The POSC specification, CGM*PIP, Petroleum Industry Profile for CGM, is one component of the POSC Software Integration Platform. The CGM*PIP specification establishes the requirements to be met when two-dimensional graphical picture data that is vector or mixed vector and raster is used in the graphical interchange between petrotechnical applications employed in petroleum Exploration and Production (E&P) and related applications, using the format of the Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM). POSC encourages the petroleum industry to use CGM*PIP as a specification for acquiring and developing applications and implementations.
For information on obtaining CGM*PIP, see How to Get the CGM*PIP Specification.
The CGM*PIP specification was produced by an industry project team, of which POSC was a participant. Following the publication of the document defining PIP/I/2 and PIP/II/1, the PIP working group officially disbanded in mid-1993. Recognizing the need to effect a smooth transition of the PIP work to a responsible industry body (POSC), six companies subscribed to a PIP Maintenance Project. From September 1, 1993 to September 1, 1994, Henderson Software Inc. (HSI) provided the functions of the PIP maintenance project.
Contributions (defect reports and requests for clarification) were received and processed. The sources included both a small collection of early implementors and also standards people who were working on profiles and studying PIP. The PIP/I and PIP/II corrections and changes are documented in the PIP Maintenance Project Final Report (Henderson Software Inc., 1 September, 1994). That report also identifies technical issues and recommendations to be considered for future PIP releases. The Maintenance Release of CGM*PIP Specifications defined PIP/I/3 and PIP/II/2 (maintenance edition 3 of PIP/I and edition 2 of PIP/II).
During the PIP maintenance period, POSC issued a Request for Comments (RFC) on Graphics Metafile Format (January, 1994). The primary purpose of the RFC was to verify the suitability of the CGM*PIP (I and II) specification as the base document for producing a POSC graphics metafile standard for the E&P industry. A secondary purpose of the RFC was to obtain feedback on the E&P industry's additional requirements for a graphics metafile format.
Following analysis of the RFC responses, POSC endorsed CGM*PIP/I/2 for graphics data interchange, as documented in the POSC Base Computer Standards, V2.0. Due to the intertwining of the PIP/I and PIP/II specifications in the document produced by the PIP project, POSC published both levels of PIP, even though only PIP/I is endorsed at this time. POSC is tracking progress on the industry's implementation of the PIP/II specifications and will consider endorsement when sufficient industry acceptance is attained.
As noted in the PIP Maintenance Project Final Report, the PIP copyright was transferred to POSC with the stipulation that POSC modifications to the PIP/I and PIP/II specifications be limited to reasonable maintenance fixes and that those fixes be compatible with future PIP versions. Following the conclusion of the PIP Maintenance Project in September, 1994, the electronic files for the Maintenance Release of CGM*PIP Specifications were transmitted to POSC. The contents of the Volume 1 document are identical to the Maintenance Release of CGM*PIP Specifications, except for the substantive changes noted therein, some minor editorial updates, and the addition of the Preface. Other cosmetic changes were made to maintain consistency with POSC publication style.
In October 1995, a Change Request (POSC #750) was processed and it was resolved that there had been an omission of a useful option in PIP, relating to the pre-scaling of sample values prior to derivation of colour indexes (by table lookup or linear scaling). As a consequence, two new values were defined for the parameters of the Variable-Area Fill Variant Colour Selection ESCAPE and the Background Fill Variant Colour Selection ESCAPE, resulting in an increment in the maintenance release number of PIP/II/2 to PIP/II/3.
The PIP/III and PIP/IV efforts essentially started with the work of the SEG Graphics Standards Subcommittee, where it was realized that a metafile for the exchange of graphics within the E&P community could not be complete unless it included Well Log and Mapping/Contouring primitives. This requirement was carried into the initial PIP Project, but was not pursued due to time and funding limitations. The transfer of the PIP effort to POSC provided the necessary environment where the extensions could be developed. The need for such a set of extensions was verified by the E&P industry through their responses to the POSC RFC on Graphics Metafile Format issued in January 1994. The Basic Well Log extensions of PIP/III and the Advanced Well Log extensions of PIP/IV follow the recommendations received in the RFC responses and represent a portion of the work undertaken by the POSC Plot/Hardcopy Work Group.
POSC is now the maintenance provider for the CGM*PIP specification. All defects, problem reports, questions, comments, and recommendations for future enhancements should be directed to POSC. See How to Submit a CGM*PIP Problem Report.
The release of CGM*PIP/IV, as part of the POSC SIP V2.2, completes POSC's planned work on CGM extensions. Developers and users are encouraged to contact POSC with recommendations for further extensions, such as for mapping and contouring, that would benefit the industry.
| CGM*PIP Index Page | POSC Home Page |
Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 Petrotechnical Open Software
Corporation. All rights reserved.
POSC ® and the POSC Logo are registered trademarks and Epicentre™
is a tradmark of Petrotechnical Open Software Corporation.