Diskos

Diskos is a national data repository for exploration and production related data from the Norwegian continental shelf that is shared by both authorities and oil companies.

Functions

• Tabular and Graphical user interface
• All available seismic- well- and production data
• Data access according to ownership rights or user rights
• Online or media-based download of data
• Functionality for data trading among member oil companies

Challenge

Modern exploration techniques generate huge quantities of information, but the logistics of traditional data storage have often been inefficient and costly. People involved have thus spent too much of their time searching for data and collecting data of often uncertain quality. The efficient management of data has, therefore, become more crucial than ever.

In view of this, Diskos specified the necessary requirements, and IBM was contracted to develop PetroBank, a software and hardware solution for a petroleum data repository. Diskos has since the start-up in 1995 had several different contractors, but it was not before 2015 that the original PetroBank software was replaced. The Diskos NDR is currently operated by Landmark, and the new solution is cloud based and has an open API available. All data is kept and backed up, in secure storage facilities in Norway.

Diskos partners

The concept of a national data repository was conceived in 1992 by the NPD and the four oil companies Hydro, Saga, Statoil and Mobil. Today the Diskos group has around 30 members. In addition, Diskos has closer to 40 associated members (non-oil companies and Norwegian universities).

The Diskos group developed specifications for both software, system operations and a commercial set-up, and group members contribute both financially and technically.

A national data repository

The Diskos NDR is a data management system which has been designed to store large amounts of digital corporate and national data. Thus, data from the Norwegian continental shelf are now to be found in the national petroleum data store. All information in the database is available online to members of the Diskos consortium. A public portal of selected metadata is available to non-members and public data is available on media at an administrative cost from the database operator, Landmark.

Through use of the Diskos NDR, data may be transferred directly to workstations of the members at high speed and low cost, and data may be traded by simply changing owner rights to data in the data store. This is also the practical way to make data public after the required confidentiality period.

For all data entering the database, the group members have agreed on a level of data quality so that users will get data of known quality delivered on agreed data formats. The system is loaded with official quality approved cultural data (coastlines, licence information, installations etc.) from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate.

Datatypes

• Seismic and navigational data
• Well data
• Production data

Diskos database Software

The software solution used in the Diskos NDR is a cloud-based system. The data resides with cloud providers under contract with Landmark.

The user first identifies the required data in the data repository. Selection of the entitled data is done in a geographical or tabular user environment. The selected data is then retrieved from the cloud storage systems. Data is then transferred to the user's computer systems for further interpretation. This storage and entitled access for a company, common, commercial and the authorities, are definitely of major advantages for the petroleum industry and other users of the NDR.

The Diskos group supports the use and development of industry standards.