1. SPE 74480 WITSML: Technology to Business (T2B) for the Oilfield J
SPE WITSML: Technology to Business (T2B) for the Oilfield J.Holt, SPE, BP plc; I. Haarstad, SPE, Statoil; J.A. Shields, SPE, Baker Hughes; J.P. James, Schlumberger; D. Seiler, SPE, Halliburton Energy Services
“A New Information Transfer Standard”

2. History
Amoco Critical Drilling Facility and Advanced Drilling Facility
Chevron Data Center
Mobil Data Center
WITS (Wellsite Information Transfer Specification)
DART (Data Automation Real Time)
Proprietary Systems

3. Project Goal
The “right time” seamless flow of well site data between operators and service companies to speed and enhance decision-making.
Domain: Drilling, Completion, Well Services

4. Existing Standards WITS
Designed, implemented, and established as an industry standard in the mid eighties
A binary file format for transferring wellsite drilling data
No standard programming interface
Limited data objects
It was great for it’s time, but times have changed.

5. Limitations of Current WITS
Outdated MWD data records
Restrictions on number of drill string and casing sections
Inflexibility for handling data in different units of measurement
Very limited capacity for handling static well information
Use of binary data formats is not platform independent
WITS records are extensible but not self-describing
Limited bi-directional (pull) capability
No standard programming interface

6. Potential Scenarios

7. Project Timing Initiation of Project - Oct 2000
Data Objects defined May 2001
July 2001 – Working prototype
Wider industry roll-out at SPE Forum + Austin workshop 21/22nd Aug 2001
Data standard design freeze 1st Oct, 2001
January 2002 – Commercial offering by three major service companies and at least one small or midsize company

8. Project Organization Steering Board Technical Teams Program Manager
Data Objects
IT Architecture
Program Manager
Companies involved to date: BP, Statoil,Halliburton, Schlumberger, BHI

9. Software Design Decisions
Web Based & W3C Standards
Wide area networking
cross platform
XML data formats
Platform and language independent
SOAP for Programming Interface
Web server based
API Prototype in MS Visual BASIC

10. Open Sourced Deliverables
Definition of Data Objects & Catalogs
Example WITSML files
Validation tool for WITSML files
Example code to read and write simple WITSML data files
Documentation

11. WITSML API
Interface Definition
Prototype Implementation

12. WITSML API - Interfaces
STORE (WMLS) Interface:
Provides access to Persistent Store
Returns/Accepts entire WITSML Data Objects as XML Documents
DOCUMENT (WMLD) Interface:
Routes to Local or Remote STORE (WMLS) Interface

13. WITSML API - Interfaces
ITEM (WMLI) Interface:
Provides access to WITSML Data Object at individual data item level
(isolates application from XML)
Provides synchronous validation against schema
REALTIME (WMLR and WMLP) Interfaces:
Transport of REALTIME WITSML Data Objects
Subscribe/Publish Paradigm

14. WITSML API - Interfaces

15. WITSML API - Network Protocol - Data Object Access

16. WITSML API - Network Protocol - Realtime Transfer - Subscribe

17. WITSML API - Network Protocol - Realtime Transfer - Publish

18. Data Objects Well Wellbore Rig Location Units Trajectory Target
Rig Equipment
Pump
Location
Units
Trajectory
Target
Bit Record
Bottom Hole Assembly
Wellbore Geometry
Casing Scheme
Open Hole
Daily Operations
Fluids Report
Cement Job
Log
Real Time
Mud Logging

19. Future Data standard owned by on oilfield standards organisation
Still under discussion
Now has its own web presence
Seek alignment with other XML efforts such as WellLogML
Steering Board will continue
Original companies plus others

20. Completions & Workovers
Define objects applicable to the completion and workover domain
Objects will be consistent with existing WITSML objects
Objects will cover the requirements for life-of-well

21. Production Operations
Define objects applicable to the well-centric production domain
Objects will be consistent with existing WITSML objects
Surface production facilities will not be included in this phase

22. Production Operations
Data object Examples
“Smart” completion data – sensor and actuator data, equipment settings
Well test data
Artificail lift operating parameters
Valve, sleeve and choke positions
Flow, pressures and temperatures

23. Further Information Web Site: www.witsml.org
Full details of object schemas
Documentation
Downloadable API components