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Informational Letter IL 93-2

19 March 1993

TO: All Oil and Gas Operators

SUBMISSION OF DIGITAL WELL LOG DATA

The purpose of this Informational Letter is to notify all oil and gas operators of the requirement for the submission of well log data in digital format, pursuant to changes in section 11.140 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations. The Energy Resources Conservation Board (the Board) is implementing a Digital Log Database (DLD) system which will allow for the capture and dissemination of selected digital well log data. Information regarding the DLD system and the requirements for the submission of digital well log data are provided in General Bulletin GB 92-12, issued July 1992, and ERCB Guide G-21. These documents contain some background regarding the implementation of the DLD system as well as detailed specifications for data submission. (Guide G-21 is available free of charge at the Board's Information Services.)

The mandatory submission of digital well log data will commence 1 July 1993. All wells licensed after this date will be required to submit digital well log data according to the specifications detailed in Guide G-21. However, the Board is currently receiving and will continue to accept any digital well log data submitted on a voluntary basis. Such data must meet the standards specified in Guide G-21.

The DLD system is intended to capture, digitally, only the "optical curves" of traditional logs that the industry is currently submitting to the Board in paper form. However, it should be noted that the Board has no plan to discontinue the requirement for the submission of paper logs in the near term; digital well log data are to be submitted in addition to paper logs.

General Bulletin GB 92-12 referred to the possibility of data submission in LIS format on 9-track tape. At this time, the Board can only accommodate digital well log data in the CWLS's LAS Version 2.0 format on diskettes. On the basis of industry input and its own assessment of usage and associated costs, the Board does not believe there is sufficient demand to justify its capturing all digital well log data. Existing commercial data vendors can easily meet the requirements of those specialists who need the more detailed or sophisticated information that "optical curve" data cannot provide. The Board is aware of industry concerns in this matter, and encourages operators to retain all digitally recorded well log data in some manner. It will continue to monitor the needs of the industry regarding this data and will consider changes in the regulations or its DLD system as they become necessary.

Non-confidential digital well log data will be made available for sale to the industry and public as part of the Board's computer services inventory. Customers will be able to retrieve digital well log data on a minimum of a "per well" basis only. Initially, a minimum cost of $100 per well up to a noncompressed file size of 1 Megabyte and $50 per additional Megabyte (or portion thereof) will be used. The Board will continue to monitor costs and will advise customers if changes to the above prices appear necessary. The data will be released, unedited, in the same format as received, that is the CWLS's LAS Version 2.0, on high density 3.5" diskettes. Volume orders will also be available on cartridge.

If there are any questions regarding this subject, please contact Mr. Andrew Bau at 297-8106 or Mr. Earle Shirley at 297-8472.

[Original signed by]

C. A. Langlo, P. Geol.
Manager,
Geology Department