Abstract
Expert system technology links an expert's domain expertise on a narrow topic to a rule structured pattern. The user addresses the knowledge-base to obtain advice on his problem.
An intelligent system utilizes the logical power of an expert system, and combines this with hyper-media, databases, external programs, graphics, and report generation to produce an intelligent application. This powerful application permits the user to perform any task within the system.
The Houston Drilling Group undertook the task of preparing the Amoco Canada Drilling Manual as an intelligent application. The manual is totally interactive and allows the user to instantly access any topic in the manual.
All equations needed for drilling performance are interactive and linked to the appropriate reference material. Reports needed are filled out and may be stored as files or printed. Reports can be called back and modified. Field procedures may be viewed or printed and used as disposable hard copy. Graphics may be viewed or printed. The system also includes some minor advisory systems.
Amoco chose a rule based expert system with hypertext capability. The run-time version is IBM compatible and runs on 286 or 386 machines with a VGA monitor.
It is extremely user-friendly. The application requires 4.2 megs, most of which is the extensive graphics needed. The prototype application has expanded to where it now controls over 35 megs of data, graphics files, and advisories located in over 1000 files, and includes the ability to launch conventional technical computing programs. Limits are determined only by the available host hardware.
