For upstream energy, the answers to the most critical decisions often lie hidden beneath the surface of the earth, in layers of rock formations. Understanding the structure, composition, and potential of the subsurface can mean the difference between a productive well and a costly misstep. That’s why engineers and geoscientists are turning to Spotfire to analyze subsurface data with more speed, precision, and clarity than ever before.
The seismic data challenge
Seismic data holds the keys to identifying potential hydrocarbon reservoirs, but it’s also notoriously complex. Thousands of columns of high-frequency signal data from seismic surveys must be condensed and interpreted, often under pressure and on tight timelines. Traditional workflows, which involve manual interpretation and static maps, are slow and prone to oversight.
Spotfire changes the game. By combining advanced analytics with interactive visualizations, the platform enables users to reduce data dimensionality and uncover meaningful patterns. Using techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and self-organizing maps, Spotfire enables engineers to isolate relevant signals from seismic noise, transforming massive datasets into intuitive and actionable insights.
Dimensionality reduction and mapping pay zones
Imagine transforming hundreds of signal traces into a three-dimensional representation of the subsurface. With Spotfire, this is not only possible but also interactive. Engineers can visually explore subsurface formations, highlight regions of interest, and identify pay zones, areas likely to yield hydrocarbons. And in addition to signal traces, engineers can analyze well logs, core data, well tests, and production data—all in one tool.
The result? More confident drilling decisions, fewer dry holes, and a dramatic reduction in time spent interpreting hidden data. With Spotfire, data brings the subsurface to life.
From map to model: Optimizing well placement
Drilling is expensive, and well spacing matters. Place a new well too close to an existing one, and you risk frac hits, interference between wells that drains efficiency and increases risk.
Spotfire provides powerful 3D visualizations and industry-specific tools, such as gun barrel plots, which offer a top-down view of horizontal wells. These plots help engineers identify optimal placement for new wells while avoiding interference with existing production.
The platform’s multi-dimensional analysis allows engineers to measure spacing, evaluate geological features, and simulate new drilling scenarios within a single visual canvas. With this kind of insight, planning becomes more strategic, and field development more profitable.
AI as an ally: Code-free insights
Even complex workflows, such as LAS file analysis, are accelerated with the Spotfire CopilotTM AI assistant. Engineers can use simple prompts to generate Python functions that import and process geophysical data, calculate gamma ray and shale volumes, and create visual well logs.
Need to identify the depth at which hydrocarbons are likely to appear? Copilot guides you step by step, from data smoothing and stacking to correlation analysis and interpretation. This AI-enhanced workflow saves time and expands the accessibility of advanced analytics to more users, regardless of coding experience.
Real-world impact: Subsurface insights in action
Wintershall Noordzee, a leading offshore exploration and production company, faced a familiar challenge: seismic, logging, and well data were fragmented across disparate systems, slowing down subsurface decision-making. To overcome this, the company used Spotfire to develop the Crossfire portal, a centralized, self-service analytics platform that consolidated the company’s entire subsurface dataset.
With Crossfire, geoscientists can now explore dozens of variables simultaneously, from seismic interpretations and well logs to borehole geometry and lithology. Instead of waiting hours for queries from multiple systems, users can visually interact with the data in real time, accelerating candidate well evaluation and reducing uncertainty.
The platform allows Wintershall’s teams to overlay geological structures, filter by rock unit or depth, and even map seismic anomalies against historical production data. This has transformed how the company assesses formations and prioritizes drilling targets, empowering exploration and subsurface teams to make better, faster decisions with a clearer picture of what lies beneath.
Real value delivered
Spotfire is more than just a visualization tool; it’s a subsurface decision engine. By reducing the time needed to analyze seismic data, improving the accuracy of reservoir characterization, and enabling smarter well placements, Spotfire delivers measurable business value:
- Faster time to insight: Interactive analytics dramatically reduce seismic interpretation timelines.
- Lower drilling risk: High-resolution visualizations help avoid frack hits and misplaced wells.
- Higher production: Better data leads to better well placement and more efficient recovery.
- Broader access to analytics: AI-guided tools democratize geoscientific analysis across teams.
Whether you’re working in exploration, reservoir engineering, or completions design, Spotfire provides the tools to see beneath the surface and act on what you find. Explore how Spotfire can make your subsurface workflows smarter.