PDM - We were interested in the announcement you made during Paradigm’s conference call this month concerning Paradigm’s new integrated software environment. What exactly is inside PG2?
Weiss - We are very excited about PG2 which will be
shown at the SEG convention in San Antonio this September. PG2 represents a
complete integration of Paradigm’s reservoir analysis system [see figure
below] which will offer major benefits to our clients. PG2 will integrate
the whole reservoir evaluation workflow. Now seismic processing, depth imaging,
interpretation and reservoir characterization will all have a common data infrastructure,
which will provide a significant
productivity gain.
PDM - You mentioned the Reservoir Navigator in the conference call, tell us more about this new tool.
Weiss - Yes, PG2 will include the first production release of Reservoir Navigator, our latest software for 3D and 4D visualization. This will visually integrate the workflow through to reservoir simulation in a 3D canvas. Our focus in increasingly on production-related interpretation and modeling and another key innovation is our new data management system, which is highly integrated and tuned for the very large data sets involved in reservoir studies.
PDM - Has Reservoir Navigator evolved out of VoxelGeo?
Weiss - No, Reservoir Navigator is a navigation and browsing tool for all data types, we still have VoxelGeo for volume interpretation.
PDM - Last year Paradigm acquired the software assets of CGG unit Flagship, these included one of the first ever integrated interpretation suites, Integral Plus. Has this software contributed to the new environment?
Weiss - Yes, the experience gained with Integral Plus helped move our data management concepts forward. Having said that we do see a trend away from monolithic data management systems. The volatility of the industry today, especially in terms of acquisitions and mergers, argues against such rigid environments. We therefore provide flexible, web-based access to disparate data stores. The linkage is at the browser level.
PDM - We have talked before about Paradigm’s use of CORBA - is this still how it’s done?
Weiss - Yes CORBA is the underlying foundation of our interoperability technology.
PDM - Doesn’t CORBA give you trouble integrating with Microsoft Windows-based applications?
Weiss - We are in the process of porting our software to Windows NT, and also to Java so that the operating system is not as important as it used to be.
PDM - What becomes of Paradigm’s Ergos Epoch and Poros software?
Weiss - These subsystems - for seismic data analysis, interpretation and reservoir characterization all remain as components of PG2.
PDM - So in a sense, PG2 is a competitor for OpenWorks or GeoFrame?
Weiss - If you like, but we are not presenting PG2 as a head-on competitor with these environments. We still maintain our interfacing capability with these frameworks.
PDM - So you are going head-on with Open Spirit?
Weiss - If you must, at least on a technological level. But Paradigm’s real strength lies in the application arena. We see much of the competition as focused on data management and integration schemas, and perhaps forgetting about the basics of better science, better geology and geophysical interpretation tools.
PDM - So PG2 is basically new infrastructure for Paradigm?
Weiss - It is, and we do not intend to defocus on our interpretation software. Applications have always been, and will remain, our greatest strength.
© Oil IT Journal - all rights reserved.