PATHTRACKER 4.0
GENERAL INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

PathTracker 4.0 is a Microsoft Windows 16 bit software program developed by Onscreen Software Solutions for the directional and horizontal drilling industry. PathTracker computes the location of the bottom of a wellbore based on directional surveys taken in the wellbore at regular intervals. This data is used to calculate the wellbore positioning and provides information which can be used to assist the directional driller, drilling supervisor, driller, drilling engineer, geologist, etc. with determining their next course of action. A directional survey consists of the inclination, direction, and measured depth of any data point along the drilled path. This data is collected by using various forms of instrumentation, such as photographic magnetic surveys, gyroscopic surveys, or Measurement While Drilling (MWD) systems.

PathTracker 4.0 is suited for use with Windows 3.1, but will also operate with Windows 95 and later.

This information assumes that you have a basic knowledge of oilfield and directional drilling technology. If you would like to learn more about directional drilling and surveying, search the Net using the words "directional drilling", "Measurement While Drilling", "horizontal drilling", and other related words.

The PathTracker Survey Calculation program promises to be the most User Friendly survey program that you have ever used.

Designed by an experienced directional surveyor for directional professionals, PathTracker provides necessary information to assist with making critical decisions, and provides reports and graphs that can be used to describe any well.

Version 4.0 also contains PathPlanner 2D, a two dimensional well planning program with the same ease of use as PathTracker.

PATHTRACKER'S KEY FEATURES

• Ease of Use. If you have a very basic knowledge of Windows, you can start PathTracker and be entering surveys within 30 seconds. The manual is provided as on-line Help Files that can be accessed from any part of the program by clicking on the Help Button, or pressing F1. You can print any page from the Help File if you desire.
• Multiple Document Interface. You can work on as many survey files at one time as your computer memory will permit.
• Unlimited Survey File Size. The number of surveys per file is limited only by the amount of computer memory available.
• User Definable Display. The PathTracker display screen can be customized to display any one or all of the following survey parameters:
  • Survey Number
  • Measured Depth
  • Inclination*
  • Azimuth**
  • True Vertical Depth
  • Coordinate North ***
  • Coordinate East ***
  • Course Length
  • SubSea Depth
  • Grid Coordinate North
  • Grid Coordinate East
  • Closure Distance
  • Closure Azimuth**
  • DogLeg Severity
  • Build Up Rate
  • Turn Rate
  • Comment Field

  * can be displayed in decimal degrees or degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS)

  ** can be displayed in azimuth or quadrant format, and in decimal degrees or DMS

  *** can be displayed using negative values for south and east, or with positive values followed by the letters N, S, E, or W. (new in version 4.02 beta)

• You can program up to 16 Different Display Formats, and you can use these same formats for printouts as well. You can customize the display and the printouts to meet your or your customers needs.
• Three Calculation Methods. You can compute survey coordinates using Minimum Curvature, Radius of Curvature, or Average Angle calculation methods. You can even change methods on the fly and compare results.
• International Capabilities. You can display your data in feet or meters, or even both at the same time.
• Full Graphics capabilities. You can plot plan views, section views, and XY graphs of things like DogLeg Vs Measured Depth. You can print plots to any window supported printer, and any paper size. You can add logos or any bitmap image to the graph. You can label individual survey points. You can plot multiple wells on a single graph. You can modify the axis parameters to get a zoomed in view of the well.
• Up to 16 Targets. You can enter up to 16 targets in each survey file and monitor the wells progress against any one or all. The Target Display provides critical information for determining whether your well is on course, and what needs to be done to get it back on course.
• Flexible Data Input. You can enter inclination and azimuth data in any format, such as quadrant, decimal, or degrees and minutes. PathTracker automatically detects the data type and converts it for its own use.
• Text can be added to the survey to describe formation tops, casing points etc. You can add text lines to your printouts to identify points of interest in the well, or just to annotate your progress.
• Exceptional Printing Flexibility. You can print to any Windows supported printer in any font that you have installed on your system. You can define any of the display formats for printing.
• Print to a Text File. You can also use any of the display formats to print a survey to an ASCII text file. You can customize data on disk for any customer.
• Import Data from a Text File. Data can be read from any text file containing at least Depth, Inclination, and Azimuth data.
• Output Data to LAS 2.0 Format. The LAS standard was designed for well logs, but can also be applied to directional surveys. A requirement by some customers.
• Custom Input and Output Formats Available. Do you use another program that needs data in a different format? If you supply the formatting information, Onscreen will create the input and output routines for you to provide compatibility.
• Ability to Split and Merge Files. You can split large survey files into smaller ones, or you can merge smaller files into larger ones.
• Survey Extrapolations. Want to know what the angle and azimuth are at the bit? PathTracker will calculate a survey point based on the build and turn of the last two survey stations.
• TVD Interpolations. Next time the wellsite geologist wants to know the TVD of his last sample, you can tell him.
• Low Cost and NO Annual Maintenance Fees.
• Upgrade Policy. Version 4.0 is no longer supported. It is provided strictly for those users that require a 16 bit version of PathTracker. An upgrade to Version 5.0 is available by returning the PathTracker parallel port key with the upgrade fee.

PathPlanner 2D included. The PathPlanner well planning package is included with PathTracker. It is as easy to use as PathTracker, and contains some unique features, such as automatic adjustment of the wellplan to account for changes in target TVD (most other planning packages make you redo your entire wellplan just to move the target TVD in a horizontal wellbore up by 0.1 feet).

Free Word Processor included. The Onscreen TextWriter word processor is a single document program that can be used for creating well reports, memos, etc. It is included with the PathTracker 4.0 program (discontinued with PathTracker 5)

Minimum Computer Requirements:
Windows 3.1, or higher
4.0 Meg of Ram

Additional Recommended Computer Requirements:
486 33MHz processor or better
8 Meg of Ram