Blueback Investigator

Understand, analyze and visualize cross-domain data.

Data analysis and visualizations

Cross‑domain data analysis and visualization in Petrel

Blueback Investigator provides cross‑domain data analysis capabilities combined with flexible and intuitive visualization workflows. The plug‑in is designed to support deeper understanding of subsurface data directly within the Petrel* E&P software platform.

Data analysis across domains

Blueback Investigator is a data analysis plug‑in for Petrel that supports workflows across disciplines. While data analysis in Petrel can be challenging, Blueback Investigator offers a richer analysis experience and enables users to apply more data‑driven workflows within the same environment.

Statistical analysis and visualization

The tool includes statistical analysis capabilities that can be applied to:

Well and point data
2D and 3D seismic data
3D model and simulation properties
Surface attributes

These capabilities help users explore relationships, distributions, and trends across different data types.

Example workflows

Typical use cases for Blueback Investigator include:

Identifying incorrectly loaded or inconsistent data
Comparing trends between wells
Analyzing data distribution and trends prior to reservoir modeling
Predicting missing data
Examining seismic attributes in different spatial regions within a volume

Visualization

Blueback Investigator enables detailed data exploration through five dedicated and feature‑rich visualization windows:

Histogram
Crossplot
Matrix
Parallel coordinates
3D plot

Explore relationships from multiple perspectives

Investigations can be displayed simultaneously across multiple windows, each presenting the same data from a different perspective. This makes it easier to identify, compare, and investigate relationships within and across datasets. Descriptive statistics can be shown either as tables or visual elements in all windows and are updated in real time as visualization settings change.

Spatial context within Petrel

Additional insight is provided through spatial context. Investigations can be visualized in native Petrel windows alongside native Petrel objects, allowing data analysis to be viewed directly in its geological and geophysical context.

Supported data types

Visualization windows can be used to investigate datasets such as:

Log data from thousands of wells in an unconventional field
Tens of seismic attributes from the same seismic volume
Model properties that vary across multiple simulation dates
Quality control of well logs, upscaled properties, model properties, and simulation grids

Python integration

The use of data science techniques is growing rapidly within the geoscience domain. Blueback Investigator supports this development through integration with Python™ via Cegal Prizm.

Real‑time access from Python

Integration with Python allows Blueback Investigations to be accessed in real time from a Python environment. This makes it possible to extend existing functionality by applying well‑known methods together with newer algorithms and models for deeper data analysis. Python‑based regression and classification models can be applied directly in Petrel through Blueback Investigator. Petrel users do not need any knowledge of Python to use these models, as they are available through the standard plugin interface.

Structured and consistent data handling

Creating a Blueback Investigation enforces a level of data consistency by ensuring that properties from different datasets use compatible units, spatial locations, and sampling. These considerations are handled as part of loading and preparing data in Petrel. Data from multiple domain objects is combined using Petrel templates, supporting structured cross‑domain analysis.

Visualization consistency across environments

Blueback Investigations can be plotted directly from Python using a simple API, reducing the amount of code required to generate advanced visualizations. Collaboration between Python users and geoscientists is improved because these visualizations are identical to the investigation windows in Petrel. This ensures consistent appearance across environments, supports shared understanding, and facilitates technical discussions.

Custom plot windows

Dedicated histogram, crossplot, matrix, parallel coordinates and 3D plot windows provide tools to visualize your data.

Supports multi-dimensional datasets
Interact with an investigation in multiple windows
Rich controls for managing plot appearance

Identify data trends

Identify trends in the data and use these to generate new properties.

Understand multi-dimension relationships
Investigate filtering effects on trends
Generate new properties using trends

Powerful integrations

Benefit from a rich selection of controls for managing plot appearance, annotations, filtering and creating equations for data correlation.

Create Petrel filters and functions
Select data interactively in Petrel windows
Integrate rock physics models

Richer data analysis

Blueback Investigator introduces a much richer data analysis and visualization experience for Petrel users.

Multi-dimensional data analysis
Classification and statistical workflows
Dynamic cross-plotting

Petrel * is a mark of SLB
Python™ is a trademark of the Python Software Foundation

Blueback Investigator provides a rich data analysis experience and enables more workflows for the user.

Dedicated histogram, crossplot, matrix, parallel coordinates and 3D plot windows provide tools to visualize your data.

Identify trends in the data and use these to generate new properties.

Benefit from a rich selection of controls for managing plot appearance, annotations, filtering and creating equations for data correlation.

Blueback Investigator introduces a much richer data analysis and visualization experience for Petrel users.

Below you’ll find the most common questions gathered to make it easy for you to find what you’re looking for. Click a question to read more.

What is Blueback Investigator used for?

Blueback Investigator is a cross‑domain data analysis and visualization plug‑in for the Petrel* E&P software platform. It is used to analyze, explore, and visualize subsurface data across wells, seismic, models, simulations, and surface attributes within a single environment.

What types of data can be analyzed with Blueback Investigator?

Blueback Investigator supports statistical analysis of well and point data, 2D and 3D seismic data, 3D model and simulation properties, and surface attributes. These data types can be analyzed together to understand distributions, trends, and relationships across domains.

How does visualization work in Blueback Investigator?

Blueback Investigator provides five dedicated visualization windows: histogram, crossplot, matrix, parallel coordinates, and 3D plots. Investigations can be viewed simultaneously in multiple windows, with descriptive statistics updated in real time as visualization settings change.

How does Blueback Investigator integrate with Python?

Through integration with Python™ via Cegal Prizm, Blueback Investigations can be accessed in real time from a Python environment. Python‑based regression and classification models can be applied directly in Petrel without requiring Petrel users to write or understand Python code.

How does Blueback Investigator support collaboration and data consistency?

Creating a Blueback Investigation ensures consistent units, spatial location, and sampling across datasets prepared in Petrel. Investigations and visualizations can be generated both in Petrel and from Python using the same structures and appearance, supporting consistent interpretation and collaboration between geoscientists and Python users.

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Blueback Investigator

Data analysis and visualizations

Data analysis across domains

Statistical analysis and visualization

Get the Blueback Investigator quick guide in your inbox!

Explore relationships from multiple perspectives

Spatial context within Petrel

Supported data types

Python integration

Real‑time access from Python

Structured and consistent data handling

Visualization consistency across environments

Key features and benefits

Frequently asked questions

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