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Continuing the search for oil
applications
Continuingthe search for oil by SIMON GRAY
T
he use of computers for data processing in the oil exploration industry has changed dramatically, not in the areas of application but in the extent to which the industry depends upon computers within these fields. The huge volu.me of information now being processed has resulted in a wide range of advanced seismic and geophysical software packages and the emergence of the 32 bit ‘superminis’ which offer the power of mainframe systems, required both for processing and to run the increasingly sophisticated peripherals, at the cost levels of the minicomputer. By the early seventies all the obvious oil fields had been found and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find gas and oil to keep pace with demand. This resulted in a tremendous upsurge of activity in the mid-seventies for field data acquisition. But as the risks and costs involved in oil and gas exploraAbstract: Geophysical evaluation has assumedgreat importance within the oil industryas oil exploration has become more costlyand risky. The needfor efficient seismic data collectionandsophrsticated onsitedata analysiswith fast response tzmeshas led to th use of 32 bit minis. Manv consultancies supplying the oil industrynow offer complete systemswith modular data processing packages, imageprocessrng and the latest hardware incorporating interactive colour graphics. Keywords: data processing, seismology, geophysical measurement. Simon Gray is a technical
~0125 no 3
april 1983
journalist
tion increased, so the demand for geophysical evaluation soared, a situation which is expected to continue well into the next century. The industry has thus found itself in transition from a period dominated by reconnaissance activities to one that requires a cechnology which can provide three dimensional subsurface imaging and adequately support the increased activity in this field. By taking a closer look at the trends in the industry it is possible to gain a better understanding of what was, and is, required in terms of processing power.
Seismic data collection Original sites for oil exploration were selected from an observation of structural features largely by the use of aerial survey and primitive seismic survey. Twenty years ago it was not possible to locate accurately any strata below the surface. Seismic survey operations now play a far more significant part in the discovery and exploitation of oil resources both on land and beneath the sea as geophysicists seek to map the subsurface of the earth. Seismic data is collected by sensors, either trawled from ships at sea or placed on land, which measure the velocities of sound waves resulting from controlled explosions. The seismic data is digitized to magnetic tape for computer processing and plotting. The resulting plot shows a seismic profile of the rock layers below the sea bottom or ground, which reveals faults
0011-684X/83/030021-02$03.00
@ 1983 Butter-worth
&Co (Publishers)
and other structural geophysical information from which geophysicists can detect the most favourable locations for oil deposits. Seismic data csollection techniques and technology have advanced considerably over the past few years. The need for greater fid.elity of information has resulted in twice the number of surface collection points, and sampling rates have increased. Each shock generates a huge amount of data for collection. The Vibroseis system, for example, translates up to 8Mbyte of data per shock. A typical seismic survey, therefore, now requires the processing of approximately eight times more data than before, with vast numbers of crunching routines
Data analysis After collection the data goes to specialist consultancies for post-seismic interpretation. Modern seismic processing uses computers for a variety of data-reduction, modelling and display techniques, to analyse and translate the digital field data, together with a wide range of advanced and specialized software from computer consultancies. The raw mformation can be used to provide analysis in seismic and stratigrphic processing, as well as wavelet processing, modelling and vertical seismic profiling. Sophisticated and highly efficient database systems such as the GeoGraphics Interpretation Data Base and Mapping System Iflrom Scott Pickford and Associates, mean that a wide vari-
Ltd.
21
ety of well, map, seismic and general geographical data can be retrieved and correlated with the new data.
Complete seismic data processing packages Historically, data acquisition and the interpreted display were two totally separate areas but the enormous advances in the computer techniques employed have blurred the line between the two functions. Increasingly therefore, the interpretation specialists are offering complete seismic data processing systems composed of the latest hardware to run their own software. Seismic processing, however, demands all the processing power that can be made available to handle the vast amounts of data. Traditionally the processing has been a job for the mainframe computer but these are costly. In addition, the expense of having data acquisition crews onsite has led to a growing demand for onsite processing to achieve a faster response, and here again the mainframe is unsuitable. Increasingly computer consultancies have looked to the 32 bit superminis as the best machines for their purposes, both in terms of processing power and cost. The heavy number crunching applications can exploit fully the power of the 32 bit machines, particularly those ranges which, as in the case of the Gould SEL range offer powerful cache memory and floating point firmware to give exceptionally fast and efficient operating speeds while still supporting high speed input and output opera-
tions . Seiscom Delta United, system specialists to the oil industry, is offering a new generation of its Megaseis family of geophysical data processing systems. This system is a very powerful complete modular data processing package specifically designed for geophysical applications, composed of the latest state-of-the-art hardware, highly sophisticated software and complete user support. Megaseis was
22
developed to run on Gould SEL cornputers and Britoil has ordered a 32/87 to run the package. Operations covered by the Megaseis system include seismic processing functions such as velocity analysis, predictive convolution and complex trace analysis, together with modelling and interpretation, navigation and mapping, and interactive colour graphics.
