System and method for electronic data delivery

• US 6,519,568 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Pandya, Yogendra C., Provost, J. Thomas, Kaan, Keith G., Kanvinde, Sanjay S., Scheibner, David J., Anigbogu, Julian C., Fogelsong, Bruce A., Alvarado, Juan C., Harvey, Diane M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/471,844
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/9, 705/22-23, 702/6-7, 702/9, 702/14, 707/10, 709/217-219, 709/223-224
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

The present invention comprises a data delivery system for delivering oilfield data from an acquisition site to a remote delivery site comprising a central data hub computer that processes a workflow order for controlling delivery of the oilfield data, a data acquisition site computer that transmits oilfield data over a first communications network to the central data hub in near real-time in response to the workflow order and a data server that receives data from the central data hub over a second communications network. The data server communicates with multiple remote delivery site computers for the simultaneous display of oilfield data in near real-time at the multiple delivery site computers in response to the workflow order.

Claims

1. A data delivery system for delivering oilfield data from at least one data acquisition site to a remote delivery site, comprising:

a. a central data hub computer that processes a workflow order that controls delivery of oilfield data from the at least one data acquisition site to a remote delivery site;

b. a data acquisition site computer that transmits oilfield data over a first communications network to the central data hub computer in near real-time in response to the workflow order; and

c. a data server that receives data from the central data hub over a second communications network, the data server communicating with multiple remote delivery site computers for the simultaneous display of the oilfield data in near real time at the multiple delivery site computers in response to the workflow order.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a workflow order generating module in the central data hub computer that allows a user to generate and submit the workflow order to the central data hub computer for processing.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a workflow order status monitoring module in the central data hub computer that monitors the status of a submitted workflow order.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a data services center computer for post-acquisition oilfield data processing, the data services center computer being in communication with the central data hub.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising post-acquisition oilfield data processing software applications within the data services center computer, the software applications being selected from the group consisting of borehole seismic applications, borehole imaging applications, petrophysics applications, well test applications, production engineering processing applications and interpretation functionality applications.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an oilfield data archival database in communication with the central data hub.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data server comprises a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) data server for transmitting oilfield data to at least one remote delivery site computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the data server comprises a global communications network (“

web”

) data server capable of transmitting oilfield data in near real-time to the multiple remote delivery site computers via a global communications network.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the data server comprises a real-time data server for transmitting oilfield data to multiple delivery site computers in near real-time via a third communications network.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the third communications network comprises a communications link and a communications protocol.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the third communications network is a global communications network.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the communications protocol is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the communications protocol is HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the second and the third communications networks comprise a real-time communications transfer protocol.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the third communications network comprises a real-time data transfer capability using a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a satellite communication network.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a telephone communication network.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a microwave transmission network.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a radio communication network.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a wireless telephone communication network.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications network comprises a TCP/IP communications protocol.

22. The system of claim 1 further comprising a hardcopy delivery center, that generates a hardcopy of the oilfield data as controlled by the workflow order from the central data hub, in communication with the central data hub.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the hardcopy is stored on media selected from the group consisting of a hardcopy report, a tape, a film and a CD-ROM.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the central data hub comprises:

a. a user interface module that receives a user generated workflow order for oilfield data;

b. a submission module that loads a description of the workflow order and breaks the workflow order into at least one task containing task parameters and task dependencies and transfers the task to a dispatch module for routing the task;

c. at least one application module that executes the routed task;

d. a status module that maintains the task dependencies and monitors task status;

e. a data manager module that enter soilfield data in a database accessible by the central data hub; and

f. an archive manager module that handles the export of information for archival.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising a real-time data transfer module for transmitting real time data as specified in the workflow order from a data acquisition site to a data delivery site.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the real-time data transfer module comprises a transfer express communications transmission protocol.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the user-interface module interfaces with a web browser for receiving t he workflow order.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises a data converter function that provides digital data conversion and data filtering of oilfield data as specified in the workflow order.

29. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises a fax function.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises publishing, the oilfield data to a web server as specified in the workflow order.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises sending the oilfield data as specified in the workflow order to an external server using an FTP protocol.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises sending e-mail messages to a computer server as specified in the workflow order.

33. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises a data conversion function for converting graphics data as required in the workflow order.

34. The system of claim 24 wherein the application module comprises a function for sending a hardcopy request to a product delivery center.

35. The system of claim 24 further comprising a real-time application module in communication with the central data hub for sending oilfield data in real time from the data acquisition site to multiple remote delivery sites.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the application module comprises a real-time oilfield data transfer function that sends data to and receives data from the real-time module.

37. A computer-implemented method for near real-time data delivery of oilfield data from at least one data acquisition site to a remote delivery site, comprising:

a. processing a workflow order at a central data hub computer that controls delivery of oilfield data from the at least one data acquisition site to the remote delivery site;

b. transmitting oilfield data over a first communications network from a data acquisition site computer to the central data hub computer in near real-time in response to the workflow order;

c. sending oilfield data from the central data hub to a data server over a second communications network; and

d. receiving data from the central data hub at the data server, the data server having the capability of communicating with multiple remote delivery site computers for the simultaneous display of the oilfield data in near real time at multiple delivery site computers in response to the workflow order.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising allowing a user to generate and submit the workflow order to the central data hub computer for processing using a workflow order generating module in the central data hub computer.

39. The method of claim 37 further comprising monitoring the status of a submitted workflow order using a workflow order status monitoring module in the central data hub computer.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising performing post-acquisition oilfield data processing at a data services center computer which is in communication with the central data hub.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising archiving oilfield data in an archival database in communication with the central data hub.

42. The method of claim 37 further comprising transmitting oilfield data in near real-time via the data server to the multiple remote delivery site computers via a global communications network.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the data server is a global communications network (“

web”

) data server.

44. The method of claim 37 further comprising transmitting oilfield data in near real-time from a real-time data server to the multiple delivery site computers via a third communications network.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising a data compression module for compressing data transmitted over the first, second and third communications networks.

46. The method of claim 37 wherein the first communications network is selected from the group consisting of a satellite communication network, a telephone communication network, a microwave transmission network, a radio communication network and a wireless telephone communication network.

47. The method of claim 37 further comprising, in accordance with the workflow order, generating a hardcopy of the oilfield data at a hardcopy delivery center in communication with the central data hub.

48. The method of claim 37 wherein processing the workflow order at the central data hub comprises:

a. receiving a user generated workflow order for oilfield data at the central data hub;

b. loading a description of the workflow order and breaking the workflow order into at least one task containing task parameters and task dependencies and transferring the task to a dispatch module for routing the task;

c. executing the routed task;

d. maintaining the task dependencies and monitoring task status;

e. entering oilfield data in a database accessible by the central data hub; and

f. handling the export of information for archival.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the user generated workflow order is received by a user-interface module interfacing with a web browser.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein an application module executes the routed task.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises converting digital oilfield data and filtering the data as specified in the workflow order.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises publishing the oilfield data to a web server as specified in the workflow order.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises sending the oilfield data as specified in the workflow to an external server using an FTP protocol.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises sending e-mail messages to a computer server as specified in the workflow order.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises sending a hardcopy request to a product delivery center.

56. The method of claim 50 wherein the application module comprises sending oil field data in near real-time data from the data acquisition site to the multiple remote delivery sites.

57. The method of claim 46 further comprising sending oilfield data in near real-time from the data acquisition site to the multiple remote delivery sites as specified in the workflow order.

58. The method of claim 48 further comprising a built-in data recovery module in the central data hub for recovering data if the transmitting of the oilfield data from the data acquisition system to the multiple remote delivery sites fails.

59. A software program embodied on a computer-readable medium incorporating the method as recited in claim 37.

70. The method of claim 59 wherein the application server comprises a real-time transfer application server that sends data to and receives data from a real-time server.

71. The method of claim 70 further comprising a second real-time transfer application server in the data acquisition system for sending oilfield data in real-time to the central data hub.

72. The method of claim 70 further comprising a third real-time transfer application server in the remote delivery site computer for receiving oilfield data in real-time from the central data hub.

