New Canadian Well Identification System Launched

Saskatchewan will be the first jurisdiction to implement the new Canadian Well Identification System (CWIS).

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Saskatchewan will be the first jurisdiction to implement the new Canadian Well Identification System (CWIS). Responding to requests from oil companies, industry vendors, and regulators, the CWIS project was undertaken to upgrade the system of well identification in western Canada that is outdated because of advances in drilling and completions technologies, according to the Professional Petroleum Data Management Association. After widespread consultation and volunteer participation, the first draft of a new system was released in mid-2013.

The system comprises three related identifiers that recognize every well, wellbore, and well reporting stream.

  • The Well ID identifies a well. Most information is filed and retrieved according to the well it came from or relates to.
  • The Wellbore ID identifies a wellbore. All downhole measurements and construction, including tests and completions, can be located by depth and time intervals within the wellbore.
  • The Well Reporting ID identifies a well reporting stream for which the regulator requires information.

CWIS maintains legacy unique well identifiers, but also incorporates a standard system of coded identifiers to allow business processes to leverage accurate information, the data management association said. Every data item in every well can be managed from creation to delivery to archive. For more information on the new system, visit wellidentification.org/canada.