HARC and Environmentally Friendly Drilling (EFD) were awarded a project designed to assess all Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) and related Department of Energy (DOE)-funded projects for technology readiness. EFD’s review identi ed a project funded initially by DOE to the University of Arkansas to assist companies in wellsite and infrastructure selection and permitting using web-based GIS software. The initial project, called the land use site selection information tool (LUSSIT), focused on the Fayetteville Shale. While completed, it was a long way from being commercial. The work funded to Arkansas through EFD and RPSEA was expanded to the Haynesville in a three-state area. EFD formed an industry advisory board and provided needed input and direction. This phase was successful, and the advisers recommended it go forward. EFD was able to identify a commercial contractor, Latitude Geographics, to take the project to commercial application.

End product

Latitude’s Geocortex Decision Support for Oil & Gas is a map-based decision support system that operators can use to optimize oil and gas infrastructure placement. The tool helps to address environmental aspects, facilitate more effective communication and reach the permit stage of oil and gas development more quickly.

The work built and hosted a GIS-based analytical tool that aggregates a large number of attributes and considerations that are spatially distributed in the region of interest. The resulting aggregation of information is used to  nd optimal well sites and placement of pipelines, production facilities and lease roads and/or to determine the impact of actions on land values and environmental quality. Each topic of consideration is represented as a “spatial layer” that can be joined with other layers and aggregate values displayed on a map. Any number of layers or topics can be assembled, and simple-to-complex relationships between layers can be implemented. The map layers also can be processed to include proximity values such as distance from noise sources or distance from schools or hospitals. The technology is web-based and can be used as a planning tool as well as a monitoring tool. Real-time or near real-time data feeds can be integrated to provide an up-to-the-minute showing of operational impact. Sensor utilization systems that measure and report real-time air quality, water quality (disposal, reclamation), habitat impact and wildlife migration impact can provide valuable perspectives for decision-making.

Feedback from the industry advisers suggested LUSSIT should evolve into a robust collaborative tool as the product involved input from cross-functional teams and contractors. The end product improves decision-making, communication and coordination signi cantly, saving time and money. It provides the latest data to populate permit applications.

Decision Support for Oil & Gas has been developed and released and features:

■ An application centered on a collaborative, familiar interface that allows team members to interact with GIS data without needing to be GIS experts. They can share maps with other users in the organization, provide input on siting decisions via comments and view/respond to tasks assigned by others;

■ Targeted, easy-to-use work ows help oil and gas operators, regulators and other stakeholders make informed decisions. They can perform spill and viewshed analyses, assess the immediate environment for risks and be aware of the distance and bearing from a proposed well to the nearest map features; and

■ The application can be set up in a cloud environment or on-premises with an operator or a third-party consultant. It can import standard business processes and turn traditional approaches into a project networking tool.

Geocortex Decision Support for Oil & Gas is commercial, is being used by a number of oil and gas companies today and has become an important component of the Latitude Geographics Energy suite of products. With operators already adopting this package, the company is on track to achieve the goal of broader use in the oil and gas community.

Without EFD identifying the LUSSIT idea and RPSEA co-funding it, this DOE investment would have never gone from concept to commercial use.

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