<center>PC Workstation Technology<br>and Its Impact on The Independent/Consultant</center>

PC Workstation Technologyand Its Impact on the Independent/Consultant
by Deborah Sacrey, HGS Treasurer and Independent Consultant, DKS ExplorationNovember, 1997
Blessings of the Boom
Many in the oil patch today are experiencing increased activity. Some optimists would label this past year as the beginning of a "boom". This increased activity level is not price-driven like last boom in the late seventies and early eighties. This one is technology-driven. Price stability plays a large part in increased drilling/exploration budgets, but new technology has allowed the bottom line to be an ever increasing number.
Advanced technology has come in the form of 1) 3-D seismic, 2) horizontal drilling techniques, 3) logging/evaluation tools, 4) computer hardware and software and, 5) geophysical processing (including coherence and prestack depth migration). The biggest advance in technology arrived from the computer industry. Without the massive "super computers," 3-D seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation would not have happened!

How PC Workstations Affect Consultants
The biggest change for the independent and consultant has been the "PC Revolution." Personal computers are now becoming competitive in price and speed with the high-end UNIX computers. Costs have come down drastically in the last few years, while speed and efficiency have increased almost exponentially. In 1992, a 1-gigabyte hard drive cost $1600.00. Today a 9-gigabyte hard drive costs just $1100.00. In 1992, a state-of-the-art PC was a 486/ 33MHz running Windows 3.1. Now there are chips available up to 500 MHz, running 686 machines with Windows NT 4.0! This has only been a span of five years. Imagine what may happen in the next five years!
PC application software is usually much less expensive than comparable UNIX versions, so the yearly maintenance fees are also much lower. For the cost of maintaining a Landmark workstation for one year, one can literally purchase a PC workstation, including software and a plotter!
With the advance in hardware, a corresponding advance occured in PC application software, much of which is geared to the exploration industry. Table 1 is a spreadsheet compiled a few months ago, listing many of the software programs now in use. This list covers seismic interpretation, geophysical tools, modeling , mapping, geostatistical, GIS, petrophysical, engineering and other types of packages available for use on a PC.

Changing Role of the Consultant
How has the PC revolution changed the role of the independent and consultant? It has allowed the creation of the PC workstation capable of doing 90% of the work being done on a UNIX workstation, at one-fifth the cost. This has allowed small to medium independents (for example, Amerada Hess) to put a workstation on every geologist''s and geophysicist''s desk! Not only does it allow maximum use and performance of available personnel, but because of the relative ease in support/ maintenance of the systems compared to UNIX systems. The overall need for computer support and systems management personnel is much less.
With a workstation on every geoscientist''s desk, a company can participate in more deals. The number of 3-D seismic surveys being shot seems to be growing exponentially, and there are increasing occurrences of joint ventures and partnerships between companies. Every partner sees the need for their own interpretation, which has led to outsourcing to consultants, because of lack of staff. The PC revolution has changed the role of the consultant drastically. The lower cost of a typical PC workstation and associated software has allowed the interpretive consultant to have all of the tools at his/her fingertips without going deeply into debt! The consultant is now competitive with the big companies and can be available for the overflow of interpretive work. Consultants can produce a quality product at a much reduced price.

Technology Transfer Among Consultants
This increased visibility is leading to increased workloads for many consultants. Therefore it is important to belong to a very close networking organization, such as HGS or SIPES. Members have a tendency to refer or use other members for consulting. Because consultants have a tendency to embrace new technology, they are called upon by the developers of the PC software applications to be directly involved in beta-testing, development and training. This not only helps the software companies develop functionality, but further enables members to stay on the leading edge of technology.

Table 1PC Seismic SoftwareCost/LicenseMaintenanceLeasing Hardware
Available?Requirements
SMT 2D/3D Pak$10,00014% per yearyesTop PC System
SeisVision (Geographix)$950015% per yearnoTop PC system
GMA 2D/3D Interpret.$9900 for all 17% per yearyesTop PC system
Vest 3D Seis$6000$40 per monthyesPC system

Mapping Software
GES (Geographix)$5500 min.15% per yearnoPC System
Leasemap (Geographix)$5000 min.15% per yearnoPC System
GeoCAD (DigiRule)$220012% per yearnoPC System
Terrastation II$25,00018% per yearyesPC or UNIX

Software costs and maintenance for independents and consultants to purchase seismic interpretation software.The cost figures may be dated, please check with the individual manufacturers for price quotes.
Contacts: SMT, Bill Vance 713-464-6188: SeisVision, Jim Pentico, 713-268-1119; GMA, Rob Meyers, 281-589-6898; Vest, Robert Vest, 915-682-7317; Terrascience, Jim Engstrom, 713-690-0101; Digirule, Butch Butler, 1-800-344-4785.

source: 
HGS Bulletin
releasedate: 
Tuesday, November 25, 1997
subcategory: 
Miscellaneous