Cain & Barnes

As professionals, we rely on hundreds of geoscience and engineering software applications that have coordinate reference system functionality. Costly errors in coordinate data have been a direct result of software problems. These include, but are not limited to: improperly coded geodetic or cartographic algorithms, wrong values for embedded geodetic parameters, poor presentation of user input requirements by software applications, incorrect default settings used without reference to user, software processes not working as specified, confusing or imprecise terminology, lack of error trapping for user blunders, lack of audit trail for forensic analysis, inadequate metadata functionality and misguided users. A joint industry project (JIP) is underway to study these costly and industry-wide problems at a time when correct geospatial data is vital to successful technical and commercial decision making at all levels of E&P companies and throughout work flows.