Barco display technology helps Shell E&P integrate key activities across various locations

Case study

Shell Exploration & Production contracted Barco to equip its Virtual Reality and Visualization centres throughout Europe, with the latest state of the art visualization technology. Installations included two advanced three-channel stereoscopic Virtual Reality centres, two 2-channel stereoscopic CADwalls and nine dedicated high-resolution iCon team room systems for multi-disciplinary interpretation and collaborative decision-making, linking teams across the Netherlands, UK, Norway and Italy.

Centralised project management
“To meet Shell Exploration & Production in Europe project deadlines and minimise operational impact, it was essential that the installation schedule aligned fully with our business priorities and location specific needs”, explains Mike Boyle, Subsurface Integration Consultant for Shell Exploration & Production in Europe. “Thanks to meticulous planning and coordinated engineering the project met the key targets. Working with a single provider for all our collaborative Visualization system needs saved time and money through economy of scale discounts and centralised project management.”

Immersive BARCO VR centres display sharper three-dimensional images in Aberdeen and Assen
In Aberdeen [UK] and Assen [Netherlands], the stereo 3-channel VR centres offer full immersion for up to 40 users in a stereoscopic virtual environment. In Aberdeen, the system is also linked to a 2-channel CADWall that enables extended collaborative team working. A similar CADWall system has also been installed in Stavanger.
For the two-channel CADWalls, Barco developed a proprietary hybrid blend, combining electronic soft edge blending with optical filters in the light path to maintain excellent dark levels. The new projectors are up to 30 times brighter than the previous ones and provide much sharper images, which increase the chances of success in the search for, and development of oil and gas reserves.

A Pan-European approach: connecting people through technology
Barco’s network-centric iCon projectors have been deployed in the asset team rooms in Aberdeen, Assen, Stavanger and Rome enabling collaborative workflows across multiple locations. The large display screens [3x2m] in each room function the same way as a user workstation, with access via a familiar windows GIU. Software developed by Barco gives direct access to multiple sources [“My Sources”] including networked dual channel Windows, Linux and UNIX workstations, laptop and XGA video conferencing all accessing networked E&P data sources and software. The “My Layouts” icon recalls the multi-window lay-outs in which the information is positioned for the various sessions. While collaborating, users can drag, minimize and resize windows to clarify details. Lay-outs can be saved and recalled for later use. Through this virtual network, various teams can interact and deliver faster, more effective results by instantly sharing the same visual content.

“At Shell Exploration & Production in Europe, our teams were already used to virtual reality, networking and integrated decision-making” says Mike Boyle “Thanks to much higher image quality sharing across all locations, our geoscientists and engineers can operate more efficiently. The sharper the image, the better the discussion will be and the more accurately the users can detect and develop oil and gas fields.”