Albert Einstein once said, “Information is not knowledge,” and nowhere is this axiom more apparent than in the collection and interpretation of oilfield scouting data. Since the very first days of energy exploration, beating the competition to the next big play has been the cornerstone of doing business in this industry. However, gone are the days of peering through binoculars and counting drill strings to find out what the others are up to. Today’s intelligence gathering uses of state-of-the-art technology to garner that crucial data — but the true value comes from knowing exactly how that information fits into the bigger picture and how best to use it.

DI International (DII) was formed to address this critical need. While other services provide scouting information with a wide variance of accuracy and timeliness, DII uses a team of recognized industry experts to collect, analyze, and evaluate international oilfield intelligence, and it is the only service that delivers that intelligence to subscribers online and in real-time.

“DII was created at the industry’s request,” DII chief executive Nick Robinson said. “Companies were looking for an alternative supplier that they could trust, one who would provide reliable data as soon as it was available, in formats they could readily use. We spoke to a number of exploration managers, data and GIS analysts, and new ventures directors and got a true feel for what was missing in the data arena prior to forming the company.”

Finding a partner

Nick Robinson founded DII to provide international intelligence to his clients. (Images courtesy of DII)

Robinson took this knowledge and approached Austin, Texas-based Drilling Info — a US oil data powerhouse — for a possible partnership. Drilling Info offers a unique data storage and distribution system to domestic US explorers as well as powerful software for accurate mapping of well sites, block locations, and other critical information. Drilling Info saw the value of expanding into international data collection, but lacked the in-house expertise to tackle the immense project. Robinson was the perfect fit. His former company, Integrated Exploration & Development Services Limited (IEDS) was renowned in its ability to provide accurate international scouting information. But IEDS was sold to a competitor in the 1990s.

As word got out about the new venture, Robinson renewed contacts in government oil companies around the globe and found untapped sources of information that other services had overlooked. A team of experts was formed, and in addition to a network of in-country scouts across the globe, DII now boasts sales and production offices in Bolivia, Brazil, Romania, Singapore, Oman, the US, and the UK.

One such office is run by DII’s Director of Latin America, Alvaro Rios Roca, former Bolivian Minister of Mining and Hydrocarbons and former executive secretary of the Latin American oil organization OLADE. Rios joined DII as a director and partner shortly after its inception and is key to the company’s data acquisition and quality control efforts in both Central and South America.

“I have used scouting data from a variety of sources throughout my career, and I have also been in a position to supply scouting data to oil companies as well as data service companies,” Rios said. “DII’s approach is the most sensible, accurate, and most usable I have seen. The ability to log on to a website and immediately access the status of, say, a new exploration well or a pending bid round, puts our clients ahead of the game. And in today’s economy, more than ever, time is money.”

The methodology

Company experts compile data from various regions and offer comments and evaluations.

DII is unique in that the data it collects is fed into a proprietary database, which is quality-checked and verified for accuracy before being posted online for use by subscribers. Clients receive real-time notifications of any new or updated data and can access the information from any computer or mobile device simply by logging on to DII’s Web site.

Once online, a subscriber can query and view a wide variety of scouting information and download it in a number of commonly used formats such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, saving both the cost and hassle of paper copies and making delivery time instantaneous. Well locations, status, partnership percentages, upcoming relinquishments, seismic surveys — virtually anything an international explorer or investor needs to know is provided, as well as commentary that puts this information into true perspective.

The scouting reports are provided in a product called WEB+, short for World Exploration Bulletin. At present, WEB+ contains highly detailed information on 35 countries and includes regional analyses as well as planned activities such as drilling, geophysical surveys, and upcoming contract changes.

“As activity and opportunities began to pick up again in late 2009, our clients made us aware that often they simply didn’t have the time to log in to access the latest information and updates to WEB+,” Robinson said. “In response, we created a ‘push’ service called DII Scout, which is easily accessible and readable on hand-held devices, delivering only the key information.”

DII Scout is a weekly bulletin of key activity and updates delivered directly to a client’s mailbox in a format easily readable on Blackberries, iPhones, and other hand-held devices. Its scaled-back design highlights the most important information in a precise, straight-to-the-point format, allowing the user to skip directly to his or her area of interest, avoiding wasted time sorting through superfluous information. A link to WEB+ is also provided should the user require the deeper background information behind the headlines. All existing DII customers receive this enhancement at no extra charge.

“In the next few months, we will add another 13 countries,” Robinson stated, “and each one will contain the most accurate data available to the energy industry, all quality-checked, verified, and downloadable with the click of a mouse. By the end of this year, we will add eight more regions, giving us truly global coverage.”

Also included with a WEB+ subscription is DII’s proprietary service, LiveMap — an interactive online mapping system which enables the user to view and query spatial data. Well and contract categories can be viewed as separate map layers, such as key wells, active exploration drilling, farm-in opportunities, or upcoming acreage relinquishments. Because the queries are user-defined, clients can quickly and easily view key data and create visual presentations geared to specific proprietary criteria.

“LiveMap is a very useful tool for spotting potential opportunities,” Robinson added. “Used in conjunction with WEB+ analysis, client users can easily present comprehensive and accurate activity overviews to investors, shareholders, or management and can better and more quickly identify and position themselves in upcoming areas of interest.”

Perhaps the most interesting feature of DII’s data service lies in its GIS mapping capabilities. Clients can subscribe to an optional GIS download service containing all the contracts, geophysical surveys, and well layers available in LiveMap. These can be downloaded instantly in a variety of formats and seamlessly integrated into a client’s in-house database without the purchase of additional software or specialized training.

Timing is everything

“Industry response to the launch of DII and to our unique online delivery service has been phenomenal,” Robinson said. “We recognize that today’s oil industry doesn’t have the time or patience to wait for accurate E&P information, so we use the Internet to deliver the data most needed to mitigate risks and stay a step ahead of the competition.

“Every day we add more data, and each piece of information is evaluated and quality-checked for accuracy and consistency before it is released to our clients. Once verified, our country experts put the newly obtained data into perspective, adding key comments and correlations that may otherwise be overlooked.

“Every member of the DII team has worked in the oil industry,” he continued, “and every one of us knows the value of being first and being right. DII strives — and succeeds — at both.”

For more information, visit http://info.diiinfo.com/.