USGS ENERGY PROGRAM GEOINFORMATICS: FROM DATA MANAGEMENT TO INFORMATION SERVICES

The USGS Energy Resources Program (ERP) is responsible for generating publicly available, science based assessments on the distribution, quantity, and quality of domestic and worldwide energy resources. Characterizing energy resources and their distribution promotes responsible use, helps sustain a dynamic economy, and supports balanced economic, energy, and environmental policy decision-making. The ERP also sponsors a Data Management Project to provide information stewardship in support of energy assessments, develop Information Technology (IT), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), data management infrastructure, and expedites access to energy-resource information. This presentation offers an overview of ERP geoinformatic activities conducted by the ERP Data Management Project in support of information stewardship, internet services, and future development of a service-oriented architecture.

Information management in the ERP involves integration and alignment of IT architecture, geospatial data and services, and data management processes to meet science requirements. These components must also meet Project needs, foster data stewardship, and increase access to and discovery of products and support internet map services and future service-oriented architecture designs. Some components utilized and developed include: (1) IT hardware infrastructure (Linux/Dell servers, Network Appliance file server, Oracle relational database management system, and gigabit networks), (2) GIS data and services (geodatabases, metadata documentation, desktop GIS, map services), and (3) data management protocols (information planning, data mining, data warehousing, inventory, product access and discovery). These activities have produced data organization schemas and warehouses, metadata, project and product work flows, search and discovery tools, and ESRI map (image) services to name a few. Some of the key project areas where these capabilities, services, and tools have been implemented include the National Oil and Gas Assessment, World Petroleum Assessment, and the Gulf Coast Geologic Framework Project.

The ERP is now transitioning its primary information management components into a more open, manageable, and flexible information service environment that is based on a service-oriented architecture. Successful information services and service-oriented architecture rely on metadata documentation, open-source standards, interoperability, catalogues, indexes for discovery, and by leveraging the internet and portal technologies. Ultimately, these capabilities can foster advanced computing, advanced ontologies, and support knowledge integration and decision-making in a complex science environment. To this end, the ERP continues to develop more robust and functional metadata server architecture, consolidate and improve existing internet map services, develop National and global-scale energy resource service layers and capabilities, incorporate Open Geospatial Consortium standards, and is instituting plans to develop ERP portals highlighting services, catalogues and service-oriented architecture capabilities.