Petroleum Experts weigh Advantages of Web GIS Technology

Web GIS technology was the hot topic at the nineteenth ESRI Petroleum User Group (PUG) conference in Houston, Texas. Attendees discussed ways the evolution of geographic information system (GIS) server technology and Internet capabilities provides oil, gas, and pipeline companies with a means to aggregate, access, and publish information. GIS experts presented ways to get greater value from the data businesses already have by improving accessibility to it across the company.

During the plenary, a panel of petroleum geologists and engineers representing different companies discussed the geospatial concepts of the digital oil field that enables their companies to visualize and analyze field data. GIS intersects with field data, equipment, well schematics information, and more. Panelists agreed that it offers a temporal basis for a snapshot in time of field operations. It also promotes the collaboration across disciplines and locations offering information and visualization that support decision making.

One panelist who works with a Texas-based operation noted that GIS is an essential element in running a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. It generates schematics needed by the SCADA user group, creates records and visualizations of the control system, and offers a means of reference. GIS for SCADA is essential for safety, regulatory compliance, and emergency response.

ESRI's technical experts demonstrated three trends in GIS: Web GIS, mobile technologies, and cloud-based computing. They also presented a sneak peek at ESRI's ArcGIS Explorer 900 product, which supports layer packages so users can leverage all of the ArcGIS Desktop cartographic capabilities. Presenters also previewed product innovations coming in ESRI's soon-to-be-released ArcGIS 9.3.1. Design enhancements support enterprise and Web GIS goals, provide shared content methods, and offer fast dynamic map services.

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