The latest version of Petrosys supports integration with Esri’s ArcMap 10 through the use of a plug-in which launches Petrosys surface modeling software and allows Petrosys data to be displayed as native Esri objects. This article looks at how to implement the plug-in within the GIS environment as well as what value it brings to your organisation.

What does the Petrosys Plug-in bring to the Esri environment?

The Petrosys plug-in adds a new dimension to the standard Esri environment by integrating Petrosys gridding, contouring and volumetric capabilities with GIS workflows. GIS users can use these tools natively within ArcMap 10 to access a wide range of data which is important for the creation of complex subsurface structures which may need to take into account faults and discontinuities. The resultant Petrosys grids, contours and faults can then be displayed as native objects within the ArcMap 10 environment.

What data does the plug-in open up to the GIS user?

The Petrosys plug-in allows users to interact with a wide range of E&P specific interpretive data sources for gridding and contouring such as Openworks, Seisworks, IHS Kingdom, Petrel, Geoframe and more. From these interpretive data sources you can directly grid 2D/3D interpretation, formation tops, faults and spatial data such as shapefiles and File Geodatabases. As well as interpretive data sources, the plugin allows access to E&P data management databases such as PPDM and Finder for surface modeling. The results of surface modeling workflows can be accessed by and displayed directly in the ArcGIS environment.

How will the plug-in help my organisation?

The Petrosys plug-in for Esri can bring a number of benefits to your organisation:

  • Organisations can integrate high quality subsurface geoscience models with their GIS environment.
  • Petrosys brings 20+ years experience in oil and gas exploration and surface modeling into the GIS domain.
  • Low learning curve as users don’t need to learn an entire piece of new software.
  • Effectively brings together a wide range of data types and data sources.

How do I access the plug-in?

When Petrosys is installed on a machine which already has the ArcGIS software then the plug-in will be included with the normal installation. If ArcGIS is installed after Petrosys then all you have to do is re-run the Petrosys installer and select the custom setup option to add the plug-in.

When the plug-in is installed you need to select Customize>Toolbars from the ArcGIS menus and then select the Petrosys tool bar and the gridding and contouring icon should appear like below:

Clicking on this icon will open the Petrosys Gridding and Contouring module which should already be familiar to most Petrosys users. The direct connection capabilities allow users to combine data from a number of applications including IHS Kingdom/Petrel/OpenWorks/SeisWorks/GeoFrame. Data from multiple sources can be combined in a workflow and all coordinate conversion is handled on-the-fly by the software.

After running your subsurface workflows from the Petrosys Surface Modeling module the outputs can be displayed using the Add Data + button within ArcMap 10 like below:

Grids, contours and faults can be added to the display along with any other file types ArcGIS recognises such as shapefiles and geoTiffs etc. This also applies to files created in the Linux version of Petrosys as the files are cross platform compatible.

Other ways Petrosys interacts with GIS

Did you know that Petrosys can also interact with GIS in a number of different ways including through the use of a Web Map Server (WMS), direct display of GIS layers and the Spatial data translator?

WMS:
WMS gives users the ability to publish their Petrosys map layers to a server which then allows these layers to be accessed by other software including GIS systems. Because Petrosys allows you to connect seamlessly to a range of third-party data stores, these layers, which were previously unavailable to GIS users, can now become part of their workflow.

Petrosys map being served via WMS onto an Esri map canvas. The layers include a 3D bin grid and wells from IHS Kingdom’s application.

Direct display of GIS layers:
Petrosys will also allow you to directly display and grid a range of GIS data types, these include SDE layers, file geodatabases, shapefiles and MapInfo files. Whether you are surface modeling or mapping within Petrosys you can always have your GIS data at your finger tips.

SpatialData Translator:
This unique tool within Petrosys allows users to take a number of spatial file types (point, line or polygon data) and export it out to a different type of file whilst at the same time allowing for coordinate conversion to take place. For example, you could take a polygon object directly from Petrel and export it out to a File Geodatabase or shapefile in a different coordinate system from the input Petrel object.
As you can see Petrosys provides users with the ability to combine our knowledge of surface modeling and data access with the Esri GIS environment. By integrating Petrosys gridding, contouring and volumetric capabilities with GIS workflows you can get the most out of your subsurface data within you GIS environment.