Managing Color Log Images for smartSECTION

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I occasionally have the opportunity to work with a geologist who has marked up a set of logs with colored pencils. The color interpretation can lend a great deal of information and value to subsequent project work and presentation.

These logs can be scanned, in color, and depth-registered for use in smartSECTION. A color log scan, however, can be much larger than a black-and-white or grayscale scan, often consuming more than 100 MB of computer memory. Opening or refreshing a cross section with more than a handful of such color logs can be slow and occasional cause SmartSection to hang due to memory constraints. This problem can be mitigated to a large extent by storing log images with 8-bit color instead of the typical 24-bit color depth.

So how do you convert an image from 24-bit to 8-bit color? The most convenient way that I know is with IrfanView. IrfanView is a downloadable, free (for non-commercial use) program for viewing and manipulating graphic images. It can open and display very large image files, tell you how much memory an image consumes, and enable the image to be saved in a variety of formats, including tif format with 8-bit color. IrfanView also has a batch processing feature that I have used for converting folders containing dozens of 24-bit color log images to 8-bit color in one step. As a result of the 24- to 8-bit color format conversion, I can work faster, open longer cross-sections, and avoid much hanging-and-restarting of SmartSection. Read more

WellBase Toolbar

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

By now, many of you have seen or begun using the WellBase Toolbar, a feature rich tree enabling easier querying and data management, released as a patch in 5000.0.2.5.

If you've downloaded the patch, and do not see the toolbar, from Well Base, simply go to Tools: View: Wellbase Bar, and voi la….now you see it!

So, what is it, you might ask? Well, it's a data tree featuring quick filtering through the QuickFilter button; pre-defined custom filters enabling instant data views into satellite viewers (i.e., Google), Excel, and GeoAtlas.   It also has an Excel Report button that auto populates an Excel Pivot Report for data manipulation, great for voluminous data such as geomechanic and pore pressure data; Hot List buttons are provided and customizable to your favorite modules; and, last but not least, Document Library!

The Document Library button offers the ability to attach static or dynamic documents to your well or project so that you have relevant data at your fingertips, when you need it.

Should you choose to attach a document to the well (decline curve, test data, AFE, etc.), this document is actually copied as a BLOB into your GXDB; the document is always there, even archived with the project, and available when needed. Caution here; as you could expand the size of your database by storing unnecessary items that might be best stored in a folder and assessed via a URL link.

For dynamic data, use the URL features to attach your well to an internal file folder or external website.    This link could be a folder on your network, or to an external website providing up-to-the minute information linked back to your project or well!

Now that your data is easily accessible and available at your fingertips, you can focus more time on interpretation and less time on data searching.

More enhancements are on the way, and we are excited to keep you apprised of these new workflows….. Read more

High Performance Remote Geosteering via Citrix

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Drilling horizontal wells is a 24 hour a day, seven days a week operation. New drilling data is constantly being generated and must be interpreted quickly and accurately to keep the well on target. Additionally, the interpretation of the horizontal well should update the project database to constantly refine the geomodel so that new drilling programs are planned with the most up-to-date and accurate geomodel possible. All of this work must be able to be performed seamlessly anywhere and at any time of the day.

GeoGraphix Geosteering solution (smartSTRAT)via a wirelessCitrixconnection fulfills the need for high performance remote Geosteering. It is natively integrated with the GeoGraphix project Geosteering withing GeoGraphix enablesgeomodeling while drillingthus keeping the geomodel updated with the latest drilling data. ACitrixconnection to the home office GeoGraphix project and interpretation application (smartSECTION) through a fast wireless or broadband internet connection enables remote geosteering from any location at any time of the day.

The following workflow description outlines the procedure and configurations which were tested to support high performance remote Geosteering. GeoGraphix 2012 (smartSECTION/smartSTRAT) is accessed remotely viaCitrix XenApp 6.0 server. Even though the workflow is specific to the demonstration project, the steps are generic and will equally apply to your projects. Read more

Production by Formation Code or Reservoir Name

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

IHS provides production data by both Formation Code and Reservoir Name. Either format can be imported into GeoGraphix projects. In regional projects, production by Formation Code (default option) is commonly preferred. In the case of individual field studies, however, it is often useful to load production by Reservoir Name. In any case, the two formats must not be commingled within a single GeoGraphix project.

Regional studies must be able to aggregate productive formations or zones across an extensive area, while studies at the field-level must identify and segregate individual units of a productive formation. The examples below review production inHidalgo County,Texas, and in particular, a recent discovery on the flank of McAllen Ranch Field.

McAllen Ranch Field has produced over 1 TCF gas since its discovery in 1960. Production is fromVicksburg(Oligocene) sands ranging in depth from 9,200 to nearly 16,000 feet. In the 1980's, an 800-acre extension of this field was discovered in an area surrounded by dry holes and marginal wells. The particularVicksburgunit composing this 150 BCFG discovery was identified by the operator as the Guerra sand. Read more