the dedicated AACE-Compliant Cost Estimation Methodology guide.
5. Financial Modelling Basics
Once the Cost Engineering module delivers a total project CAPEX estimate, you can proceed to evaluate the investment economics in the Financial Analysis module. This module constructs a multi-period discounted cash flow model that captures the full lifecycle of the asset, from capital expenditure and first oil through production decline and eventual abandonment.
The workflow begins with configuring a production profile. You can define initial production rates, select a decline model (exponential, hyperbolic, or harmonic), and specify the decline parameters. The platform uses Arps decline equations -- the standard approach in reservoir engineering -- to project production volumes over the field life.
Next, you configure operating costs, including fixed and variable OPEX components, workover and intervention schedules, and insurance and overhead allocations. Commodity price assumptions can be set as flat-price forecasts, escalating series, or probabilistic distributions for Monte Carlo simulation.
The platform then computes the key financial metrics: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR), simple and discounted payback periods, and profitability index. Each metric is displayed with clear visualizations and contextual interpretation guidance.
For projects requiring probabilistic analysis, the platform offers a full Monte Carlo simulation engine that runs 100,000 iterations across user-defined input distributions. The output is a probability distribution of NPV and IRR values, with P10/P50/P90 thresholds clearly marked. This enables decision-makers to understand not just the expected outcome but the full range of possible outcomes and their likelihoods.
For the complete methodology, including sensitivity analysis, tornado diagrams, fiscal regime modelling, and LNG value chain economics, see the dedicated Financial Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation guide.
6. Exporting Reports
Oil and Gas PDT is designed to produce deliverables that are suitable for presentation to investment committees, joint venture partners, and regulatory authorities. The platform supports three primary export formats, each tailored to a different audience and use case.
Equipment Datasheets
Individual equipment datasheets summarise the sizing results, key design parameters, and cost estimates for each piece of equipment. These are formatted to resemble traditional engineering datasheets and can be exported as PDF or printed directly from the browser. Datasheets are particularly useful for vendor inquiries and pre-FEED documentation packages.
PDF Reports
Comprehensive PDF reports compile the entire project narrative: project description, equipment register, cost estimate summary, financial analysis results, sensitivity charts, and Monte Carlo distribution plots. These reports are suitable for gate-package submissions and management presentations. The report includes your organisation's branding, a table of contents, executive summary, and full methodology appendix.
Excel Summaries
For teams that need to perform additional analysis or integrate results into existing financial models, the platform exports structured Excel workbooks. These include equipment register sheets, cost breakdown tabs, cash flow model worksheets with all formulas intact, and sensitivity data tables. The Excel format preserves the calculation logic, enabling auditors and partners to verify and extend the analysis independently.
All exports are accessible from the project dashboard via the Export menu. You can export individual modules (e.g., just the financial analysis) or generate a complete project package that bundles all modules into a single deliverable. Exports preserve the timestamp, project version, and user attribution for audit trail purposes.
7. Next Steps
You now have a working understanding of the Oil and Gas PDT workflow: create a project, run engineering calculators, aggregate costs, evaluate economics, and export deliverables. To deepen your knowledge of each module, explore the following guides:
Technical Estimation: The Engineering Calculator Suite
A detailed reference covering every calculator in the suite, organised by category, with methodology summaries, applicable standards, and reference project data.
AACE-Compliant Cost Estimation Methodology
The complete cost estimation methodology: AACE classification, power-law scaling, RICEI escalation, regional factors, material multipliers, and contingency calculations.
Financial Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation
Investment-grade financial modelling: cash flow construction, NPV/IRR analysis, production decline curves, Monte Carlo simulation, sensitivity analysis, and fiscal regime modelling.