Cain & Barnes

On 9 February 2010, the Geospatial Integrity of Geoscience Software (GIGS) Joint Industry Project (OGP JIP24) held a public Validation Seminar at Shell’s Houston Woodcreek facility to introduce DRAFT versions of the planned public GIGS offerings to Geoscience software application developer companies and various non-JIP E&P companies. These GIGS public offerings (after suitable vetting and approvals) are expected to be:

• GIGS Guidelines Part 1: Developers & Users (this document)
• GIGS Guidelines Part 2: Use of GIGS Test Dataset (a comprehensive GIGS Test Dataset is also to be distributed with GIGS Guidelines Part 2)
• GIGS Guidelines Part 3: Self-certification of Software by Developers
• GIGS Guidelines Part 4: Structured Software Review

During the full afternoon seminar, a series of presentations were given by GIGS Executive Committee and Project Management members. These presentations were:

• Introduction (covering a summary of the GIGS process and expectations for use by both vendors and users of Geoscience software applications)
• Guidelines Part 1 with focus on the “Requirements and Recommendations to Achieve Geospatial Integrity” with supplemental information on “Structure of the Guidelines Document”, “Underlying Foundation of Existing Standards and Guidelines (ISO, OGP, EPSG, et al)”. Key requirements and recommendations were individually discussed
• Guidelines Part 2 with focus on the “Test Data and Procedures for its Use” with supplemental information on “Structure of the Dataset”, “Pedigree of the Dataset”, “Delivery Formats”, and “Descriptions of the Dataset and of the Test Procedures”
• Guidelines Part 3 with focus on the “Self Certification Checklist” as well as the “Relation of part 3 to Parts 1 and 2 and to Part 4”, “Expectations for use”, “Presentation of the results”, and “Suggested interpretation and use of the results”
• Guidelines Part 4 with focus on the “Structured Review Checklist” but also covering the “Relation of part 4 to Parts 1 and 2 and 3”, “Expectations for use”, “Presentation of the results”, and “Suggested interpretation and use of the results”
• Next Steps (covering finalization of the materials, planned “Training Events for Industry” and the role of the OGP (review, acceptance, publication, custodianship and evergreening)
• Conclusions and call for Industry Feedback – both from software development companies and from E&P companies.

The full agenda, draft test dataset and each of the associated presentations and draft guidelines as they were presented at this Validation Seminar are available in PDF format for viewing and download from the downloads sections of the website here.