Summary In our industry, data is only as valuable as our ability to use that data to solve problems. In addition, information management and instant access to information is increasingly important in the day-to-day operation of oil and gas fields. This paper presents an example of a project-driven approach to engineering information management of large engineering projects such as integrated reservoir studies. By project-driven, we mean that the design and content of the database are project specific and custom built to fit the needs of the project. This approach has the advantage of addressing the specific requirements of a particular project and providing the end-users of that database with a customized interface to access the data. We used a PC-based relational database management system (RDBMS) to custom build a database from existing engineering data as part of a larger integrated study. The data were originally in a variety of formats. The RDBMS we used allowed us to rapidly construct a database specific to the needs of the project. The database includes forms and reports for data entry and review, and graphics for displaying data. In addition, the database is very flexible, allowing changes to be made quickly and easily as the project progresses or if the objectives of the project change along the way. Finally, the database can import a wide variety of raw data formats and export data to other engineering analysis applications.
Introduction Historically, data integration has been a problem in our industry. Until the arrival of powerful computers and database software, most information resided in paper records and file cabinets. Today, in spite of inexpensive desktop computers and powerful workstations, data are still usually stored or even duplicated in different sources and in a wide variety of different formats. The large volume and variety of engineering and geophysical data can be overwhelming. Specific disciplines may need access to only part of the data from a field or reservoir at one time, but separate discipline databases lead to significant inefficiencies when those disciplines are integrated. This problem is so prevalent that a number of consortiums have formed in recent years to address the problem of information management and develop an industry standard for storing and sharing information.
Another problem with integration of existing data is the time required to organize the information and populate a database. Most large integrated reservoir studies have long timelines. Often, the project team requires preliminary results early in the project, even as the database is being constructed. In addition, as the project matures, the objectives may change based on an analysis of the available data. This means that the database must be flexible enough to quickly adapt to the changing objectives of the project over time.
In this paper, we discuss how we used a PC-based RDBMS to provide a practical solution to these basic problems for an integrated reservoir study. We will provide a basic overview ofwhat a PC-based relational database looks like,
why we chose a PC-based RDBMS,
how we use the RDBMS to put data and analysis in the hands of end-users, and
how the database becomes a springboard to rapid application of other engineering tasks, such as production data analysis, reservoir simulation or any task requiring integrated data. What is a relational database?
Databases usually come in two forms:flat file databases, and
relational databases.
Figure 1 presents a schematic of a flat file database. As seen in this figure, a flat file database stores all the information for a particular item in one record, and all records are stored in a single table, much like rows in a spreadsheet.