73. The method of claim 70 wherein the real-time transfer application server establishes a real-time data transfer chain from the data acquisition system to a real-time transfer-enabled remote delivery site.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the real-time transfer-enabled remote delivery site comprises a real-time transfer utility located within a remote delivery site computer.

60. A method in a computer data delivery system for delivering oilfield data from at least one data acquisition site to multiple delivery sites comprising:

a. receiving a workflow order for oilfield data at a central data hub computer;

b. executing the received workflow order at the central data hub computer comprising;

i. if the task parameters are valid, submitting the task for dispatch comprising;

1. loading the description of the workflow order;

2. breaking the workflow order into at least one task containing task parameters and task dependencies;

ii. if task dependencies are satisfied dispatching the task for execution;

iii. executing the task; and

iv. monitoring task status.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein submitting the task comprises:

a. receiving a workflow order request at a submit server within the central data hub;

b. validating the workflow order; and

c. placing the workflow order on a dispatch queue.

62. The method of claim 60 further comprising if the workflow order is a task abort request:

a. receiving a workflow order request at a submit server within the central data hub;

b. validating the workflow order; and

c. placing the workflow order on an abort queue.

63. The method of claim 60 wherein dispatching and executing the task comprises processing tasks in a dispatch queue by routing the task to an appropriate application server for execution.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a digital data conversion and filter application.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a web dropbox server for sending data to a web server.

66. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a fax application server for sending the oilfield data to a fax machine.

67. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a file transfer protocol (FTP) server for sending files to a server external to the central data hub using FTP protocol.

68. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a PDS rasterize application server for converting data from PDS graphical formats to other graphical formats.

69. The method of claim 63 wherein the application server comprises a hardcopy server for sending a hardcopy requests to a product delivery center.

75. The method of claim 60 further comprising a data manager within the central data hub that locates data and enters new data into a database in communication with the central data hub.

76. The method of claim 60 further comprising an archive manager for managing file data uploaded to the central data hub and file data generated at the central data hub via file conversion applications.

77. The method of claim 60 wherein the monitoring of the task status comprises:

a. processing status queue task dependencies, task messages and task statistics;

b. maintaining task and order state statistics;

c. identifying task waiting for events; and

d. placing tasks in a dispatch queue when task dependencies are complete.

78. The method of claim 60 wherein task dependencies comprise executing the task after other tasks have reached their target state.

79. The method of claim 60 wherein task dependencies comprise executing the task after a period of time has elapsed.

80. The method of claim 60 further comprising specifying the workflow order by a user at a user computer and sending the workflow order to the central data hub for processing.

81. A software program embodied on a computer-readable medium incorporating the method as recited in claim 60.

82. A computer-implemented method for near real-time data delivery of oilfield data from at least one data acquisition site to multiple remote delivery sites, comprising:

a. processing a workflow order at a central data hub computer that controls delivery of oilfield data from the at least one data acquisition site to the remote delivery site;

b. transmitting oilfield data over a first communications network from a data acquisition site computer to the central data hub computer in near real-time in response to the workflow order; and

c. sending oilfield data from the central data hub to a remote delivery site using a data server that is part of the central data hub, the data server communicating with multiple remote delivery site computers for the simultaneous display of the oilfield data in near real time at multiple delivery site computers in response to the workflow order.

83. A computer implemented method for near real-time data delivery of oilfield data from at least one data acquisition site to multiple remote delivery sites, comprising:

a. electronically transferring oilfield data obtained at a data acquisition site from a computer at the data acquisition site, based on a user-specified workflow order program, to a central data hub computer over a communications network using a near real-time transmission protocol;

b. receiving the oilfield data at the central data hub computer, formatting the data for delivery to the multiple remote delivery sites based on the delivery site requirements and the user-specified workflow program;

c. routing the data to a hardcopy delivery site for hardcopy creation based upon the workflow as requested by the workflow; and

d. routing the data to the multiple remote delivery sites based on the user-specified workflow over a second communications network using a near real-time transmission protocol upon request by at least one of the multiple delivery sites.

84. A software program embodied on a computer-readable medium incorporating the method as recited in claim 83.