Abstract

Within petroleum exploration research, a greater value has been placed on the acquisition and use of high resolution imagery, digital elevation models (DEM) and spatial vector data, which has led to a need for a technological solution that provides easy access to and rapid 3D viewing capabilities of large spatial datasets. However, to stay competitive, it is essential that this solution also have the capability to expand into an interpretation tool rather than exist as purely a visualization tool. The Google Earth Enterprise Solution software has led to the successful creation of a viewable database or globe that contains public and proprietary imagery, terrain and vector data that is relevant and applicable to our local and international interests. Though the database is viewed using the standard Google Earth client, the viewable database is proprietary, secured and only accessible from within our in-house network. This allows for access to company-relevant spatial data within seconds. The impact of the in-house Google Earth Enterprise Solution has led to its evolution from a visualization tool to an integration and application tool. Workflows are being established to automate the integration of proprietary GIS data into the system. Standalone GUI applications have been created to interface with the in-house flyable database for more dynamic interaction with and interpretation of the datasets. In this solution we have devised utilities that promote thinking "outside of the box" rather than just "off the shelf". Some of the applications of our solution include field campaign planning and tracking, onshore seismic planning, visualization of vertical section such as cross-sections or seismic data, visualization of photo-realistic outcrop models, and animations of geological time sequences. The integration of the proprietary high resolution imagery and terrain datasets with in-house specific vector data has become a powerful proven tool within research, exploration and production.