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Deal Launches Internet One Stop Shop for UK Oil and Gas Data
| Date: | 14 Jun 2000 | | Details: | The contract to develop a comprehensive internet-based exploration and production data service that will save the UK oil and gas industry millions of pounds a year has been awarded to the BGS (British Geological Survey) in partnership with web technology specialists ESRI (UK) Limited. The contract is worth over £300,000 per annum for the next three years.
DEAL (Digital Energy Atlas and Library) will reduce the time taken to search for data and eliminate duplication in data storage, freeing up industry specialists to look for new investment opportunities. It is the latest initiative to emerge from PILOT, the Government industry partnership spearheading change in the UK oil and gas sector.
The focus of the project will be a public website (www.ukdeal.co.uk) offering the definitive index database for exploration and production activities in the UK - a "virtual shop window" for information and geo-scientific data on the province. This data is currently held in repositories all over the world - DEAL will allow users to track it down and obtain it quickly. This may involve purchase if the user is not already "entitled" to see the data.
Helen Liddell, Minister for Energy and Chair of PILOT, said: "DEAL will exploit the Internet and e-commerce to provide, for the first time, a single "virtual repository" for UK data. Information may be stored, accessed, distributed and traded. With other PILOT initiatives, DEAL will promote competitiveness and encourage activity on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) at maximum cost-effectiveness."
State-of-the art GIS (geographic information system) web technology will allow users to access data by map-based interface. The potential for DEAL is enormous. The current contract is for the provision of three services, phased over two stages:
1. Information Service (due September 2000)
A single, comprehensive and reliable reference set of basic information on the UKCS, including geospatial and attribute data on wells, seismic surveys, platforms, pipelines, quadrants/blocks, international boundaries, coastlines, safety zones, coastal shipping lanes, environmental exclusion zones and other data in the public domain, replacing the multiple, and often conflicting, sources currently available.
2. Data Market Place (due September 2000)
A "one stop shop" for data vendors worldwide to promote and sell their UKCS geo-scientific data products via the Internet.
3. Unified Data Network (due January 2001)
An inclusive "virtual environment" allowing companies (for example co-licensees) to store, access, distribute and trade geo-scientific data on an "entitlement" basis. An agreement already in place with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be extended to permit subscribers to fulfil UKCS licence obligations by granting the department direct access to data via DEAL.
Malcolm Brinded, managing director of Shell UK Expro and co-chairman of the PILOT workgroup that championed the initiative's development, said: "DEAL brings together a number of innovations. One of these, the unified data network, will allow just a single copy of data to be stored, to which all entitled companies - and the DTI - will have easy access. This is not only efficient but cost-effective data management which will offer the industry significant economies."
David Falvey, executive director of the BGS, said: "BGS in partnership with ESRI (UK) is extremely pleased to have been awarded the DEAL contract. Improved access to exploration data will allow all companies considering new licence bids to reduce their technical risk and make more informed investment decisions. As a public sector research establishment, BGS can be relied upon to ensure that public and private interests are met."
CDA Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA), will manage the contract on PILOT's behalf. | | Contact: | Trisha O'Reilly, PILOT Communications
Tel: 020 7802 2422
Email: toreilly@ukooa.co.uk |
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For all press enquiries please contact:
Trisha O'Reilly at UKOOA Tel: 0207 802 2422 Email: toreilly@ukooa.co.uk
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