Remote sensing via satellites An increasingly large percentage of data now comes from remote sensing, that is, the use of images in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum acquired from satellites to produce pictures enhanced through digital techniques. These remote sensing techniques represent an extremely cost effective and rapid method of acquiring unique information. The effect is to create large archives of remote sensed imagery from satellites such as Landsat. From the processed imagery it is possible to obtain maps to 1: 100 000 scales of land surfaces, otherwise unobtainable because the region is inaccessible, as well as shallow sea-bed mapping to a depth of 30 metres. Gould itself offers a powerful image processing system comprising the Concept 32 range linked by a 32 bit high speed data hardware and software interface to a Gould DeAnza II’8500 image array processor. The Gould DeAnza library of image processing software, LIPS, provides high performance tools to accommodate a wide range of image processing applications.
Superminis in use In 1979 the Denver Processing Center Inc (DPC), a large independent supplier of data seismic processing systems decided to expand its business by selling complete turnkey systems which included proprietary software developed by DPC as well as some specially designed interfaces and controllers. When this decision was made, DPC was using seven systems which
included 16 bit CPUs and integral array processors. At that time, DPC realised that they needed a more powerful CPU than their existing 16 bit system. Specifically its requirement was for a CPU with a very fast input/output system and high computational capability. They also needed a CPU that could accommodate controllers working in a standalone mode to do tape to tape, tape to disc and disc to disc transfers without CPU intervention. Finally they needed a CPU that could be connected to a vector processor. They installed a 32/77, Gould SEL’s then current top end 32 bit system. In 1981, when looking at the even greater projected seismic processing requirements of the eighties, DPC decided it needed even more power and a more efficient way to connect the vector processor to the CPU. The company became Gould SEL’s first customer for the new 32187, which offers six times the power of the 32177, with ECL technology to provide a processing speed of 3.6 MIPS and common memory interface for the vector processing unit, as well as protecting DPC’s large software investment.
Future industry developments The future pattern for the remainder of the eighties will be software specialists and hardware manufacturers keeping pace one with another in maintaining their commitment to the industry. For the time being at least, the main areas for enhancements are likely to be directed towards the provision of even more sophisticated graphics terminals and plotters, such as the Seischrome II laser plotter, since better displays produce better interpretation. With the increasing costs of image processing there is also a concentration upon simultaneous data acquisition and preprocessing and more fully interactive interpretation in general. Whatever the future holds, an oil industry without increasingly sophisticated compucl ter systems is inconceivable.
data processing
Continuingthe search for oil by SIMON GRAY
T
he use of computers for data processing in the oil exploration industry has changed dramatically, not in the areas of application but in the extent to which the industry depends upon computers within these fields. The huge volu.me of information now being processed has resulted in a wide range of advanced seismic and geophysical software packages and the emergence of the 32 bit ‘superminis’ which offer the power of mainframe systems, required both for processing and to run the increasingly sophisticated peripherals, at the cost levels of the minicomputer. By the early seventies all the obvious oil fields had been found and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find gas and oil to keep pace with demand. This resulted in a tremendous upsurge of activity in the mid-seventies for field data acquisition. But as the risks and costs involved in oil and gas exploraAbstract: Geophysical evaluation has assumedgreat importance within the oil industryas oil exploration has become more costlyand risky. The needfor efficient seismic data collectionandsophrsticated onsitedata analysiswith fast response tzmeshas led to th use of 32 bit minis. Manv consultancies supplying the oil industrynow offer complete systemswith modular data processing packages, imageprocessrng and the latest hardware incorporating interactive colour graphics. Keywords: data processing, seismology, geophysical measurement. Simon Gray is a technical
~0125 no 3
april 1983
journalist
tion increased, so the demand for geophysical evaluation soared, a situation which is expected to continue well into the next century. The industry has thus found itself in transition from a period dominated by reconnaissance activities to one that requires a cechnology which can provide three dimensional subsurface imaging and adequately support the increased activity in this field. By taking a closer look at the trends in the industry it is possible to gain a better understanding of what was, and is, required in terms of processing power.
Seismic data collection Original sites for oil exploration were selected from an observation of structural features largely by the use of aerial survey and primitive seismic survey. Twenty years ago it was not possible to locate accurately any strata below the surface. Seismic survey operations now play a far more significant part in the discovery and exploitation of oil resources both on land and beneath the sea as geophysicists seek to map the subsurface of the earth. Seismic data is collected by sensors, either trawled from ships at sea or placed on land, which measure the velocities of sound waves resulting from controlled explosions. The seismic data is digitized to magnetic tape for computer processing and plotting. The resulting plot shows a seismic profile of the rock layers below the sea bottom or ground, which reveals faults
0011-684X/83/030021-02$03.00
@ 1983 Butter-worth
&Co (Publishers)
and other structural geophysical information from which geophysicists can detect the most favourable locations for oil deposits. Seismic data csollection techniques and technology have advanced considerably over the past few years. The need for greater fid.elity of information has resulted in twice the number of surface collection points, and sampling rates have increased. Each shock generates a huge amount of data for collection. The Vibroseis system, for example, translates up to 8Mbyte of data per shock. A typical seismic survey, therefore, now requires the processing of approximately eight times more data than before, with vast numbers of crunching routines
Data analysis After collection the data goes to specialist consultancies for post-seismic interpretation. Modern seismic processing uses computers for a variety of data-reduction, modelling and display techniques, to analyse and translate the digital field data, together with a wide range of advanced and specialized software from computer consultancies. The raw mformation can be used to provide analysis in seismic and stratigrphic processing, as well as wavelet processing, modelling and vertical seismic profiling. Sophisticated and highly efficient database systems such as the GeoGraphics Interpretation Data Base and Mapping System Iflrom Scott Pickford and Associates, mean that a wide vari-
Ltd.
