Virtual Environment technologies developed for NASA have been used to create integrated 3-D geotechnical visualizations. Geophysical, geological, and engineering data have been translated into VETL Virtual Environments to allow interactive evaluation of complex spatial relationships in true 3-D environment.

The VETL develops and uses state-of-the-art technologies for the visualization and practical implementation of virtual environments on collaborative space, medical, military, and earth science projects. The VETL has HMD (Head-Mounted Display) units, a variety of haptic gloves (motion, pressure, and temperature) as well as tracking devices, ITS ^SM (Immersive Table), CAVE^TM (Computer-Aided Visualization Environment) or ROOMS^SM (Reservoir Objected Oriented Management System), stereo audio, and a range of Silicon Graphics computers to enable the realistic bi-directional transfer between virtual environments and users.

This paper introduces the practical application of virtual environments in exploration and production using four mini-case-histories. First, visualization of the spatial extent of distributing channels in a 2 mile by 1 mile South American field extension project undertaken by the Bureau of Economic Geology illustrates the power of being able to fly between producing horizons and look for trends. The time structure maps were generated from 3-D seismic and engineering porosity measurements were texture mapped on them to highlight geology. Second, an example of isosurface displays from Cenozoic silicilastic high frequency sequences in the onshore Gulf Coast demonstrate the value of 3-D visualization (generated by The Energy and Geoscience (EGI) in alliance with the Center for Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) at the University of Utah). Third, displays of Paleozoic carbonate sequences, also generated by EGI/SCI, illustrate the power of virtual environments to study geologic systems. Lastly, a joint project with Statoil, provides a new integrated visualization of the Statfjord field.

Immersive Virtual Environments are the next logical step in workstation evolution. The IT^SM can sit next to an existing workstation, and ROOMS^SM can be built to physically and virtually enclose and integrate geophysical, geological, petrophysical, and engineering workstations, data sets, and professionals. We see immediate practical application of Virtual Environment in Exploration and Production.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90937©1998 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Salt Lake City, Utah