Category Archives: Articles

New Year’s Resolution

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There’s a movie that came out in 2011 called “New Year’s Eve”. It’s a movie about a couple of people that have their own thing happening on new year’s eve, but somehow their lives intertwine during that day. At the end of the movie some have a happy new year’s eve and some a not so happy one, but the reality of it all is that such is life. It’s a fun movie to watch and it’s has lessons for us all.

There’s one particular story in the movie called “New Year’s Resolution” which is played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Ingrid, a middle aged woman who has a meaningless life, according to her, because she has always been afraid to take risks and enjoy life. She has spent her life “worrying too much” and never got to achieve any of her dreams. Zac Efron plays Paul, an energetic young guy who also happens to be the messenger of the record company she works at. On December 31 they talk for the very first time although they’ve been working in the same place for a few years. She has a full list of all the things she wants to achieve before the year ends, but her negativity has kept her from making it happen. She feels she has to change that and decides to make all her list of resolutions come true before 12:00am that night. That’s when she asks Paul for help and tells him that if he helps her make the list before midnight she’ll give him the tickets to the biggest party in the city that same night and he agrees. By the end of the day Ingrid has learned that worrying too much about money and other things can keep you from living and enjoying life to the fullest.

New year's resolution

What’s not to love about this lesson? Why should we all be so stressed out about things in life when sometimes those things can be fixed with a small effort on our part. There’s a way to everything in life, instead of worrying too much, why not look for a solution? We can apply this lesson to every aspect of our lives, personal and professional.

For instance, drilling productions are expensive and take a lot of time for the people involved in it. Engineers can go out of their minds when problems arise and when that happens the production ends up losing a lot of money. Since this is something in every engineer’s mind and it’s something that can cause too many worries, why not take advantage of what the world of technology has to offer? There are software that can keep you updated with everything that’s going on during the drilling process and can warn you of any problems before anything goes wrong. Sometimes giving a little extra and spending a little more money can in the end save you a lot of money.

PVI offers a variety of high quality software that can help engineers to do a lot more, be very confident of the work that is being done and have no worries. Why waste time worrying if there are ways to make your work and life easier. Ingrid spent all her life worrying too much about not being able to ever make her resolution list come true, but Paul in just one day made all the things on the list reality, proving to her that once we stop worrying we can achieve anything we want.New Year's Resolution | Pegasus Vertex, Inc. - Drilling Software

Film-Making: The Metaphor

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When writing a script there is a picture in the film-maker’s head of how the scene would look like. But he can see a clearer picture of how the scene is going to be like after starting to shoot the scenes. Then he can manipulate the shots to make them look the best and make any necessary changes as well as try to stay true to the original concept. When he finally gets a scene translated into the timeline is when the real challenge starts. Which scenes are going to be used? What music best goes with each scene? What filter is the best for the image to fit the story? When making a film, no matter what type, the edition is the one part that will decide whether the film is going to be good or not. The film can have the best script and the best actors ever, but if the edition is not well done, the story of the film - the message is going to get lost and the audience is going to be focusing on the horrible edition instead of the actual story. The quality of the edition is everything.

Working with all these oil and gas software is kind of like making a film from scratch. Being in the oil and gas industry we know and understand the procedures of drilling a wellbore, but once the bit is miles and miles into the hole, what’s going on in there is completely invisible to our eyes. Therefore it is necessary to use well modern technology that allows engineers to see what’s going on inside the well, because no matter how clear the picture in your head is, the reality is a lot different. With drilling software you can make that picture in your head more vivid, you’d be able to see what’s going on as the well becomes deeper and deeper. With the help of graphs and 2D and 3D images you can make the changes that need to be made for a better performance that will save you a few headaches and lots of money.

We live in an imperfect world and unforeseen events can happen, but if you can have an actual image to help you follow the whole process, many things can be prevented. You have the answers and then you can really dig in. The whole long process is to have a better result at the end of each day and at the end of every drilling production. Every wellbore drilling is different just like every film production is different. That’s the fun of it, it’s never tedious. It’s something you look forward every day. You never know how the final work will turn out until it’s done, but as long as you have the image to guide you through the whole process you feel secured.

Just like editing a film, when putting together all the pieces, the film-maker starts feeling good about how everything is turning out to be the way he hoped for. Then when the music and sounds are added to the project, it goes up to a whole new level. The film-maker gets excited because the work is becoming a lot better than anticipated. Until at last the project is completely done and when he finally sees it, he can say that he is proud of the work he has achieved, thanks in large part to an excellent and very professional editor. The quality of drilling software is the quality of an excellent film editor.

Film Making and Drilling Software | Pegasus Vertex, Inc.

