Virtual Reality and Field Integrity Management

Von Berg, Horst R.¹, André Colin¹ (1) VRcontext s.a, Brussels, Belgium

Today, in their search to increase Oil field return, Oil companies are refining their geological surveys, generating terabytes of data which needs to be analyzed in real-time. Three-dimensional advanced visualization techniques compress tons of data into understandable pictures of the underground reservoirs.

Thanks to visualization programs, oil fields returns are now showing yields of 65% or better, an incredible improvement over past performance. Being able to see the underground deposits in 3D and in color is opening better ways of operating. Visualization techniques are fully recognized as a technology helping executives to take better and faster decision.

Revolutionary visualization tools, such as Walkinside™, are now considered by oil companies to create realistic 3D virtual representations of an entire field, extending from the seabed to the equipments—including flow lines, pumps and manifolds, FPSOs and platforms, together with colors and textures—allowing them to navigate through the entire production area.

With ProcessLife™, VRcontext delivers another revolutionary set of Decision Support tools allowing real-time access and visualization of SCADA/DCS data and direct links to existing databases, using the “intuitive” graphical interface of the Walkinside virtual model. VRcontext also provides the appropriate environment to develop “Best Practices” in the areas of maintenance, process simulation, safety and security, as any sequences of events and/or incidents can be realistically simulated and evaluated. ProcessLife uses the virtual 3D model as a federating interface between Engineering, Industrial Maintenance, HSE and Operations.