Grapevine

Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame

Vision, a can-do spirit, tenacity, and drive. These are the qualities of people who make outstanding contributions to society and to sectors such as the oil industry. The biggest honour in the Canadian oil industry is being bestowed upon ten individuals who were chosen by secret ballot on June 18. Many of these individuals rose from humble beginnings to become entrepreneurs, innovators, and inventors. They will soon be formally inducted into the prestigious Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame. The Third Annual Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will be held September 10th, 1999 at the Delta Inn South in Edmonton, Alberta.

The following people are the 1999 Canadian Petroleum Hall of Famers:

• Paul Bowlen (d), Regent Drilling Owner
• Dr. Karl A. Clark (d), Oil-sands innovator
• Dr. George Govier, Alberta Oil and Gas Conservation Board, University of Alberta professor, and deputy minister of Energy and Natural Resources in the Alberta Government
• Wally Kuchar, Tri-Service Oilfield Manufacturing Ltd.
• Gerry Maier, Retired TransCanada Pipelines Chairman and President
• William (Bill) Pallister (d), McCullough Tool Company, fishing tool department
• Cody Spencer (d), General Petroleums Ltd. President and co-owner
• Ed Tovell, Dome Petroleum Ltd.
• Murray Varty, Entrepreneur, inventor
• Ralph Will (d), Mcivor Drilling Company Ltd. (later HiTower)

On September 11th, there will be tours of the Canadian Petroleum Interpretive Center, the Hall of Fame, and outside exhibits as well as an afternoon barbecue, silent fundraising auction, and children's activities at the Leduc No.1 site. A tent will be set up for old-timers to register and meet and greet oil industry friends.

To get there, take highway 19 west from Nisku and then go half a mile south at the Devon corner. Look for the big derrick that marks the spot. You can't miss it. For more information call 1-800-563-2946.

Veritas Receives Industry Backing for a Two-Year Non-Exclusive 3D Seismic Program Offshore Canada

Veritas DGC Inc. announced that it has received a high level of industry support to begin a major 3D seismic data library program offshore Nova Scotia.

The Veritas Viking I, towing up to eight 6,000-meter streamers, will begin data acquisition on this program in early July. The program will span two operating seasons.

"Veritas has strong roots in Canada and we intend to build an extensive library of high quality 3D data to meet the industry's offshore seismic needs," adds Carl Hutchins, President of Veritas' Marine Surveys.

Veritas DGC Inc Announces the Launch of Veritas Viking II

Veritas DGC Inc. announced that the SRV Veritas Viking II, its latest Viking class high specification 3D vessel, was launched June 1st, 1999 at Bergen, Norway.

The Veritas Viking II set sail immediately for its firs t survey acquiring long offset data for the AMP group west of Britain. The vessel will then commence a 40 survey for Norsk Hydro over the Oseberg Field in Norway before it mobilizes to the UK sector to acquire a 1,300 square kilometer group shoot survey.

Norcana Announces Purchase of an I/O System 2000

Norcana Resource Services (1991) Ltd. recently announced that they have purchased an INPUT/OUTPUT System 2000 telemetry recording system. This is the first I/O System 2000 in Canada.

The I/O System 2000 leading edge technology has a 3000 channel patch capability and is lighter, more compact and easier to operate than earlier systems. These features will shorten acquisition time and improve field accuracy. This system has many on board pre-processing features such as filter tests and offline binning.

Earth Signal Announces 3D Package For The PC Running Under OS/2

Earth Signal Processing Ltd. announced that the production testing stage of their 3D processing package has met with excellent success from the various clients in the program, which has been in effect since November of last year.

OS/2 is a state of the art operating system with the latest release supporting symmetric multiprocessing and up to two gigabytes of main memory. OS/2's journaled File System (JFS) is the most advanced file system in the world and supports a two terabyte partition and file size limit.

A highlight of the 3D package is the DECON that is based on a reliable, five component, surface consistent deconvolution that has met with much success in the 2D package because of its phase stability. The Generalized Reciprocal Method of refraction analysis has been successfully implemented in the 3D case to provide reliable depth and velocity control for near surface modeling. The popular TX DECON first implemented at Earth Signal in 1995 has been extended to the TXY algorithm for effective and reliable noise reduction on 3D post stack data. Alpha-trim stacking and weighted stacking is available as well as Gaussian stacking for improved offset distribution for each bin. Complementing most of the standard processing steps are three types of one-pass post stack migrations: Kirchhoff, Gazdag, and Finite-Difference.