Saving Time Using Drilling Software

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Who doesn’t like savings, deals, bargains and even some free stuff every now and then? Further, who does not want to save time in our work? Generally speaking, software save us tremendous amount of time in our daily lives. We heavily rely on Outlook® for our email communication, Microsoft Word® for word processing. These software free us from repeated and often tedious tasks. And they are so common in our work places that we often take them for granted.

While we use these software as tools for our work, they are the missions of many software developers, whose full time jobs are to created them. In this society, everyone serves someone else.

Specifically, drilling engineering software has become an indispensable tool for well planning, especially for horizontal and extend reach well drilling. Being a software developer, I feel very lucky to be involved in this highly creative work, which requires both engineering background and graphic design senses.

Our goal is to create drilling software not only to solve technical problems, but also improve drilling efficiency by solving problems quickly. This means carefully designed user-interfaces so that the users will be able to save trouble and time to perform a certain task.

Time belongs to everyone. Wasting other people’s time is a crime. On the other side, saving people’s time brings benefit to them.

Our way of saving people’s time is to make software extremely easy to use.

We as software developers do not meet with our users often, but our users frequently use our software and some even do on a daily basis. For example, there are more than 500 MUDPRO (drilling mud reporting) users in US. Every morning, these mud engineers open up MUDPRO, input wellbore configuration, mud properties, inventory and type remarks. Then they will generate daily report from MUDPRO Output window. If we can add features to save one user 5 minutes in the process,  we will be able to save 5(min) x 500(user) x 365(day)= 912500(min) = 15208(hr) = 634(day) of time of those 500 MUDPRO users in a period of one year. This is as powerful as the butterfly effect. The flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas. If we make an improvements in our software, hundreds and thousands of software users will benefit, even it means that sometimes we need to spend months for certain feature. But it is worth the efforts. Spending time in software development translate into tremendous time saving for all software users. The benefit is amplified much greatly as more users join the pool.

Happy running software and saving time!

saving_time_using_drilling_software

Measurement of Successful Drilling Software

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Being a food lover, I like to try different restaurants. A simple test to see if a restaurant is any good is to try their simple and inexpensive dish. For example, I would order a hot-and-sour soup from a Chinese restaurant. If the chef can transform simple ingredients like mushrooms, bamboo shoots, ginger, tofu to a deep and spicy marvel, then one can expect the taste and quality of the main dishes.

Similar methods can be applied to many products and services including drilling software.

To fully test a comprehensive software package is time consuming. For example, our casing wear prediction software CWPRO covers torque and drag model and casing wear accumulation for a given schedule of drilling operation. The theory part is sophisticated enough to write a PHD thesis. The graphical user interface makes the complicated prediction a very easy task. Thanks to the carefully designed navigation structure.

To evaluate CWPRO and find its user-friendliness probably takes a couple of days. But if you have a chance to use our simplest software Dr. DE – drilling engineering toolbox software, you will be amazed at how quickly those 180+ functions solve drilling problems in seconds.

It is like a good appetizer in a feast!

I Never Felt So Good When Taking Off My Shoes

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During Thanksgiving weekend, our company staff and families went to Lake Tahoe to have a retreat. Skiing was one of the activities. Quite a few of us were first time skiers. Here are some of our children expressing their experience on wearing the ski boots.

Rachel: "I felt short when taking off the shoes."

Nathan: "I never felt so good when taking off my shoes."

Nowadays, almost all our activities are enriched with high-tech equipment. Skiing is no exception. A pair of ski boots can easily weight a few pounds. Walking with them is no fun. But once the shoes are attached to ski and ski is on the slope of snow, they make us run faster on snow than on road. Technology makes wonders. Besides specific skills and physical training, more sportsmen rely heavily on gears to enhance their performance. To swimmers, it is swimming suit; to tennis players, it is racket and strings and also as the running shoes to runners. The pairs can go on.

These enabling technologies also play big role in our drilling industry, making drilling operations more cost effective and safe. Among them is drilling engineering software. Even though the drilling software does not weight as much as ski boots, it carries the significant results of research and engineering in the areas of pipe mechanics, hydraulics, casing wear, etc.

One might think the drilling software as one more package to install in computer, one more burden to carry. However, the benefits of running drilling software far out weight the cost or trouble of using it.

Download and installation of our MUDPRO (mud reporting software) may take 15 minutes. Once mud engineers start to use MUDPRO, they could easily save hours of work every day, not to mention the much better quality of report and end-of-well recap.

Sometimes, a little bit trouble, such as wearing heavy ski boots, brings tremendous convenience; sometimes, a little bit spending is rewarded with big saving.

Just as Nathan described his feeling on ski boots, our MUDPRO user might say: "I never felt so relieved when making daily mud report."

Drilling Software: See the Invisible

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We just had a T-Shirt design contest. Graphic designers were asked to put drilling software in perspective of the design.

