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

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

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Real World vs. Logical

Real World Logical

Kelly Bushing Datum
Rotary Table Reference
Derrick Floor Elevation
Casing Flange Height
Ground Level Depth
Sea Level
Mud Line

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Elevation and Height – The Basics
Heights – Measured above Ground Level
Elevations – Measured above Mean Sea Level
Depths – Measured below a reference point

Elevation
above MSL
Height above GL

Ground
Elevation
Mean Sea Level

Depth below a reference point

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Real World Attributes around the Rig

Real World Attributes

Kelly Bushing Kelly Bushing Height*
Rotary Table Kelly Bushing Elevation
Derrick Floor Rotary Table Height*
Casing Flange Roatry Table Elevation
Ground Level Derrick Floor Height*
Sea Level Derrick Floor Elevation
Mud Line Casing Flange Height*
Casing Flange Elevation

*Not in PPDM data model

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Logical Attributes around the Rig

Logical Attributes
Datum Permanent Datum*
Elevation Elevation Reference Datum
Elev. Ref Datum Elevation*
Reference
Depth Datum (Working)
Height
Depth Datum Elevation
Depth
Height Datum*
Height Datum Elevation*
Ground Level Elevation
Mean Sea Level Elevation*
Water Depth Datum
Water Depth

*Not in PPDM data model

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 Data Model Treatment

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Schlumberger GeoFrame
Heights – Does not capture
Elevations – Measured above PD
Depths – 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

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 Schlumberger Seabed
Heights – Does not capture
Elevations – Measured above a Vertical Reference
Depths – 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

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

MEASUREMENT_REF Kelly Bushing

ELEV_MEAS_REF

DATUM_ELEVATION Ground Level

DEPTH_DATUM_ELEVATION ?
EPD
DATUM_ELEVATION
MSL is implicit permanent datum
Note:
If DATUM_ELEVATION = GL in Paradigm, then
DEPTH_DATUM_ELEV = EPD + ELEV_MEAS_REF
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 – Does not capture
Elevations – Measured above implicit MSL
Depths – 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 – Does not capture
Elevations – Measured above Vertical Datum
Depths – 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 – Does not capture
Elevations – Measured above Elevation Ref Datum
Depths – Measured below Depth Datum
(from Well table)

DEPTH_DATUM Kelly Bushing

Ground Level
DEPTH_DATUM_ELEV

GROUND_ELEV

Mean Sea Level

ELEV_REF_DATUM
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

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18 Noah Consulting LLC.

TGS