WinPICS 4.5 Featuring Wavelet Matching and Transfer Function Design

Kernel Technologies Ltd. has expanded the line tie functionality of their WinPICS 4.5 Seismic Interpretation software to support wavelet matching (transfer function design) between data sets. A flexible interface allows the user to select amplitude and phase correction options to achieve a variety of objectives including wavelet extraction and matching, all pass phase correction and spectral whitening. These operations can be performed over a user controlled frequency band to eliminate undesirable amplification of "out of band" noise. Sensible parameter defaults are provided. Experienced users can adjust parameters to fine tune estimates or even interactively edit the estimated amplitude and phase versus frequency curves to meet their requirements. Interactive line tie diagnostics allow the designers to see the effects of the filter on the seismic data. Correlation and spectral diagnostics illustrate the effects of the filter on power spectrum and phase. Final filters may be saved and applied to any desired data set.

In addition to the many other capabilities of WinPICS 4.5, the program can now also be applied to: match seismic data sets where linear phase rotation leaves a residual non-linear phase error; extract a wavelet that converts seismic data to a synthetic seismogram created from well logs; and whiten the spectrum of seismic data using a single operator.

Oil and Gas Exploration Goes On-Line

Rudyard Publishing Inc. announces the release of a new web site that represents a significant shift in the way petroleum industry professionals and observers track Canadian activity. Rudyard's Canadian Explorer, was created by the founders of the Petroleum Explorer Magazine, as a home for all key information related to oil and gas exploration in Western Canada. Part exploration activity monitor and part technical resource tool, Rudyard's Canadian Explorer sifts through, consolidates, and interprets large volumes of information to allow explorationists to stay abreast of important developments in Western Canada.

The uniqueness of Rudyard's Canadian Explorer is in part due to the fact that industry professionals with a working knowledge of the exploration business created it. Geologist Peter Harrington and geophysicist Michael Doty have thirty years of combined experience in oil and gas exploration as well as over six years experience delivering oil exploration highlights to the industry through The Petroleum Explorer magazine.

By changing the medium, Rudyard's Canadian Explorer provides explorationists with a more powerful weapon for the rapid assimilation of critical data. It's almost like having a seasoned exploration team on staff tracking industry activity and results. By using the Internet, a current and ever-expanding database of exploration information is available to users around the world, 24 hours a day.

Key elements of the site include:

• Oil, gas and stock market price trends since 1995 including Rudyard's own, multi-index producer and service company indices.
• Lists of exploratory rig releases and significant new producers for Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan. Lists are displayed in a map form (with links to background information on key new discovery areas) as well as downloadable spreadsheets.
• Maps and links to background information on significant Western Canadian land sales.
• Search capabilities by keyword, map view, or stratigraphic age.
• Hyperlinks to oil company and service industry homepages.
• Database of company name changes, sorted by old company name.

Visit the web site at http://www.rudyard.ab.ca and follow the link to Rudyard's Canadian Explorer.

Industry Leading Web Page Expanded to Include Foreign Languages

Nett Technologies Inc. announced the availability of several foreign language versions of its web page devoted to emission control technologies. The information is now available in French, German, Polish, Spanish, and Portuguese. These foreign languages can be accessed through links from the home page of Nett Technologies at http://www.nett.ca.

The increasing worldwide environmental and public health awareness has created a demand for technical information on emission control technologies. The foreign language pages are abbreviated versions of the English language web site of Nett Technologies.

The focus is on emission problems that are created whenever internal combustion engines are used in enclosed space applications, such as underground mining, construction, tunneling, and material handling.

Time Seismic Exchange Ltd. Announces a New 3D Seismic Data Library Program in Canada

Time Seismic Exchange Ltd., a subsidiary of Veritas DGC Inc., announced that it is undertaking a major new non-exclusive 3D seismic data library program in Alberta, Canada.

The new Wildhorse Creek program is a 520 square-kilometer 3D survey focused on one of Western Canada's hottest plays that includes the Wildcat Hills and Benjamin Creek fields. Surveying began in mid-April and final deliverables are expected in September. The program, being recorded jointly by Veritas and Western Geophysical, offers high fold coverage and close group spacing, and is the largest non-exclusive 3D seismic data library program ever undertaken in the foothills of Southern Alberta.

"The sheer size of this survey indicates a growing acceptance of the non-exclusive 3D seismic data library concept in Canada," states Richard Earle, President of Time Seismic.

Scott Pickford to Issue Updated Libya Hydrocarbon Evaluation Report

Scott Pickford, the international geoscience consultancy, is updating its Libya Hydrocarbon Exploration Evaluation report with the latest 1999 information. Following removal of UN sanctions imposed on the country, there has been renewed exploration interest in Libya and Scott Pickford has moved swiftly to issue a new report incorporating current activities along with new well and production data.

Libya is one of the world's major petroleum provinces with a discovered oil resource of some 130 billion barrels, plus significant gas. The prolific Sirte Basin hosts nine giant fields, each with reserves in excess of 1 Bstb, and another seven fields with reserves of over 500 MMstb. Recently, significant fields have also been delineated in the Murzuq Basin and across the border in the Algerian sector of the Ghadames Basin.

