Reference Materials

The IHS International Exploration and Production (E&P) Database is the most comprehensive and reliable information dataset available to oil and gas industry professionals today. The following pages describe our enhancements to our International information, both recently completed and planned. You can download our International Information Review which contains all our improvements made during 2010. The Information Review also includes details of our International Quality Goals which were introduced in 2009 and are more than a dozen measurable, critical and customer focused goals which were defined in response to your feedback. 

The Information Review is supplemented by our Quarterly Newsletter which includes a status report on our Quality Goals and progress of our key projects and statistics for that quarter. Progress within each of the modules is also reported.

• International Energy Quarterly Review - Q3 2011
• International Energy Quarterly Review - Q2 2011
• International Energy Quarterly Goals Q1 2011
• International Information Review 2011
• International Energy Quarterly Goals Q4, 2010
• International Energy Quarterly Review Q3, 2010
• International Energy Quarterly Review Q2, 2010
• International Information Review 2010
• International Projects 2010
• International Information Highlights - December 2011
• Data Modules:
  • Wells Database
  • Fields Database
  • Basin Database
  • Contracts Database
  • Surveys Database
  • Cartography Database
  • Midstream Database
• Country Data Profiles
• Database Contents Statistics
• International Data Companion 2010
• IRIS21 / ADM Database

Information will be updated frequently to reflect the on-going enhancements to each area.

US Data Formats
Below are the standard data export formats for the the domestic US database. These formats are version controlled to ensure compatibility with leading third-party applications.

298 Production Export
This format is an updated version of the legacy PI 98 Production Export format.

DMP2 Production Export
This format is an updated version of the legacy Dwights Detailed Production Export format (DMP).

297 Well Export
This format is an updated version of the legacy PI 197 Well Export format.

EnerdeqML
This format is an XML structure for well and production content.

Legacy Data Formats
Legacy 197 Well, 98 Production and DMP Production data export formats from the former Petroleum Information (PI) and Dwights Energydata are no longer supported. They are still available in our data products, but will be removed should they break. Likewise, they will not be included in any new applications being developed.

US Data Formats:

Production Formats, Version 1.1
298 Production Format Layout (XLS)
298 Production Format (PDF)
DMP2 Production Format (PDF)

Well Format, Version 1.1
297 Well Format Layout (XLS) 
297 Well Format (PDF)

EnerdeqML - Version  1.2 
EnerdeqML_v1.2_Schemas
EnerdeqML_v1.2_Well_Documentation
EnerdeqML_v1.2_Production_Documentation

General Overview & Statistics

The American Petroleum Institute (API) Subcommittee on Well Data Retrieval Systems was formed in 1962 to develop a standard method for nationwide well identification for use in computerized well data systems. They created the API well number, a unique, permanent, numeric identifier assigned for identification of a well (i.e. hole in the ground) which is drilled for the purpose of finding or producing oil and/or gas or providing related services.

The subcommittee's recommendations were first published in 1966 as Appendix A, API Bulletin D12, Well Data Glossary. In 1968 it became the API Bulletin D12A, The API Well Number and Standard State and County Codes. Several revisions have been made, the latest being published in 1985. In 1995, the subcommittee drafted a new API numbering scheme that allowed for better identification of wells with sidetracks and recompletions. However, the Subcommittee on Well Data Retrieval was disbanded before these recommendations were officially published.

In the draft, the subcommittee proposed adding an Event Sequence Code (digits 13 and 14) which would apply to re-entries, recompletions, and hole deepenings. (These codes may vary between vendors and other industry groups according to well records obtained.) This would make it easy to identify a true hole change for each borehole in a well. The geoscientist could then more easily reconstruct the borehole geometry and sequence events that happened during recompletions, workovers, or sidetracking.

Digits 13 and 14 of the API number have long been part of the IHS's Active well and WHCS well completion database from the former Petroleum Information Corp. However, these digits were incremented differently than what the subcommittee proposed before its disbandonment. Recognizing that this new numbering scheme for digits 13 and 14 would offer greater benefits to our customers, the IHS is adopting this new structure.

In January 1999, this new numbering scheme was implemented in the WHCS well completion and the Active well database. All the API numbers have now been updated and replaced to reflect the new system. Only digits 13 and 14 will be affected. (Note: the Active and WHCS databases are from the former Petroleum Information Corp. Only products derived from these databases will be affected, such as the discontinued Magellan®, petroROM® Active, and petroROM® Well Data. API numbers in the former Dwight's Energydata well database and corresponding products will not be affected.)

In the Production Data database from the former Petroleum Information Corp., API's in regions that contain the full 14-digit API numbers may also have changes. These changes are implemented a state by state basis, as monthly production updates are released. (Note: Once again, these changes only affect products from the former Petroleum Information Corp production database, such as the discontinued Magellan® and petroROM® Production Data. No Dwights production products will be affected.)

If you are maintaining or updating a well database from a product using former PI well data, the following information could be of importance to you:

Well data obtained from products using the Active and WHCS well databases in January 1999 and thereafter will contain the new API numbering structure. Well data obtained from products using data from December 1998 and prior will have the previous API numbering structure. For example, petroROM's Well Data 4th quarter 1998 release will have the old numbering structure. petroROM's Active Well Data's January issue will have the new structure. Any data accessed from on-line systems today (i.e. PetroNet21^SM Select: U.S.: Well and Production Data, formerly the Oil & Gas Data Channel) will have the new numbering system implemented for all wells.

In our Active Well database 2,058 wells will have API number changes to digits 13 and 14. In our WHCS well completion database, 34,889 wells will have changes.

Here are the actual statistics for both databases:

WHCS well completion data:

Active well data:

(More detailed statistics are available if needed)

A cross-reference file of the replaced API numbers is available to our customers. You may need to update your database with these API number changes or duplications of wells could result. If you need this file to update your database, please contact Customer Care.

If you are maintaining or updating a production database that utilizes the API number and is from the former PI production data, the following information may be of importance to you:

Some regions in the production database from the former PI will have API changes. Most regions will not be affected, as they did not contain the full 14-digit API number. Here are the statistics for each state:

Production Data:

State by state cross-reference files of the impacted API numbers are available to our customers. If you need these files to update your database, please contact Customer Care.

Reference Code Abbreviations

Reference Code Abbreviations:
Proprietary to IHS - provided solely for use with IHS data and products.

• Activity Codes
• Additive Type
• Core Type
• Counties
• Country
• Cushion Type
• Drilling Media
• DST Material Recovered
• DST Recovery Codes
• Final Status
• Final Status Code
• Fluid Type
• Footage Origin
• Initial Class
• Initial Lahee Class
• Lat/Long Source
• Lithology
• Log Curve Type
• Lost Material
• Measurement Technique
• Perforation Type
• Porosity Type
• Principal Meridian
• Product Type
• Production Method
• Proppant Type
• Rate Units
• Reason Codes
• Remark Type
• Rig Status
• Show Type
• State and Counties
• States
• Test Results
• Test Subtype
• Treatment Fluid
• Treatment Type
• Volume Units
• Well Class
• Well Status
• Well Type