Elevations, Heights, & Datums in

Data Models & the Real World

PPDM Conference & User Meeting
March 2010 - Houston

Paul Haines Noah Consulting

Jim Stolle
P2 Energy Solutions
Copyright 2010
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Background Information

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A Typical Drilling Rig

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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
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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

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Elevation & Height The Basics

Heights
Elevations
Depths

Measured above Ground Level

Measured above Mean Sea Level
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

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

Attributes

Kelly Bushing Height*

Kelly Bushing Elevation
Rotary Table Height*
Rotary Table Elevation
Derrick Floor Height*
Derrick Floor Elevation
Casing Flange Height*
Casing Flange Elevation

* - Not in PPDM data model

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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

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* - Not in PPDM data model Copyright
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Data Model Treatment

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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

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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

Working-Coor-Syst/Vertical-Ref

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
Elevations
Depths

Does not capture

Depends see note below
Measured below Measurement Ref
(from Well-database / Well-information tables)

Kelly Bushing

MEASUREMENT_REF
ELEV_MEAS_REF

Ground Level

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

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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OpenSpirit 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? The Ultimate Origin?

MSL
LAT
SL
MWL

Permanent Datum
Elevation Reference Datum

Pauljimistan - a story
A country 1000 miles from
any sea
Statue of Pauljim in center
All reference to statue
Sharing across boundaries?
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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 & elevations
Straightforward to model

Opportunities for Improvement

No Heights
No Permanent Datum
No value for Elev-Ref-Datum
Ground-Level-Type
Mixes Water-Depth & Well-Depth references
Changes in datum names or values over time
Some definitions re-tooled
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Summary
Real oilfield things & logical concepts
Various data models address topic differently
Potential confusion & ambiguity lessened if:
Use of height in addition to datum & elevation
Use of permanent datum & elevation datum
Tighten up definitions & reference tables

Changes over time compromise data quality

It was evident there was interest from the audience
in further discussions related to Geodal height
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