Nowadays, drilling engineering software is an indispensable tool for drilling engineers. Directional and extended reach drilling and HTHP wells challenge us with more and more technical difficulties. Software is one of the solutions to these problems. However, because of its abstract nature, it is not easy to illustrate drilling software in a T-shirt design. At least, it is difficult to have a good design without using abused images of drilling rigs and computers.

One of the submissions is a pair of glasses as shown below.

See the Invisible | Pegasus Vertex, Inc. - Drilling Software

As soon as we saw it, we liked it. It has a subtle message: our drilling software allows engineers to see the downhole condition, which is invisible to normal eyes.

Oil and gas well is created by drilling a hole of 5 to 50 inches in diameter into the earth with a drilling rig that rotates a drill string with a bit attached. During drilling process, engineers and drillers heavily rely on the limited information on the rig floor to determine the downhole condition, because they cannot see the subsurface.

Typically, only one tenth of iceberg is above water. Majority of iceberg is below water, making it difficult to determine its shape and size. Similar situation exists on the rig floor. Drilling engineers only have handful observations such as hookload, surface torque, pump pressure, ROP, RPM, etc. They can neither see what happens to drill string or formation nor accurately measure the buckling of the pipe. It is like a situation that we walk cross a muddy river: we cannot see the river bed, but our feet do their best sensing the water, mud and rock and send a message to our brains. Drilling operation is a dialog between drillers and formation in the dark. Drilling software turns on light to let engineers see the invisible.

Life’s So Simple When You Are Organized

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One of the things that I seem to struggle with sometimes is staying organized. I live a fast paced, up-tempo life and I have several obligations in my business and personal life. Sometimes it seems there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get all the things done that I really want or need to do. That’s why every now and then I realize that I am totally out of organization and I start forgetting important things and misplacing stuff that I need. I hate this feeling. It’s not like I am not a neat person or that I am irresponsible; I am simply just busy. Is that really a crime?

Despite my organizational challenges, I consider myself to be a perfectionist. Some people tell me I have a type A personality. I don’t really understand that though, because a Type A person is known to be highly organized because they want everything perfect. I do want everything perfect, because I am built that way, but I just seem to struggle staying organized.

One of the worst feelings for me was when my boss told me, “Jerry, you really need to focus on getting more organized!”  At that point, I told myself that enough is enough. I cannot stand to feel like I am not doing an outstanding job at all times. That keeps me up at night. So I committed myself to organization; creating a filing system, a follow-up system, and a report system that has in turned improved my organization. It actually is a good feeling. It takes a little bit of time and commitment but it pays off.

The results of my better organization have yielded high productive results. I have committed myself to constantly improve myself through structure and organization. I have learned that this is not only an important element in our personal and business lives, but it is also important for companies as well.

Recently, I visited one of my customer’s cement labs. The lab was very clean, well lit, and appeared to be very organized. I was very impressed from just walking through the door. I remembered that this company was a relatively new cementing company and about a year ago they opened their cement lab. I pitched the idea to them that our CEMLab product would be great for their lab in assisting their organization by keeping an archive of all their slurries, so they could easily access them in the future if needed. They liked the idea of the software database, but they didn’t see the value in it at that time, since their lab was just getting started.

However, they now seemed to see an immediate need for the software. The reason for this was to improve their organization in their lab.

The cabinet to organize the files

The lab had now been functioning for a year and they had so much data to keep up with. I asked them how they kept their slurry records and they showed me a shelf that contained a bunch of binders filled with paper documents (see the picture).

I realized immediately that this type of organization was hurting this customer and preventing them from being able to quickly access previous slurries and causing them to waste valuable time. This is not a good thing.

I am happy that this customer now will be implementing PVI’s CEMLab database to keep accurate records of their current cement slurries and file them electronically to be easily recovered. I definitely understand the value and benefits of improved organization.CEMLab - Cement Lab Data Management CEMLab does this and more. The database will improve organization, make quick calculations, create professional reports and save valuable time. Most importantly though, a customer can save paper and get rid of their shelves filled with binders. Their lives are going to be so much more simple…..just like mine is now!

 

Drilling Software As a Renewing Process

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It is said that every 7 years, we have a whole new body, because daily our old cells are dying off and being replaced with new ones. As the New York Public Library’s Science Desk Reference (Strongsong Press, 1995) notes, “There are between 50 and 70 trillion cells in the body. “ Each type of cell has its own life span. Colon cells die off after about 4 days. Red blood cells live for about 4 months, while brain cells typically last an entire lifetime. Therefore, there’s nothing special about a 7-year cycle, since cells are renewed all the time.

