VRcontext Delivers a MURA-Compliant Walkinside-PI System Interface

HOUSTON, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated operations and digital oil field management require interoperability between vendor applications as well as real-time and intuitive accessibility to decision-critical information.

To this end, VRcontext has successfully developed bi-directional connectivity between the PI System from OSIsoft, the industry standard in enterprise infrastructure for management of real-time data and events, and its Walkinside Virtual Reality application using its open SDK that incorporates Microsoft Upstream Reference Architecture (MURA) specifications. In the past few months, several of its major international oil and gas operating company clients have deployed this technology to help access and analyze real-time sensor data in an immersive contextual environment, and optimize production processes, while improving safety.

Walkinside provides the 3D Virtual Reality expertise and presentation layer capability for the producing asset engineering infrastructure linking and publishing data bases, process simulations and real-time sensor data into the 3D model from other applications vendors and partners participating in the Microsoft Upstream Reference Architecture Initiative.

Operators can effectively review sensor historian data and trends associated with critical plant equipment, and anticipate and resolve abnormal behavior to address asset integrity threats and adverse sequences of events during production. The Walkinside-PI solution is developed on an open .NET-compliant integration platform that helps consolidate information, processes and applications used for operation, maintenance, safety and operator training of major upstream assets.

"VRcontext's support for the MURA initiative is evidence of its commitment to standards and to the development of an open common industry framework for asset team collaboration and efficient work processes, delivering real value to information across the entire oil and gas supply chain and the asset life cycle management," said Marc de Buyl, managing director of VRcontext LLC in Houston.

"The advent of the digital oilfield is being accelerated by other MURA-compliant initiatives between vendors and will in turn reinforce the value of the MURA reference framework to optimize collaborative processes and the flow of mission-critical information for more judicious and expeditious decision-making incorporating topside, subsea and wells production facilities in a single 3D model," said Francois Lagae, president and CEO of VRcontext International SA.

"The oil and gas industry needs a common platform that will serve as the 'unifying language' and a force for IT integration and products and solutions interoperability to achieve major productivity gains," said Ali Ferling, managing director, Worldwide Oil & Gas Industry for Microsoft Corp. "This level of interoperability can only be realized by creating a foundational architecture designed and implemented by oil and gas solution providers, technology providers, systems integrators and standards organizations with guidance from operators. Today, the MURA architecture continues to mature as the initiative participants, such as VRcontext, develop new technologies and connections that are compliant with this common approach to information sharing."

About VRcontext

VRcontext International SA is the leading global provider of engineering and geospatial software that enables customers to visualize complex data in 3D. Over 200 businesses and governments in more than 30 countries rely on VRcontext's industry-specific software to organize vast amounts of data into understandable visual representations and actionable intelligence. VRcontext software and services empower its customers to build and operate plants and ships, more safely and efficiently with intelligent 3D models. For more information, visit www.vrcontext.com.

Contact
Marc de Buyl
VRcontext LLC, Houston
Mobile: 713-494-6299
Fax: 713-463-9154
[email protected]

SOURCE VRcontext LLC