The purpose of the OpenDX Initiative is to focus industry experience and effort on the enlargement and deployment of the DAEX data migration technology, particularly among users of Finder, OpenWorks, GeoFrame, Geoshare and Recall. The OpenDX Initiative will deliver an extended DAEX framework and a progressively richer set of components for moving data in and out of the most popular datastores. The OpenDX Initiative is an industry-led project funded by the participants. Oilfield Systems will provide DAEX source code for existing links and will define the data interface specifications. The initiative was the brainchild of existing and potential DAEX customers who have offered their individual services and skills to contribute to the accelerated development of links. OpenDX will leverage these efforts by minimizing duplication of effort and maximizing feedback to the developers. Oilfield Systems will encourage other vendors to participate in this Initiative, especially GeoQuest, Landmark and Baker Hughes, who have attended recent meetings and are said to be supportive of the concept.

While various industry initiatives may promise a long-term goal whereby data will remain in situ and not have to be moved between project data stores, there will still be a need for DAEX-type solutions for populating project data stores from national repositories, corporate data stores, partner's project stores, master log stores, applications and other disparate sources of data. In addition, existing data will require quality audits, indexing and mismatch resolution before it can be used with confidence in any data store. This is the target focus for OpenDX. Membership of OpenDX is on a sliding scale starting at $1,000 per annum. More info from opendx@oilfield-systems.com or www.oilfield-systems.com.