21
ety of well, map, seismic and general geographical data can be retrieved and correlated with the new data.
Complete seismic data processing packages Historically, data acquisition and the interpreted display were two totally separate areas but the enormous advances in the computer techniques employed have blurred the line between the two functions. Increasingly therefore, the interpretation specialists are offering complete seismic data processing systems composed of the latest hardware to run their own software. Seismic processing, however, demands all the processing power that can be made available to handle the vast amounts of data. Traditionally the processing has been a job for the mainframe computer but these are costly. In addition, the expense of having data acquisition crews onsite has led to a growing demand for onsite processing to achieve a faster response, and here again the mainframe is unsuitable. Increasingly computer consultancies have looked to the 32 bit superminis as the best machines for their purposes, both in terms of processing power and cost. The heavy number crunching applications can exploit fully the power of the 32 bit machines, particularly those ranges which, as in the case of the Gould SEL range offer powerful cache memory and floating point firmware to give exceptionally fast and efficient operating speeds while still supporting high speed input and output opera-
tions . Seiscom Delta United, system specialists to the oil industry, is offering a new generation of its Megaseis family of geophysical data processing systems. This system is a very powerful complete modular data processing package specifically designed for geophysical applications, composed of the latest state-of-the-art hardware, highly sophisticated software and complete user support. Megaseis was
22
developed to run on Gould SEL cornputers and Britoil has ordered a 32/87 to run the package. Operations covered by the Megaseis system include seismic processing functions such as velocity analysis, predictive convolution and complex trace analysis, together with modelling and interpretation, navigation and mapping, and interactive colour graphics.
Remote sensing via satellites An increasingly large percentage of data now comes from remote sensing, that is, the use of images in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum acquired from satellites to produce pictures enhanced through digital techniques. These remote sensing techniques represent an extremely cost effective and rapid method of acquiring unique information. The effect is to create large archives of remote sensed imagery from satellites such as Landsat. From the processed imagery it is possible to obtain maps to 1: 100 000 scales of land surfaces, otherwise unobtainable because the region is inaccessible, as well as shallow sea-bed mapping to a depth of 30 metres. Gould itself offers a powerful image processing system comprising the Concept 32 range linked by a 32 bit high speed data hardware and software interface to a Gould DeAnza II’8500 image array processor. The Gould DeAnza library of image processing software, LIPS, provides high performance tools to accommodate a wide range of image processing applications.
Superminis in use In 1979 the Denver Processing Center Inc (DPC), a large independent supplier of data seismic processing systems decided to expand its business by selling complete turnkey systems which included proprietary software developed by DPC as well as some specially designed interfaces and controllers. When this decision was made, DPC was using seven systems which
included 16 bit CPUs and integral array processors. At that time, DPC realised that they needed a more powerful CPU than their existing 16 bit system. Specifically its requirement was for a CPU with a very fast input/output system and high computational capability. They also needed a CPU that could accommodate controllers working in a standalone mode to do tape to tape, tape to disc and disc to disc transfers without CPU intervention. Finally they needed a CPU that could be connected to a vector processor. They installed a 32/77, Gould SEL’s then current top end 32 bit system. In 1981, when looking at the even greater projected seismic processing requirements of the eighties, DPC decided it needed even more power and a more efficient way to connect the vector processor to the CPU. The company became Gould SEL’s first customer for the new 32187, which offers six times the power of the 32177, with ECL technology to provide a processing speed of 3.6 MIPS and common memory interface for the vector processing unit, as well as protecting DPC’s large software investment.
Future industry developments The future pattern for the remainder of the eighties will be software specialists and hardware manufacturers keeping pace one with another in maintaining their commitment to the industry. For the time being at least, the main areas for enhancements are likely to be directed towards the provision of even more sophisticated graphics terminals and plotters, such as the Seischrome II laser plotter, since better displays produce better interpretation. With the increasing costs of image processing there is also a concentration upon simultaneous data acquisition and preprocessing and more fully interactive interpretation in general. Whatever the future holds, an oil industry without increasingly sophisticated compucl ter systems is inconceivable.
data processing