GeoGraphix

A product of Landmark Graphics Corporation

prepared by Jim Pancake and Kelly Rose (EG&G)

• Geographic Information System software designed for

analysis of spatial data related to the geosciences (more
specifically designed for use by the Petroleum Industry).
• GeoGraphix was developed in 1983 by a geologist whose
vision was to revolutionize the way well data was
mapped and managed on the geologist’s desktop.
• GeoGraphix Discovery consists of a tightly integrated
Windows-based geologic and geophysical software
package designed to provide solutions to complex
geologic problems in a desktop environment.

For additional information regarding GeoGraphix products visit www.geographix.com

Geographic Information Systems GIS

What is A GIS?
A GIS is any tool that is used to help manipulate, analyze and
present information that is tied to a spatial location.
Commonly a system of computer software, hardware and databases.
• Spatial Location – usually a geographic location, e.g. street address, well locations,
faults, seismic lines. Includes XY&Z dimensions.
• Information – Database or visual analysis of various attributes tied to the spatial
location for each attribute, e.g. location, size, & type of water pipes in a given town;
maps showing locations and production characteristics for wells in an oil or gas field.
• System – Tool that links the user to the geographically referenced database, such as,
linking software, hardware and data, e.g. GeoGraphix + PC + IHS
• Personnel – The individuals who use GIS as a tool to solve problems and represent
the key to the power of GIS
(information modified from www.gis.com/whatisgis)

GIS is a particularly powerful tool for the Geosciences because it allows

users to store, analyze, manipulate, update and graphically represent
spatial data and most data used in geoscience applications is spatially related.

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 GeoGraphix Data Organization
GeoGraphix uses data organization based on 2 levels: Projects and Areas of Interest

Projects represent collections of well data, seismic data, cartographic data,

contour maps and other types of information for a geologic province.
Areas of Interest (AOI) are subsets of the project and use only data within
the Area of interest

GeoGraphix stores graphical representations of data in

display Layers.
• Layers can be thought of as overlays which contain data such as oil and gas
well locations, contour lines, land grids, and cultural data.
• Each layer contains only one type of data and can be turned on and off
independently.
• Layers can be created on a project level (all data are used) or on an Area of
Interest level where only the data in the AOI is used.

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 GeoGraphix Tools
GeoGraphix consists of a series of “tools” or “modules” that
communicate and interact with each other. These tools allow
the user to store, analyze, interpret and display data.
Geographix Discovery Tools
• ProjectExplorer Tools available with Geographix Release
• WellBase 2002.1 seimic modeling package
• Coordinate System Manager • LogM Model Builder
• GeoAtlas/Isomap • LogM Well Editor
• LandNet • ResEV
• LeaseMap • Struct Model System
• CrossSection
• ZoneManager
• QueryBuilder
• SeisVision
• PSTaX
• Prizm
• WellXchange

Project Explorer
Project Explorer is the Geographix application for creating,
activating, organizing and modifying projects.
• Project explorer uses an interface similar to Microsoft Windows Explorer
where the view of the contents of a project can be modified, and project
folders and their content can be created and organized as necessary.

• Project Explorer also has direct access to data import and export for
LandNet, LeaseMap, and WellBase applications.

Projects consist of the dataset that the user intends to analyze.

• Probable datasets include locations oil and gas wells and the various attributes
assigned to these wells.
• Datasets can be purchased (e.g. IHSEnergy) or created from scratch.
• Projects can be as large as global in scale or as small as just a few wells.

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 WellBase
WellBase provides a relational database manager for geologic
well data, including location information, formation tops, faults,
deviations, DSTs, and cores.
Important WellBase functions

• Layer creation – automates the process of base-map construction for display in

GeoAtlas.

• Data Imports – projects can be populated by importing ASCII files, spreadsheets

or directly typing the data into the database.

• Data Exports – data such as formation tops or well total depths can be exported
in ASCII format.

• Creation of stratigraphic columns and management of well symbols and colors

LandNet and LeaseMap

LandNet is a cartographic tool that allows import and display of
a variety of landgrid and cultural data from government,
commercial, and proprietary sources.
Landgrid data provides survey grid data for a particular region including text
descriptions and Lat./Long. Coordinates.

Landgrid data can be imported as a database (.dbf) or as a display layer (shapefile).

Common Landgrids include: Public Land Surveys (e.g. Township and Range Surveys),
County Boundaries, Federal Land Boundaries, Indian Reservation Boundaries, etc.

LeaseMap provides an environment for geoscientists and land

personnel to interactively manage and display tract, lease and
concession information.

