| Oil and gas reservoir flow simulation models are computational models that converge reservoir data collected from several sources into a single entity. They are used by reservoir engineers to forecast reservoir behaviour, a fundamental activity for better understanding of the underground reserves; they are also analyzed and discussed by a team of experts in related fields, ultimately attempting to find optimal solutions to the exploration of oil and gas reservoirs. We believe that well designed interactive visualization systems can facilitate this interchange with a clearer awareness of the reservoir while fostering teamwork, and can positively impact the decision-making process. Novel interactive technologies, with the potential for leveraging such aspects, are prone to provide a new, rich and collaborative experience for the task of reservoir visualization analysis.;In this thesis, we thus undertake the task of designing with novel interactive technologies for reservoir visualization, through a set of novel digital tabletops and tangible interfaces for reservoir engineering. We discuss the domain and the importance of visualization in the field, including findings of an observation study we conducted in order to obtain insight on the work of these professionals. Following, we present our research, encompassing three prototypes we designed, implemented and evaluated: Snakey, a tangible interface for exploratory 3D well planning; Touching the Depths, a tabletop interface for visualization of reservoir simulation data; and a set of direct reservoir manipulation techniques, applied to a multitouch tabletop environment. We conclude by presenting design heuristics for the development of interactive reservoir visualization systems, synthesizing crucial lessons learned throughout this research. |
