Elevations, Heights and Datums in Data Models and the Real World

PPDM Perth Data Management Conference

9 September 2010 Perth

Jim Stolle TGS Paul Haines Noah Consulting

A Typical Drilling Rig

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Crown Block and Water Table Catline Boom and Hoist Line Drilling Line Monkeyboard Traveling Block Top Drive Mast Drill Pipe Doghouse Blowout Preventer Water Tank Electric Cable Tray Engine Generator Sets Fuel Tanks Electric Control House Mud Pump Bulk Mud Components Storage Mud Pits Reserve Pits Mud Gas Separator Shale Shaker Choke Manifold Pipe Ramp Pipe Racks Accumulator

KB

RT DF
From: The Univ. of Texas at Austin

From: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/oilandgas/illustrated_glossary.html

Real World vs. Logical

Real World
Kelly Bushing Rotary Table Derrick Floor Casing Flange Ground Level Sea Level Mud Line

Logical
Datum Reference Elevation Height Depth

Elevation and Height The Basics

Heights Elevations Depths
Elevation above MSL Height above GL
Ground Elevation Mean Sea Level

Measured above Ground Level Measured above Mean Sea Level Measured below a reference point

Depth below a reference point

Real World Attributes around the Rig

Real World
Kelly Bushing Rotary Table Derrick Floor Casing Flange Ground Level Sea Level Mud Line

Attributes
Kelly Bushing Height* Kelly Bushing Elevation Rotary Table Height* Roatry Table Elevation Derrick Floor Height* Derrick Floor Elevation Casing Flange Height* Casing Flange Elevation
*Not in PPDM data model

Logical Attributes around the Rig

Logical
Datum Elevation Reference Height Depth

Attributes
Permanent Datum* Elevation Reference Datum Elev. Ref Datum Elevation* Depth Datum (Working) Depth Datum Elevation Height Datum* Height Datum Elevation* Ground Level Elevation Mean Sea Level Elevation* Water Depth Datum Water Depth
*Not in PPDM data model

Data Model Treatment

Schlumberger GeoFrame
Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Measured above PD Measured below Working Datum
(from Well / Borehole tables)

Working-Datum/CODE

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

Working-Datum/ELEVATION GROUND_ELEV

Mean Sea Level

Permanent-Datum/ELEVATION

Permanent-Datum/CODE Mud Line

Schlumberger Seabed
Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Measured above a Vertical Reference Measured below a different Vertical Ref
(from Coordinate-System & Position tables, linked to Well & Borehole tables)

Working-Coor-Syst/Vertical-Ref

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

Position/Elevation Position/Elevation

Mean Sea Level

Position/Elevation Permanent-Coor-Syst/Vertical-Ref

Mud Line

Paradigm EPOS
Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Depends see note below Measured below Measurement Ref
(from Well-database / Well-information tables)

MEASUREMENT_REF
ELEV_MEAS_REF

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

Note: If DATUM_ELEVATION = GL in Paradigm, then DEPTH_DATUM_ELEV = EPD + ELEV_MEAS_REF

DATUM_ELEVATION
DEPTH_DATUM_ELEVATION ?

EPD

DATUM_ELEVATION MSL is implicit permanent datum

If DATUM_ELEVATION = MSL in Paradigm, then DEPTH_DATUM_ELEV = ELEV_MEAS_REF

Mean Sea Level Mud Line

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Landmark R5000
Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Measured above implicit MSL Measured below Depth Datum Type
(from Well-Master table & Elev-Info table)

DEPTH_DATUM_TYPE

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

DEPTH_DATUM GROUND_ELEV

Mean Sea Level MSL is implicit Mud Line

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Open Spirit 2.9

Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Measured above Vertical Datum Measured below Elevation Datum
(from Well table & Wellbore table)

ELEVATION_DATUM

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

ELEVATION GROUND_ELEV

Mean Sea Level MSL is implicit vertical datum Mud Line

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PPDM 3.8
Heights Elevations Depths Does not capture Measured above Elevation Ref Datum Measured below Depth Datum
(from Well table)

DEPTH_DATUM

Kelly Bushing Ground Level

DEPTH_DATUM_ELEV GROUND_ELEV

ELEV_REF_DATUM

Mean Sea Level Mud Line

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Comparing Data Models to the Oilfield

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Attribute Ambiguities
The Level of the Sea?
MSL LAT SL MWL

The Ultimate Origin?

Permanent Datum Elevation Reference Datum

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Temporal Ambiguities
Changes over time
What happens when rigs change out on a particular well The Depth Datum can change The Datum Elevation for the same reference can change Are measurements taken at different times corrected? Is this handled properly or at all in data models?

PPDM Well Version table R5000 Well Master Alt table Seabed Alternate Elevation

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PPDM
Positives
It works Consistent naming Relatively comprehensive in datums and elevations Straightforward to model

Opportunities for Improvement

No Heights No Permanent Datum No value for Elev-Ref-Datum Ground-Level-Type Mixes Water-Depth and Well-Depth references Changes in datum names or values over time Some definitions re-tooled

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Summary
Real oilfield things and logical concepts Various data models address topic differently Potential confusion and ambiguity lessened if:
Use of height in addition to datum and elevation Use of permanent datum and elevation datum Tighten up definitions and reference tables

Changes over time compromise data quality

Copyright 2010

All Rights Reserved Noah Consulting LLC. TGS

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