Petroconsultants’ future plans (May 1997)

Petroconsultants announce extensions to IRIS21 and a roadmap to an Arclnfo based fully integrated Geographical Information System (GIS). In the run in to the EAGE to be held in Geneva from 26th to 30th May, Geneva-based Petroconsultants are pulling out all the stops with a multitude of product and concepts centered on their IRIS21 relational data management system.

Following the acquisition of Petroconsultants by Colorado based Information Handling Services (IHS) - featured in the Oct 96 PDM, Petroconsultants has been encouraged to move further along the path of supplying all digital data to its clients. Recognizing that previous incarnations of IRIS21 have not always been easy to use, Petroconsultants have released three "user friendly" routes into IRIS21. Concepts21 (now delivered with IRIS21) is a task driven interface which simplifies data extraction. The latest version of PROBE (3.50) allows for statistical analysis of data in IRIS21 and export to other mapping packages. PetroWorld21 V3.0 now incorporates ArcView for GIS based data selection. Petroconsultants are currently working with ESRI (Arclnfo) to roll out a brand new interface to IRIS21 using the innovative Spatial Database Engine(SDE). This technology, jointly developed by ESRI and Oracle allows spatial data to be stored efficiently within an Oracle relational database. Queries can be performed on geographical attributes and spatial (or even- dimensional) vector data returned to the application without a) the performance hit associated with storing such data in regular tables or b) resorting to bespoke developments such as the N-Lists found in Finder.

Of course potential users of this technology would be well advised to look for some benchmark data before jumping in on this new technology. If is does work as ESRI claim, then ERP users will have the added assurance of using "generic" technology with a wider user base. Other innovations in the Petroconsultants product line include a document database containing all reports and documents produced by Petroconsultants Foreign Scouting Service. This is designed to offer improved delivery of these products by Inter/Intranet and on CD-ROM. In addition to text, Petroconsultants are opening up their database to include physical inventory (sections, logs, tapes etc..) allowing for the overlay of "strategic E & P data" on the physical exploration assets held by a company or third party. The foregoing serves as a pointer to the "shape of things to come".

The existing IRIS21 extensions are to be repackaged as follows.

Pscope21 designates interfaces to the IRIS21 data management system, to be offered in both UNIX and NT flavors.

Pmap21 is the SDE integration with IRIS21 using the ArcView 3 GIS.

Pdoc21 is the new document database,

PLink21 designates links to physical asset databases owned by client oil companies.

These developments combine to position IRIS21 as a direct competitor to products such as Finder from GeoQuest and Landmark's "Finder Killer", Open Explorer. While Petroconsultants may have a hard time competing with these systems as data delivery tools to GeoFrame and Open Works, they do have a significant installed base, and are also well placed in the fields of database population, and maintenance. The acquisition of a data management system pre- loaded with relevant information from Petroconsultants Foreign Scouting Service must look an attractive starting point for a newcomer into the brave new world of all-digital E8 P.