4 Things We Dislike About Traditional Geophysical Data Management
As a geophysical data manager or analyst, you know how complex seismic data has become in recent years. This subsurface data has become so large in scale that many oil and gas companies can no longer afford to use traditional and generational geophysical management systems. They lack the speed, functionality, and adaptability to handle the quantity of modern seismic data.
That is why many oil and gas companies have started adopting new data management systems. They have realized that relying on legacy geophysical data management systems will delay them from entering a new era of seismic data efficiency and administrative control.
Here are four things we dislike about traditional geophysical data management, and what is holding back some industry players from being able to optimize their operations. Additionally, we’ll discuss how enterprise software such as Exploration Archives provides a solution to outdated technology and gives you better visibility and control over your own seismic data.
1. Rigid Storage Methods
One of the most frustrating things about traditional geophysical data management is how it lacks a responsive and scalable storage system.
Legacy data management systems typically store data on disk and tapes, which are expensive, cumbersome, and can be disorganized ways to store data. These storage methods can make it easy for you to lose track of data since disk storage and tapes can be easily misplaced, destroyed, or tampered with.
With new data management systems like Exploration Archives, you can store large seismic datasets on tiered and cloud storage. Along with web-based viewers and administrative tools, these systems make it much easier to find and manage data from anywhere in the world.
Cloud-based solutions also:
- Give you more storage space
- Are more cost-effective
- Deliver you a wider range of organizational controls that you can use to catalog, analyze, and sort data for processing
New data management systems like Exploration Archives bypass these problems by providing extensive cloud-based storage, indexing protocols, and a powerful search engine for locating physical assets, including seismic and well data.
2. Lack of Cross-Platform Compatibility
Traditional geophysical data management systems also lack cross-platform compatibility. They stand in a silo, making it difficult for you to toggle between your data management system and other platforms. This causes app hopping and a marked decrease in efficiency since you have to manually enter or alter data into other applications.
New geophysical data management systems simplify this process by allowing you to send data directly to other applications — no manual input required. Exploration Archives provides seamless integration with existing network infrastructure so users have constant, secure access to the data.
Traditional tools also lack plug-in integrations with useful third-party applications that you can use to analyze and manage your collected seismic data. In contrast, with new management systems like Exploration Archives, you can:
- Create custom workflow processes
- Access a wide range of plug-in integrations with modern geophysical data management systems
- Work in tandem with geoscience applications such as Esri ArcGIS®
3. Limited Platform Access
On a legacy system, you can only access your geophysical data management system from certain networks or devices that are authorized. This can lead to downtime as well as delays in communication with team members and stakeholders. Such limited platform access also prevents team members who are on the go or working remotely from having the right level of access at the right times.
In the modern world, it is vital to have 24/7 web access to your geophysical data management system from anywhere. That is why new platform technology such as Exploration Archives provides constant web browser support, enabling geophysical teams, business analysts, and external partners to find and order exploration assets quickly.
4. Non-Comprehensive Quality Control
Finally, traditional geophysical data management systems lack the technical robustness to perform comprehensive quality control (QC). These systems leave the demanding job of navigating and checking all the tera- and petabytes collected by the system in human hands. As a result, seismic data is not as accurate or organized as it could and should be.
To perform quality control effectively and efficiently, companies need to adopt new geophysical data management systems to manage the size of the data collected in this industry. Consider Exploration Archives — where our software allows you to perform preliminary QC with data snapshots by:
- Examining extracted images and data
- Performing QC tasks with the instant view of the files
- Using snapshots to determine if the files are relevant to your project before deciding to download them to your workstation
- Populating data files including amplitude maps, sets of coordinates, live trace outline images, EBCDIC headers, and SEG-Y attributes
A Better Solution to Geophysical and Seismic Data Management
Exploration Archives is the premier solution to geophysical and seismic data management. It can help you better control your collected data —regardless of how many tera- or petabytes you have gathered.
As a dynamic and comprehensive software for managing, accessing, and monitoring geological and geophysical (G&G) data, Exploration Archives supports the full cycle of acquiring, storing, exporting, and downloading data to a workstation. With robust file storage options, advanced search capabilities, and reliable cloud-based access to data, Exploration Archives supports collaboration across different expert groups to develop clean and reliable data.
In addition to providing you with flexible storage methods, cross-platform compatibility, constant web browser support, and comprehensive quality control, Exploration Archives also comes with custom modules such as MobileMedia. This module is a scanner that provides pick and route features, checks out and receives items for orders, records key information about aisles and boxes, and maintains a real-time database connection.
Contact us today to get started with a better geophysical data management solution. With more than 30 years in the industry, we know how to help clients make the jump from legacy systems to cutting-edge solutions. With custom training and support we will help you get the most out of our software and into a better way of doing business.
