Speaking in Calgary at the annual meet of the Public Petroleum Data Model (PPDM) Association late last year, Chellie Hailes revealed how the PPDM data model underpins Chevron’s information architecture. Chevron’s first brush with PPDM was back in 1993 when its Canadian unit implemented a PPDM 2.3 database from Applied Terravision Systems.
North America Upstream
More recently, Chevron North America Upstream unit’s field data architecture (FDA) project also chose PPDM for a proof-of-concept that ‘integrates diverse sets of information into a holistic view of asset performance.’ FDA provides data for production operations. This has defined standards for data flows and processes and a technique for integrating data from operational ‘systems of record’ (SoR). FDA proposes a simplified data architecture ‘plug and play’ environment for applications.
Vendor-neutral
Chevron wanted a standards-based infrastructure that could support field data in a ‘vendor-neutral’ context. FDA used an Oracle instantiation of the PPDM 3.8 data model. Sample well and spatial data from field SoRs was mapped and loaded to the new database. The successful pilot led Chevron to recommend PPDM as the FDA data model.
Reservoir management
Another Chevron project, the Energy and Technology unit’s international Reservoir Management Information Architecture (RMIA) initiative has likewise elected for a PPDM foundation. RMIA sets out to ‘identify and affirm’ Chevron-wide applications, data and work processes for effective reservoir management. RMIA includes a blueprint information architecture, a roadmap for implementation, data management best practices and a pilot deployment. Again, PPDM 3.8 on Oracle was selected as database of choice. Another project—the I-Field architecture also converged on PPDM as the model of choice.
Upstream Architecture
Following the RMIA success, Chevron established a global upstream architecture team to ‘adopt and translate the enterprise architecture principles, guidelines and standards [for] use at the enterprise level.’ This has resulted in the recognition of PPDM 3.8 as the preferred upstream enterprise data model, the establishment of a PPDM steering committee and the development of a global upstream master data management solution based on PPDM.
Vision
Chevron’s vision is now a PPDM-based master data management system underpinned by standard taxonomies, hierarchies and rules for data governance and quality. Deliverables include a global upstream enterprise data integration hub, master data management, unique identifiers and standard reference values. The solution, which embeds Chevron’s upstream data dictionary, will displace multiple existing well header systems.
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