Data import and QC of Input

Table of Contents
DATA IMPORT AND QC OF INPUT.................................................................................................. 2
Important icons used in this Process Step.................................................................................2
Exercise Overview..................................................................................................................... 2
A) INSERT NEW FOLDER TO STORE DATA.....................................................................................3
Exercise Steps........................................................................................................................... 3
B) IMPORT DATA...................................................................................................................... 3
Exercise Steps........................................................................................................................... 4
Comments................................................................................................................................. 6
C) IMPORT DATA FROM ANOTHER PROJECT.................................................................................6
Exercise Steps........................................................................................................................... 6
Comments................................................................................................................................. 6
D) QC OF IMPORTED DATA........................................................................................................ 7
Checking the Statistics.............................................................................................................. 7

The data import step in Petrel allows the user to import data in a range of different formats,
such as Irap Classic, Irap RMS, CPS-3, Earthvision, Stratamodel, VIP, LAS, Eclipse, Zmap+ and
Charisma. It is also possible to import SEG-Y data.
An important part of importing data into a new project is to check the quality of the input data.
Petrel has excellent visualizing tools and for each imported object there is also attached a
statistical report sheet.

Important icons used in this Process Step

Insert New Folder

Manipulate plane

Import File

Align vertically

Fill color Table

Toggle visualization on Plane

Exercise Overview
A)

Insert new folders to store data

B)

Import data into folders

C)

Import data from a secondary project

D)

Edit color table for quality check

E)

Insert general intersection plane for quality check

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A) Insert new folder to store data

Petrel uses folders to organize data. Each folder should contain a specific set of data, for instance
one folder for surfaces, one for fault polygons, etc. Before importing, you should therefore create
the folder which the data should be imported into. Most data is imported into a general folder. There
are a few exceptions, including Wells, Well Tops and Seismic Interpretations. These are imported
into specific folders due to the special organization of these data types.

Exercise Steps
1.

2.

Make general folders:

a.
b.

Select Insert New Folder from the Tool bar menu

c.

Create a new folder, call it Isochores. Create two sub-folders under Isochores and call
them Tarbert and Ness, respectively.

Create Wells and Well Tops folders:

a.
b.
3.

Call the folder Fault Polygons by right-clicking on the folder, selecting Settings, and
enter the new name under the Info tab.

Select Insert > New folders > New Well folder

Select Insert > New folders > New Well Tops folder

Create Interpretation folder:

a.
b.

Select Insert > New folder > New Interpretation folder.

Call the folder 3D Seismic Interpretations

B) Import Data
Almost any type of data can be imported into Petrel, examples are lines/point data, 2D grids
(isochores, depth and time grids, 2D trends, etc.), seismic interpretations, seismic (SEG-Y), wells
and well tops, and more. Before importing data it is necessary to know the formats of your data and
the formats that are supported by Petrel. A list of formats is available from the Help menu in Petrel.
In addition, when you import data you will see a file format example that you can use for
comparison with your own data.
In this exercise you will import data into their respective folders, as defined in the previous
exercise. The data types and formats are given in the table below:

DATA TYPE

FORMAT

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CATEGORY

DOMAIN
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Fault Polygons

Zmap+ lines
(ascii)

Fault Polygons

Time

Isochores

Zmap+ grid
(ascii)

Thickness

Depth

3D seismic lines

Seisworks
Horizon picks
(ascii)

Horizon

Time

Wells

Well Header

Well heads

Under Input Data tab: Attach each

attribute to corresponding column
in file.

Deviation

Well
path/deviation

Under Input Data tab: Attach each

attribute to corresponding column
in file.

Logs

Well logs (ascii)

Under Input Data tab: Attach each

log to correct template.

Well Tops

Petrel Well
Tops (ascii)

Exercise Steps
Importing Wells
1.

Importing Well Header:

a.
b.
c.

Right-click on the Wells folder and select Import (on Selection).

d.
e.

Press OK

Under the Wells folder select the Well Header file, and the correct format. Press Open.
In the Import Well Heads window, attach each Attribute to the correct column as seen
in the file in the bottom of the window.

Display the Wells in the 3D display window.

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2.

3.

Importing Well Deviation

a.
b.

Right-click on the Wells folder and select Import (on Selection).

c.
d.

Select correct format. Press Open.

e.
f.

Select Offshore wells

g.

Press OK For All.

Under the Wells folder select all the deviation files by writing *.dev in the File name
field. Press enter to sort on the .dev files. Select all the files by selecting the first, and
then whilst holding Shift select the last file.
In the window that pops up, attach the well trace to the corresponding well header,
already imported into Petrel.
In the Import Well Path/Deviation window go to the Input Data tab. Select Input data
type (any of the options available can be used since all options are available in the
file). Depending on the chosen method, attach the attributes to the corresponding
columns in the file.

Importing Well Logs

a.
b.

Right-click on the Wells folder and select Import (on Selection).

c.

Remember to attach each log to a template under the Input Data tab in the Import Well
Logs window that pops up.

d.

Press OK For All.

Under the Wells folder, select all the .las files, select the correct file format and press
Open.

Importing Well Tops:

1.

Right-click on the Well Tops folder and select Import (on Selection)

2.

Select the Well Tops file from the Well Tops folder, and select the correct format. Press Open,
and OK on the next window that pops up.

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Importing Fault Polygons, Isochores, 3D Seismic Interpretation:

1.

Right-click on the folder in which to import data and select Import (on Selection)

2.

Select the data files and the correct format.

3.

Press Open.

4.

In the Input Data dialog window define correct Category and Domain

5.

Press OK For All.

Comments

It is important to know which format to use. A list of formats is

available under Help > List of Available formats. File format examples are available under Help
> Manual (HTML Help) > Appendix > Formats. In addition, when selecting a format type under
import, you will se a format example in the Import window.

The data to be imported should be attached to a category, domain,

template. This will allow Petrel to recognize the data type and apply a template to it.

The data types template/domain can be changed at any time under

the Info tab in the Settings window.

C) Import data from another project

Any type of data can be copied between projects. This functionality allows for having a master
project containing regional data. Parts of this data can then be copied over to a new project for
detailed analysis of parts of the area.
In this exercise you will import all the remaining data required for the following exercises by
copying them from an existing project.

Exercise Steps
1.

Select File > Open Secondary Project

2.

Select the Input_data.pet file found under the Input_data_project folder.

3.

Drag and drop all the files that you are missing in your project.

Comments

The secondary project is a Read-only project, hence data can not be

saved to it.

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Both data from the Input tab and the Models tab can be copied to the

primary project.

D) QC of Imported Data
After data has been imported into Petrel you should always do a quality control and check if they
look like you expected them to do. Typical ways of QC data are to display them and checking the
statistics. Using the general intersection to view the data in cross section while playing through the
data set is a powerful tool as well.

Checking the Statistics

1.

Open the Settings window for the Interpretation folder by double-clicking on the folder.

2.

Select the Statistic tab and check the statistics. Note the data range and that depth and time
values below mean sea level are negative. Also note that the Max Z-value is -100 m. View
the file and see if you can figure out why.

3.

Repeat this procedure for some of the other imported data.

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