In a similar way, software has its own life-cycle, from 1st version to a mature product. Functions are dropped or upgraded. Window platform changes. Development tools evolve. Even developers switch. Users want better graphics with faster calculation. All these facts contribute to the ever-changing software. Our TADPRO (torque and drag model), since its 1st appearance in 2005, now is in version 7.1. If we account both major and minor version upgrades, we must have had more than 20 releases.

We have never compared how many lines of code in version 7 are still the same as those in version 1. It is definitely getting more mature as more drilling engineers start using TADPRO every year. They are the users, testers and judges. Together with them, we nurture TADPRO from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly.

Our body is designed to be regulated and maintained. When we don’t, we pay the price, in terms of sickness. If people do not get enough sleep, they may get accident or more serious disease; if we do not get our back well supported, we get backaches, and so on.

Engineering software like TADPRO is also a living product, demanding support from both users and developers. As drilling technologies advance and computer operating system evolves, software needs to be upgraded or turned to fit into the new environment.

Some people may think software, once purchased, works wonder forever, or think technical support, upgrade and maintenance plan is unnecessary or expensive. But think about the backaches without support or the ease of engineering work with well-supported software, you might have second thought.

Better Software With Growing Clients

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We have quite a few clients in Canada. Calgary, therefore, has become our frequent destination for trade shows, client visit and drilling software training.

Just shortly after we released new version of CEMPRO (mud displacement model), we had a chance to visit a few cementing companies in this energy center of Canada.

As you may know, almost all oil and service companies have offices in downtown Calgary where 10 x 10 blocks share the same zip code of T2P. This time, however, one of our clients’ manufacture facilities we visited is outside the city.

We demonstrated the new version of the software to this client, which brought them some happy noddings. Later, they gave us a tour of their facility including the big shops where cementing trucks are built. We were much impressed by what we saw. As a software company, we are used to dealing with complicated equations, coding and interfaces. But what we saw this time is a totally different world filled with items as small as nuts and bolts, and as big as 18-wheels of steel, and everything in between. I did not even ask if I could take a picture, but the image left in my mind will last long time.

Later, I did take a picture of their break room area.

Better software with growing clients Pegasus Vertex, Inc.

As I was wowing the 6 microwave ovens, the company representative mentioned me that there is same number of microwave units on the other side. You get the picture.

It is such a happy feeling to see our clients growing stronger and bigger. This particular client of ours is one of the first and faithful users of CEMPRO.

Looking at their state of art facility, we feel that we might have contributed something to their success.

Software development is a continuous improving process. As our clients are growing bigger and we earn more clients, they impose higher demands and expectations on our software. These external forces plus our own determination to deliver the first class drilling software create a positive output: better software and happy clients.

We are happy to grow with our clients.

“Sophisticated Yet Simple”

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What is PVI Software is the question you may ask.
They're a different breed of programs that take on difficult tasks.
For years engineers have done the best they can to keep track of invisible things
but have gone insane trying to figure out what really goes on beneath.
First it was a piece of paper, then they got their hands on excel sheets
but a problem was still there for they couldn’t really tell if the bit was there still.
How to be certain of the exact end-of-well recap
Would they have to drill a bigger hole to send someone down to get the numbers right?
How many more resources will be wasted to get an efficient Cement Lab?
How to be sure if the wellbore will be secure at all times?
With the reservoir depth and downhole temperature change
even the best engineer can get one mayor headache.
Don’t waste your time imagining how much mud will be displaced.
Prehistoric times are long gone with the dinosaurs and cavemen.
In the early 20th century technology was considered magic.
In the 21st century technology is more real than reality.
That old method system is going down the wellbore,
drill right through it because you don’t need it anymore.
Here’s where PVI enters the game
to show all you peeps who’s the master at this.
Say goodbye to the pens,
say goodbye to loose papers,
PVI is a drilling software
That will save your neck, time and lots of money.
Download it in your computer without any fear
and you’ll make the best drilling operation ever.
From Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 or 8
The program will be running like a piece of cake.
With its many advanced features, colors and multilanguage
You can work with it in Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, English or Spanish.
Concerned about an oil spill, a blow out or loss of a well?
PVI can predict the location of the casing wear.
Made for torque, drag, hydraulics,
name the term and PVI does it.
With a 3D path view you’ll get deep into the sea
And you’ll follow the wellbore with no scuba diving kit.
Once you allow PVI do your drilling
Everybody will know you as the best
The adrenaline rush of doing an awesome job will get you all fired up.
You’re gonna get hooked like a gamer on a couch.
Get ready for a new experience you’ll learn well.
Once you get it in your system, there is just no escape.
From the ground to the top, from the sea to the land
giving it a try will make you achieve great success
and after all this you still wanna know why PVI is the tool for you?
‘cause its singularity is sophisticated yet simple to use.