In
recent years, the significant increase in performance and decrease of prices of
the personal computer platform has accelerated the growth of geographic
information system (GIS) usage. GIS is a very dynamic technology enabling the
user to display a map of any location in the world and rescale that map
instantaneously. The key to the success of any exploration or exploitation team
is the integration of the
members, the database, and the multiple software functions. GIS is a particularly effective means of providing functionality for all of the disciplines represented on the team. GIS cannot replace all existing software applications, but it can be used to integrate and link other programs. Although GIS can be effectively applied in various Oil and Gas industry settings, its use in exploration and exploitation is of particular interest. One specific exploration application involves the creation of reconnaissance maps. Uses of GIS in exploitation projects are perhaps more varied because exploitation evaluation typically deals with more extensive data sets than those typically used in exploration settings. Exploitation approaches are generally applied to mature producing areas where well control is dense, whereas exploration projects may not involve any wells at all.
members, the database, and the multiple software functions. GIS is a particularly effective means of providing functionality for all of the disciplines represented on the team. GIS cannot replace all existing software applications, but it can be used to integrate and link other programs. Although GIS can be effectively applied in various Oil and Gas industry settings, its use in exploration and exploitation is of particular interest. One specific exploration application involves the creation of reconnaissance maps. Uses of GIS in exploitation projects are perhaps more varied because exploitation evaluation typically deals with more extensive data sets than those typically used in exploration settings. Exploitation approaches are generally applied to mature producing areas where well control is dense, whereas exploration projects may not involve any wells at all.
GIS
is a particularly effective technology that enables exploration and exploitation
teams to share information, analyze data in new ways, and integrate the
evaluation process.
The
Benefits of GIS
A
geographic information system (GIS) is a powerful technological tool that can
be used in the problem-solving process facing any exploration and exploitation
team. A GIS can provide the team with a whole new way of analyzing, visualizing,
and integrating data. GIS technology is now available across all computer
platforms, including the Internet. In recent years, its cost has decreased
significantly, whereas functionality has been dramatically enhanced. GIS can
specifically benefit exploration and exploitation teams in the following ways:
•
Integration of the contributions of various team members through
cross-discipline interpretation and software functionality
•
Provision of new methods for visualizing data sets through the use of symbology
•
Dynamic mapping of digital databases
•
Presentation of data in various forms, such as maps, charts, data tables, and
query results
•
Sharing of, integration of, and access to centralized databases via computer
networks or the Internet
•
Linkage of multiple software applications
•
Technology use across multiple computer platforms
•
Enhanced portability of technology and data via laptop and handheld computers
•
Proliferation of new tools, which are affordable and easy to use
In
recent years, the significant increase in performance and decrease in prices of
the personal computer
(PC)
platform has accelerated the growth of GIS usage. GIS technology has become
very affordable and easy to use. The true power of GIS is that it presents a
new way to analyze databases. GIS enables the analyst to visualize the data as
they are represented spatially. Analysis of the spatial relationships of digital
databases can present new pictures of the data that never could be assembled by
analyzing tabular representation of data sets.
GIS
is a very dynamic technology, and it enables the user to display a map of any
location in the world and to rescale that map instantaneously. Interpreters can
zoom into a specific area of interest by simply defining the four geographic
coordinate boundaries of the map. GIS and digital map data sets create a
dynamic combination whose functionality is unlimited in their combined capabilities.
Symbology
is a classification method used in GIS to represent data or individual map
features as varying sizes, thicknesses, colors, or styles. In any GIS, there are
three types of data: points, lines, and polygons.
Each
type of data can be represented by different types of symbology. Color, size,
and style can represent point data, such as well locations. Color, thickness,
and style can represent line data, such as pipeline locations. Polygon-fill
color or style can represent polygonal data, such as offshore block boundaries.
Symbology on a map presents three types of results: trends or patterns,
anomalies, or a random representation.
One
of the most vivid results of a GIS map is when the symbolized data present a
recognizable trend or pattern. The explorationist then must search for an explanation
for the trend or pattern. In many cases, the trend or pattern is a result of
the underlying geology. Anomalies become very apparent on symbolized maps.
Either
due to color, size, thickness, or style symbology, a feature or features on the
map clearly represent themselves as anomalies. Anomalies must then be further investigated
to establish explanations for their occurrences. If a trend, pattern, or
anomaly is not represented, then the data will exhibit a random pattern with no
new pictures or ideas being presented; however, even random data patterns can
be informative.
A
common GIS technique is to filter data to restrict an analysis or presentation
to only the information that satisfies some specific criterion. Filtering data
is very effective in areas with dense data control, enabling some of the data
to be removed from consideration, if only temporarily. Filtering is an
excellent tool to be used, for example, in field exploitation settings,
especially when many wells have been drilled. As an example, a filter could be
applied to “total depth drilled” to remove all of the shallow wells from a map.
The
key to the success in any multidisciplinary effort is the integration of the
members, the databases, and the multiple software functions. GIS is a
particularly effective means of providing functionality for all of the disciplines
on the team. Most GIS systems can present data via maps, as well as in charts
and tabular database tables. Multiple databases can be integrated via the GIS;
and once they are integrated and centralized, every member of the team can
share the same database and data sets across networks or the Internet.
GIS
cannot replace the capabilities of all existing software, but it can be used to
integrate and link various programs. A GIS can also access databases that are being
used in other applications, and individual features in the GIS database can be
linked to files from other software packages. Today’s multidisciplinary teams
use various computer platforms such as UNIX workstations and PCs operating
under Windows. Cross-platform GIS functionality enables the team members to
continue to use their individual machines. Also, with the significant increase in
speed and power of laptop PCs, GIS functionality is even more portable. The
multidisciplinary team can now take a GIS on the road to the well site, lease
sale, or out-of-town meeting without fear of losing access to data or
established geocomputing routines. In addition, Internet-based GIS now enables
spatial databases to be accessible from anywhere in the world.
The
big campaign of the year is the Gis4Africa event coming up in Nigeria this
year. Log on to this blog and follow @Gis4Africa for more updates.
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