Release notes 25th November 2024

We’re pleased to advise that a new version of the NDR User Interface,  v20241125_12, has been deployed to all users.

 

“Form & Manner” Updates

 

Following discussions with licensee representatives who are reporting information to the NSTA via the NDR, we have made additions and changes to the specifications for reporting a small subset of information types. Changes include additional Classification Tags (CTAGs) and changes to the file formats that are appropriate to certain information types.

These changes enable more granular and accurate tagging of content, and also reduce the need to reformat some legacy information that may not align to current standards, mitigating the risk of errors being introduced.

 

• New Information Type Mud data file added, to enable digital files that include mud logging data, but were not originally recorded in LAS or DLIS format to be reported as ASCII plain text or CSV formatted files, with a new CTAG, MUD_FILE

 

• Edit to Information Type, Core Photographs – to specifically cater for core photographs that are not provided as part of a PDF format Core Analysis Report. Standalone Core Photographs may be provided as PDF, JPEG or PNG file formats with a new CTAG, CORE_PHOTO.

 

• Conventional core analysis data has previously been included in documentation; however no valid format had been defined. This update enables reporting of digital core analysis files in ASCII plain text or CSV format, and to assign the CTAG, CCA_FILE.

 

• New Information Type added to differentiate Well Test data files from Well testing reports. Previously, Well Test Data was required to be submitted as PDF; this change enables such data to be reported as ASCII plain text files using the existing CTAG, TEST_FILE.

 

The latest version of the document is available on the NSTA’s website:

 

https://www.nstauthority.co.uk/media/ng2fexhg/information-reporting-form-and-manner-for-ndr-november-2024.pdf

 

 

Map - Additional default layers

 

Those who are familiar with the Data Discovery Map will notice that we’ve added new layers to the default Layers Menu.

Offshore Infrastructure includes three sub-layers; Pipelines and Risers, Platforms FPSOs FSOs, and Labels for the latter. All three can be independently toggled on or off using the check boxes highlighted in the image below.

The Offshore Infrastructure layers are sourced from the NSTA’s Open Data Service.

This image also includes our new basemap, ING Satellite Image, as an alternative to the EMODnet Bathymetry basemap.

 

 

Improvements to spatial selection

 

Export functionality for NDR managed spatial information

Following several similar user requests, we have included functionality to enable users to export specific content from the NDR Map.

This applies to map layers that are unique to the NDR, primarily for sub-layers relating to seismic surveys that can be used to display polygons for surveys that include post-stack, pre-stack or original seismic data.

Look for the export button next to supported layers (white triangle in blue box). Clicking this will download the selected layer as a GeoJSON file. (GeoJSON is an open standard format that represents geographical information in WGS84 Lat Long coordinates).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other layers that are not generated from the NDR can be sourced from their source locations as indicated in the attributions button on the map (blue square with a white ‘i’ in the lower right corner).

 

 

Improved integration with the NSTA’s well information System of Record

Yet another example of our making use of available metadata that is managed outwith the NDR is the additional Well Columns that can be added to the Projects Table in Data Discovery.

This functionality incorporates specific information from the NSTA’s System of Record for wellbore information into the Projects Table, enabling the user to further sort and filter wells. The data is not stored in the NDR, rather it is sourced dynamically from the NSTA’s Open Data Service. We don’t need to maintain a copy of it in the NDR and it is always up to date.

Prior to this release, the columns would populate for wells that have data reported to the NDR, but not for those that have no data associated.

Now the information is populated for all wells, regardless of whether or not they have data. Currently there are over 260 well Projects that have no data – most relate to recent, unreleased wells, although over 100 are for older released wells.

This image shows the Well Columns populated for zero file wells (above) and wells with a single file (below).

Notice also that we’ve fixed the column heading for TVDSS (m) – previously this was incorrectly labelled as TVD (m) (thank you Jayne!).

 

 

Take a look at this article in our Support Centre for advice on adding Well Columns to the Projects Table, as well as other personalisation options.

 

https://support.uk-ndr.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/4403822163858-Personalise-Display-In-Data-Discovery

 

 

Data Reporting workflow improvements - assignment of CTAGs

 

We have introduced a modified popup for assigning CTAGs during upload (this is only relevant to users who can upload data to the NDR). Changes have been made to address user feedback relating to the tagging workflow:

To improve screen layout and to avoid blocking information for the file to which the CTAG is being set, the popup now displays just below the selected line (see image below).

The interactive buttons (Save etc.) now remain in the same location on the table, so after pressing “Save” the new popup, and buttons for files successively down the table, appear under the mouse pointer. On hovering the mouse pointer over the CTAG names a description of that CTAG will appear, to assist the Data Manager in selecting the appropriate tag without having to refer to documentation.

 

 

 

We have included new interactive buttons that enable the Data Manager to Copy and Paste CTAGs from one file to another file, as long as they are both the same file type. This update is intended to make tagging more efficient where several files of a similar type are being uploaded at one time.

There are also keyboard shortcuts for the buttons; “Save” (press the s key on the keyboard), “Copy” (c key), “Paste” (p key) and close (x key). The “Up” and “Down” arrow keys on the keyboard can also be used to navigate from one row to the next.

 

To copy one set of CTAGs to another file, first select the required CTAGs with the mouse, then click “Copy” (or press c) and then click “Save” (or press s). This automatically moves down to the next row; if you want the same CTAGs applied to that row you can either click “Paste” and then click “Save” or press p and then s.

You can then repeat for any more rows required or move past rows with the arrow keys.

 

Finally, we have encountered an example of multiple CTAGs having been assigned to a SEG-Y file. While it can often be necessary to add more than one tag to a document, such as a report, we consider SEG-Y files to relate to one specific information type.

For this reason, we have prevented users from inadvertently assigning more than one CTAG to SEG-Y files – an attempt to add more than one tag will be shown as a reminder in the new CTAG selector popup, as highlighted in the image below.