MGIS Capstone Proposal:
Procedures for
Standardizing
Geohazard Assessments
Sponsor:
Shell Oil
Paulina Fernandez Luengo
MGIS Candidate
28 March 2011
Objectives
To develop an EP18¹ document, to be used
by Geomaticians around the world, of the
procedures required to carry out geohazard
assessments.
Typical maps (created with ArcGIS):
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Location Bathymetry
Rendered Seafloor
Seafloor Slope
Geohazards Avoidance
28 March 2011
¹ The term “EP18” is used by Shell to refer to a document defining the preferred standard
procedures and work instructions for performing certain tasks/ functions.
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Background
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Lack of standards for generating sub-surface
geohazard maps
Need for developing preferred workflows and
processes to optimize efficiency and reduce costs
Desire to ensure consistency and standardization
across all operating units
28 March 2011
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What are the benefits?
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Develop and maintain best practice
Ensure consistency and improve ease of
interpretation
Develop standardized map products
Minimize time required to perform
analyses and prepare deliverables
Facilitate transition of tasking to new
analysts
Provide time/cost-saving benefits through
increased efficiency
28 March 2011
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Geohazards
Assessment Team
• Identify sub-surface hazards
- Shallow gas
- Shallow Water Flow (SWF)
- Gas hydrates
• Identify seafloor hazards
- Slope instability
- Fault scarps
- Fluid expulsion
- Man-made debris
- Thalwegs
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Sandy depositional
systems
Faulting
Biological/
chemosynthetic
communities
Pockmarks
Ridges
• Provide advice on pipeline routing and avoidance areas
to exploration, development and production
28 March 2011
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Geomatics Team
• Ensure geodetic integrity for all spatial data
• Convert x,y,z point data into raster and vector
data
• Create geohazard map deliverables
- Location Bathymetry
- Rendered Seafloor
- Seafloor Slope
- Geohazards Avoidance
28 March 2011
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Workflow of
Geohazards Assessment
Geohazards Assessment Team
3D Survey of
Area
Survey imported
into Shell
proprietary
subsurface
application
Surfaces
interpreted and
depth calibrated
Archived to
appropriate
Shell corporate
stores
Geohazard maps
delivered to
customer
Export to ASCII
file and convert
into raster and
vector data
Location
Bathymetry
28 March 2011
Rendered
Seafloor
Geomatics Team
Seafloor
Slope
Geohazards
Avoidance
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Geohazard Maps
Example of Location Bathymetry
28 March 2011
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Geohazard Maps (con’t)
Example of Rendered Seafloor
28 March 2011
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Geohazard Maps (con’t)
Example of Seafloor Slope
28 March 2011
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Components of
Deliverables
EP18¹ report documenting the detailed procedures and work
instructions required to generate standard geohazard map
products. ArcGIS topics that will be documented are:
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28 March 2011
Coordinate Reference System
Importing/ Exporting Large ASCII files (conversion)
Gridding algorithms (IDW, Kriging, Spline)
Skewed vs Non-Skewed Grids
Hillshading (Azimuth and Altitude)
Slope
Contouring
Color Ramps
Creating custom style files
Smoothing
Labeling
Editing legend items
ArcScene/ ArcGIS Explorer
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Project Timeline
Submittal of 1st
draft for
interim review
Capstone
Proposal
Presentation
(28 March)
Submittal of
3rd draft for
interim review
Create work
procedures for
Rendered Seafloor
Finalize
deliverables
and Capstone
Presentation to
Shell
Revise based
on feedback
15-Feb
1-Mar
15-Mar
Development of
proposal
1-Apr
15-Apr
1-May
15-May
1-Jun
15-Jun
15-Jul
Create work
procedures for
Seafloor Slope
Revise based
on feedback
Create work
procedures for Location
Bathymetry
1-Jul
Submittal of 2nd
draft for interim
review
1-Aug
Finalize
Review
Capstone
3x
Revise
Bold = Major milestone
28 March 2011
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Project
Management Tools

Schedule
• Microsoft Project to identify and keep track of
tasks, milestones and due dates (coordinated
with Shell)
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Communication
• Weekly updates on progress via email/phone
(with Shell and advisor)
• Regular face-to-face interaction (with Shell)

Quality
• Several review cycles of deliverables (with Shell
and advisor)
28 March 2011
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Thank You!
Questions?
Comments?
28 March 2011
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Acknowledgements
Patrick Kennelly
Capstone Advisor
The Pennsylvania State University
Steve Long
Geo-Information Consultant
Shell International Exploration & Production
Jack Verouden
Geomatics Global Discipline Head
Shell International Exploration & Production
28 March 2011
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