Many areas in Libya are under explored and excellent potential remains for new discoveries. There are now more International companies active than there have been for some 20 years and opportunities are opening up for new exploration ventures in all parts of the country. Currently only 25% of the country's area is granted to oil companies, leaving a large area open for further agreements.

The report gives an overview of the stratigraphy, detailed discussion of the tectonic evolution and hydrocarbon potential of the entire country and deals in turn with a comprehensive review of all the major basins.

The work draws on a large database of public domain information from Libya and adjacent countries, and updates Scott Pickford's earlier works on Libya, extending back to 1988. An extensive bibliography is included at the end of the text volume. It is additionally complemented by a companion study covering Tunisia that was completed in December 1998.

GMA International Announces Agreement to Acquire NTI Newspaper Technologies Inc.

Geophysical Micro Computer Applications (International) Ltd. announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of NT! Newspaper Technologies Inc. (NTI), a privately held Alberta corporation.

NTI Newspaper Technologies Inc. markets and develops a suite of circulation management software for the newspaper industry.

GMA International is a developer and supplier of geological, geophysical, and petrophysical computer-aided exploration (CAEX) software products. CAEX software allows geoscientists to interpret and synthetically model various subsurface characteristics of the earth enabling exploration staff to reduce non-productive drilling and thereby reduce the overall risk and cost of hydrocarbon discovery and exploitation.

GX Technology and Spectrum Form Alliance to Provide Depth and Time Seismic Processing Services

GX Technology EAME Limited and Spectrum Energy and Information Technology Limited have announced a strategic alliance to provide a comprehensive range of depth and time seismic data processing services from their offices in the London area.

The agreement allows Spectrum to offer its clients the option of a depth imaging service using GXT's new-generation Earthvvave™ technology. Spectrum will also be able to produce high-quality depth migrated sections from its own non-exclusive data, with coverage over structurally complex areas.

GTX and Spectrum will work closely together on projects requiring both time and depth processing, with GTX staff performing velocity model building, depth conversion, and depth imaging, and Spectrum's geophysicists performing all aspects of time processing.

LogTech Announces Partnership with Veritas to Provide Integrated Access to Digital Log Data

LogTech (Canada) Ltd. and Veritas DGC Inc. announce their partnership to provide Veritas' customers with integrated access to LogTech's digital well log database of over 1.6 million curves on nearly 50,000 wells.

Randy Striemer, President of LogTech states, "We are pleased to provide the industry with web-based access to LogTech's digital log files through Veritas GOLDTM system. Veritas GOLD™ system, a map-based data browsing tool developed for geoscientists to easily determine availability and gain access to a variety of data types including both public and proprietary seismic data as well as LogTech's digital well log file.

Integra Scott Pickford Announces Merger with CTC Pulsonic

Core Laboratories announced the successful completion of a merger; effective July 2, 1999 with Houston based Coherence Technology Company, Inc. CTC provides specialized seismic data processing and interpretation services and is exclusively licensed by BP Amoco to provide its patented coherence technology to the worldwide petroleum industry. CTC's Coherence Cube™ processing techniques are used to enhance 3D imaging of subsurface stratigraphy and faults, thereby improving reservoir description and management.

Both companies are able to take advantage of the parent company's strength and stability.

Baker Hughes INTEQ Selects EarthVision® to Enhance Horizontal Drilling Service

Baker Hughes INTEQ announced that it has selected EarthVision 5 software from Dynamic Graphics, Inc.®to improve the accuracy and efficiency of drilling horizontal wells within oil and gas reservoirs.

EarthVision 5 combines seismic and well logging data to create accurate 20 models of the subsurface geology. "The software enables us to visualize the reservoir and 'view' the progress for drilling assemblies within the 3D model," said Bob MacDonald, Baker Hughes INTEQ technology vice president.

Using the EarthVision WorkFlow Manager™, geoscientists can. build the 3D earth model quickly and precisely. Drilling engineers and geologists then use the model to plan the optimum well position within the reservoir. On the rig, the drilled well path is shown in real time within the EarthVision model, so drillers can make time-critical decisions while steering the well. The model can also be adjusted in minutes based on MWD formation measurements from INTEQ's advanced geosteering assemblies, like the AutoTrak® and NaviGator® systems.

Plasmon's NCTP Awarded Silicon Graphics' Gold Seal

Next Compatible Tape Product (NCTP), the half-inch tape drive from Plasmon LMS, has been awarded Gold Seal certification by Silicon Graphics Incorporated (SGI). This designation, which promises ease of integration, adds tremendous value to SGI and Plasmon customers.

SGI's certification process identifies Gold Seal Qualification for specific IRIX O/S release, specific device hardware, firmware and software revision.

