Optimizing Data Storage And Management For Petrel Seismic Interpretation And Reservoir Modeling

Unstable oil prices and a global economic downturn have placed exploration and production (E&P) operations under pressure to more precisely characterize prospects and existing dormant assets. At the same time, data managers must stretch shrinking information technology budgets. By optimizing information resources, exploration and production managers can improve decision making and companies can begin drilling and producing faster and more efficiently.

Petrel software from Schlumberger Information Solutions provides seismic interpretation capabilities, 3D reservoir visualization, and simulation—integrated with workflow management, uncertainty analysis, and real-time operations support on Windows desktop systems. The Petrel 2010 application leverages features in the Windows 7 64-bit operating systems and the readily available high-end processing power in today's desktop computers, reducing costs and improving the availability of the systems to support widespread collaboration.

The Petrel application enables geoscientists to better manipulate seismic and other subsurface measurement data to accurately describe reservoir properties using volume analyses. Yet, this capability leads to order-of-magnitude increases in demand for data storage and management systems. NetApp Fabric Attached Storage (FAS) systems, combined with the NetApp Data ONTAP operating system, provide a cost-effective means of pooling the significant volumes of diverse data resources used in E&P operations. Several of NetApp's innovative data management features enable Petrel users to access petabytes of information efficiently and cost-effectively.