Virtual fieldtrips for petroleum geoscientists

Significant advances in geosciences data acquisition, visualization and analysis now allow highly detailed outcrop models to be constructed for a range of petroleum industry purposes. From a given field locality, a virtual outcrop is created from a centimetre-scale digital elevation model and colour photographs with geological information overlaid as appropriate. In a visualization environment, these datasets can be viewed sequentially to simulate undertaking a fieldtrip. These virtual fieldtrips allow geoscientists to improve and expand the traditional fieldwork experience in a number of ways, ranging from planning and health and safety considerations for management, to providing live supplemental technical content on a mobile device to the fieldtrip participant. The fieldtrips are easily archived and content can be reviewed in the office to provide analogue information during technical work. Examples of virtual fieldtrips are provided on the DVD that accompanies this volume.

Keywords virtual outcrops
fieldwork
laser scanning
lidar
analogue model