Currently within SGI's Gold Seal Certification Program, 10 different tape products have been recognized as good, reliable products, including NCTP.

NCTP tape drives are ideal for increasing data transfer for backups, archival, HSM, and near on-line storage. They can transfer an impressive 36GB per hour for each drive, and their high capacity, half-inch cartridges hold 18GB native and 54GB average using LZ data compression, more than 22 times the capacity of the previous generation of 36-track tapes.

University Mining Games Will be a Special Feature of Mining Millennium 2000

Mining Engineering students from nine universities across Canada will be converging on the University of Toronto next March to demonstrate their mining know-how in the 10th Annual Canadian Mining Games. The tournament is one of a series of special features of Mining Millennium 2000, an unprecedented meeting of the global mineral industry, being partnered by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum, to recognize and celebrate the achievements and future of mining worldwide.

The sixteen students in each university team will pit their wits in two sets of competitions: the first with an emphasis on the technical and theoretical; the second on the practical aspects of mining.

"While there is a friendly rivalry among the competing universities:' Miller says, "the games give students a great chance to meet one another and to establish friendships. Many will find themselves working together when they graduate. The games are very informative, stimulating, and a lot of fun. For all of the students involved, competitors and those assisting, the event will lead very well into Mining Millennium 2000."

ITI Information Technology Institute Opens Calgary Facility

ITI Information Technology Institute officially opened their latest location in Calgary, Alberta on June 4th, 1999. ITI Calgary represents the latest successful milestone in ITI's accomplishments. Founded in 1984, ITI has grown to become one of the premiere postgraduate information technology (IT) education companies in North America. In 1998, ITl institutes in Halifax, Moncton, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver graduated over 1400 information technology professionals who subsequently launched new careers with over 300 employers from around the world.

Boyd Geomatics Ltd. Announces $4.0M Aerial Ortho-Photography Coverage of Alberta

Boyd GeoMatics has commenced the final and largest phase of their VISION 2000 project to create the only seamless digital ortho-corrected aerial photography coverage of the province of Alberta. The final phase of the project is expected to be complete by the spring of 2000 at a cost of approximately $2.5M bringing the total cost of the project to 4.0M.

The lens, oblique angle view of the camera, and local ground topography distort conventional aerial photography. Digital ortho-rectification processes correct for these distortions and create a "true" picture of the surface. Digital image compression technology advances have allowed massive amounts of data to be stored and retrieved instantly from the database. The VISION 2000 library is unique because of its accuracy (3 to 10 meters), high resolution (less than one meter ground sampling) and Internet accesses.

The VISION 2000 initiative allows customers to access the aerial photo library via the Internet or by other conventional means, including CD or as paper maps. The library will be housed in Boyd GeoMatics web server facility at Telus Advanced Communications in Calgary and served via fibre optic cable or Internet to customer sites around the world.

By sharing the aerial photo layer as a common base, the various industries and levels of government are able to reduce duplication of acquisition and maintenance effort thereby saving considerable overall costs. Depending on usage and market demands, the photography will be replaced approximately every three years. As high resolution, satellite imagery becomes a cost-effective option; it will be incorporated into the VISION 2000 databases.

Veritas DGC Inc. Announces Successful Testing and Demonstration of Remote Survey Capability for Land Seismic Data Acquisition

Veritas DGC Inc. announced that it has successfully tested a new remote survey capability that will allow land survey crews to be managed from a single remote location.

Recent field tests have proven the operational viability of using satellite communications, high precision Global Positioning System (GPS), the Internet, and thin-client digital mapping technology to monitor and record GPS positioning data acquired in remote locations in virtual real-time.

"The potential benefits of this technology are huge," states Craig Rothwell, President of Veritas DGC Land. "It will soon be possible for an operator at one remote command center to monitor several surveys going on simultaneously around the world. This will greatly improve survey efficiencies and quality control, shorten turnaround times and enhance our crews' ability to work in remote locations. Moreover, our most experienced personnel will be able to oversee several projects at once from a controlled environment, instead of being billeted out in the field on a single project."

Veritas Marine Surveys Commences New 2D Data Library Survey in Santos Basin, Offshore Brazil

Veritas Marine Surveys, a division of Veritas DGC Inc., announced the start of a new 20 data library survey in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. The survey, referred to as Veritas Brazil Phase I, will consist of 25,000 line-kilometers of data shot using modern parameters and the latest acquisition technology available. This is the first of several surveys planned for offshore Brazil, which will eventually total over 100,000 line kilometers.

The survey will be acquired using an 8,000m, 24-bit digital streamer, and an airgun array with 5,595 cu. in. volume at an output of 125 bar/m. The RV Polar Search was mobilized from the Gulf of Mexico to acquire the survey, which began on May 24th, 1999. It is expected that the survey will be completed before the end of 1999.