Employ petroleum industry geographic information systems (GIS) to manage all levels of geo-referenced data. Petroleum industry geographic information systems creates a digital model of subsurface geology including and wells. There are many varieties of geographic information systems software available ranging in capabilities. There is little room for error in the petroleum industry.

As the developing world increases demand, the petroleum supply is forever fluctuating. The rising price of gasoline has heightened the need for application of GIS in the petroleum industry. The visual display of subterranean deposits created by petroleum industry GIS, coupled with geo info systems, such as GPS, visually melds otherwise complex data into a graphically comprehensible form.

1. Hire a GIS specialist to develop, build up, test and maintain the large database necessary for a fully functional petroleum geographic information systems.

2. Integrate all geo-referenced information and geological data with a customized petroleum GIS, that can be deployed in the field to create a real-time GIS in petroleum industry application.

3. Purchase the most recent up-to-date petroleum GIS data for petroleum exploration sites.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Work with industry-leading GIS companies to develop oil and gas GIS

The leading Geographic Information Systems companies are constantly improving and developing the user interface and functionality of their immensely complex oil and gas GIS software. The immense databases and precise geo-referenced information must be handled with exacting precision, as a mistake of a few yards can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in exploration costs.

I recommend: Contact the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), which is the top GIS developer in the world. ESRI has developed dozens of petroleum industry geographic information systems applications. P2 Energy Solutions is another global leader in GIS software for applications in the upstream of the oil and gas industry.

Customize your petroleum industry GIS software and train your staff to use it

Customizing petroleum industry GIS software is essential to achieving maximum efficiency. Each petroleum industry business has unique characteristics that require customized software. As a business grows, the computerized systems have to be robust enough to expand to meet demands. Customized software is the best option available.

I recommend: The Petroleum Institute for Continuing Education provides training and software customization for all areas of the petroleum industry. Rockware can provide custom software for numerous fields in the petroleum industry, including geophysics, well logs and much more. These are industry leaders in the application of GIS for the petroleum industry.

Explore for oil before drilling a well by using an oil and gas GIS

Geological databases, including surface and subsurface features, should be should be integrated with oil and gas GIS to develop a complete digital model of the area under exploration. Geological core samples need to be taken and the data entered into the model to help predict the areas of highest probability for oil deposits. Oil and gas geographic information systems are essential to exploration.

I recommend: Geosoft in an industry leader in GIS petroleum industry applications. It offers products for geophysics, geochemistry and many other aspects of the petroleum industry. PetroWeb can provide a complete GIS modeling system to meet the needs of any size petroleum exploration and development company.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Purchase additional multi-user licenses for petroleum industry geographic information systems. As enterprise-wide application of geographic information systems software becomes more complex, additional staff will be needed. Licenses are less expensive if they are for upgrades.