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 GeoAtlas/Isomap
GeoAtlas provides the ability to create and display maps and
represents a “virtual piece of paper” onto which any number
of individual layers can be displayed.
Map View
• Layers created in LandNet, WellBase, Isomap, Xsection, and LeaseMap can
be displayed in GeoAtlas. Layers can also be created directly in GeoAtlas.

• ESRI Shapefiles can imported and displayed.

Page View
• Annotations and drawings can be added and maps can be printed.

• Maps can be exported in EMF, JPEG, BMP, and TIF formats.

• Marginalia annotation, e.g. north arrows, legends, title boxes etc.

• Image files can be used to construct Montages

GeoAtlas/Isomap
IsoMap is the comprehensive surface modeling and contouring
application that can be used on a wide variety of data sets.
IsoMap provides 10 different interpolation algorithms, e.g.
minimum curvature, adapative fitting etc. from which geologic
surfaces can be created and analyzed.

Examples of Isomap products

• Structural contour maps
• Sandstone thickness isopach maps
• Drilling depth contour maps

Caution: Using the Isomap wizard to create surfaces requires sufficient data
density. If data density is not sufficient then the surfaces created may in no
way represent realistic geologic entities.

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 ZoneManager
ZoneManager is a data manager tool used to keep track of
reservoir characteristics on a zone basis.
Zones = individual plays or reservoirs, individual formations, particular depth
range, etc.
Reservoir characteristics = Porosity, permeability, water saturation, etc.
Zones and their attributes are created manually and data can be imported as
spreadsheets, ASCII files or entered manually.

ZoneManager acts as a compliment to WellBase but does not substitute it.

Zone attributes can be:
• filtered for specific characteristics.
• Made into WellBase layers or IsoMap layers.
• Computed to determine specific parameters such as average porosity or
average thickness of a particular zone.
• Output in spreadsheet/report view or ASCII format.

CrossSection
CrossSection is designed for creating, editing, displaying and
printing geologic cross sections. Stratigraphic and structural
cross sections can be defined from well data in WellBase and
Prizm.
Raster and LAS/Vector well logs can be imported and
displayed in CrossSection. Common Well Log sources
include; A2D, MJ Systems, Riley’s and IHSEnergy.

Cross section can be created by:

• selecting wells from a previously created layer in GeoAtlas
• selecting wells using Define New Cross Section option in
Prizm
• selecting from a list of wells in the project database
• selecting directly from seismic lines in SeisVision

Formation tops can be added, deleted or edited in

CrossSection. These picks are automatically updated in
WellBase

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 QueryBuilder
QueryBuilder is the GeoGraphix application that creates filters
and runs queries on information in the WellBase database.
Used in conjunction with WellBase and LeaseMap QueryBuilder allows selective
access of data by searching the database for wells, tracts, or leases based on user
defined criteria.

Benefits of QueryBuilder

• Filtering reduces large amounts of data into smaller subsets.

• Unlimited number of filters can be defined and saved.
• Filters can be used to define well base layers.
• Filters can be used to define graphs and create editable data record tables.
• Statistical queries can be run on filtered data.
Parameters include the sum, average, minimum, maximum, standard deviation,
variance, or count.
QueryBuilder is designed much like the query function in Microsoft Access and
represents an invaluable tool when dealing with large datasets.

Prizm
Prizm is a comprehensive Microsoft Windows based interpretation
package to assist geoscientists and petrophysicists in analyzing
and interpreting well log data.
Prizm allows:
• Import of digital data from numerous sources and provides integrated data views
and analysis.
• Quick analysis of well log data using industry-standard and custom built
petrophysical algorithms.
• Log templates for digital logs can be generated for display in CrossSection.
• Type logs and annotated logs can be generated and displayed in GeoAtlas.

Log import types in Prizm: LAS/LBS, LIS/TIF, ASCII, LCB. Other import types involve
core data reports and directional Survey Reports.

Additional Prizm functions:

• Interpretation of log data statistics
• Reservoir/Pay Summations
• Log digitizing

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 Additional Tools
SeisBase is the data manager for non-trace seismic data stored at the project level.
Stored information consists of line, shotpoint, and survey location and event data for
2D and 3D seismic surveys. Seismic basemaps are created in SiesBase and can be
displayed in GeoAtlas.

SeisVision is the 2D and 3D seismic interpretation tool. It allows for interactive viewing
and picking of time horizons on 2D sections and 3D inlines and crosslines, fault
interpretation, velocity interpretation based on well control, and real time depth
conversion.

PStaX is used to perform seismic post stack processing. Data are taken from
SeisVision and reprocessed into new lines or data volumes.

WellXchange allows movement of well data back and forth between GES97 and
GESXplorer/Discovery.