On p. 87 of this issue you will find a feature on exploration software, everything from seismic spectrum analysis to well planning. This field has truly seen some astonishing advancements made in a relatively short period of time as computers have gotten faster, enabling better algorithms and fewer short-cuts.

But the programmers who have brainstormed these latest developments are no doubt considering the next version, or even generation, even as I write this column. To help them along, I thought I’d put on my thinking cap and consider what would truly be a breakthrough in oil and gas exploration software.

I have some ideas. Seriously, a good piece of software should either help the user accomplish a task more quickly or automate it completely. Already, exploration software has eased the burden of picking horizon tops and extracting faults. But a next plausible step would be a software that’s so easy to use that the trained geoscientist can turn his or her attention to other issues and let a less-trained assistant do the grunt work.

A few years ago, on a bit of a lark, I proposed such a possibility in a fake press release — a simplified approach to seismic interpretation. The press release stated, “To test the new release, [Software Company X] undertook an industry-funded study using house cats. Within 2 weeks the animals were performing seismic analysis and plotting drilling locations using the new software.”

It went on to claim that other cats in the study were soon taking on accounting software, management software and leasing applications.

According to a Company X spokesman, cats were a logical choice due to their “innate ability to handle a mouse.” He added, “With the overabundance of cats in our society, we think we’ve solved the personnel dilemma for some years to come.”

The former Chief Executive Officer of Major Oil Company Y commented, “Based on this study, we either need to redefine software, redefine cats or redefine geoscientists.”
(My sincere apologies to Jane Goodall.)

I wrote that 10 years ago, and as of yet I have not seen it come to fruition, possibly because cats are just too darned lazy (mine haven’t even figured out how to make the bed yet). So for those of you sticks-in-the-mud who would rather train the next generation of human beings (or are allergic to cats), here’s another thought: Who spends an inordinate amount of time playing digital games and yet accomplishes virtually nothing in the great scheme of things? If you answered, “My teen-age kid,” great minds think alike. Teen-agers seem to have all the time in the world to squander playing computer and video games. Why not harness that wave?

My daughter plays a role-playing game called “Kingdom Hearts,” in which the hero is aided, inexplicably, by lovable Disney characters like Donald Duck and Goofy, wielding fearsome weapons to fight off hordes of dispensable video characters. Let’s use their Magic Kingdom powers for good, not evil! Here’s how — the major oil and gas software vendors partner with the Sonys and Nintendos of the world, perfecting subtle changes to these games. Instead of battling evil-doers in some imaginary parallel universe, our heroes seek treasure in a subterranean wonderland under the waters offshore West Africa or navigate a labyrinthine maze in an unconventional gas field in the Rocky Mountains. They fight off “bad guys” such as geopressure and shallowwater flows, seeking the “treasure,” which, of course, is hydrocarbons. And the savvier teens will realize that finding the treasure is only half the battle — now they have to get it out of the ground.

Imagine millions of teens happily scouring the earth for hydrocarbon riches while us older folks indulge in the leisure activity of our choice.

OK, another twist on my convoluted plot — suppose we perfect a game like “The Sims,” which allows users to create a virtual version of anyone they want, including, I suppose, a younger version of themselves. Suppose our simulated selves solve all of our geoscience problems while the older versions indulge in, you guessed it, the leisure activity of our choice.

But that leisure activity may very well involve the computer. Why take away the pure joy of using software and letting a bunch of grumpy felines or surly teens take over? Why not just make finding oil and gas so simple that it takes mere seconds of a geoscientist’s time?
Here’s the idea: Screen A prompts the user to load data. He/she can drop and drag data from any available source.

Screen B has a single button that says, “CRUNCH.” By pressing this button, all of the data is smashed together into a seamless reservoir model.

Screen C has another single button with a drop-down menu. The button reads, “WHAT DO YOU WISH TO FIND?” Menu choices can include oil, gas, water, oil/water contact, overpressured zones, etc. Let’s suppose, for the sake of ease, that our gallant geoscientist wishes to find oil. He/she clicks on “oil.” A green splotch shows up on the screen, with an arrow stating, “Your oil here.” Perhaps following screens offer such simple menu buttons as “DRILL” and “PRODUCE.”

Now isn’t that simpler than picking horizon tops?