Results in hydrocarbon exploration will be improved if all available information is readily accessible to the explorationist. The great amount of data on geology, geochemistry, seismic, etc, now available to the interpreter, can no longer be handled efficiently by conventional methods alone. Bottlenecks owing to nonstandard data capture, time-consuming preparation of graphic displays, and integration of old and new data can be solved by the computer.

However, other constraints will be encountered unless standardized and disciplined data handling is ensured. (1) Data from different disciplines may be stored separately, but mechanical integration within a three-dimensional grid (x, y, z) must be ascertained. (2) Factual data (observation) and interpretation (subject to change) should be clearly distinguished. (3) Interpretations

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should be recorded by the geologist himself to increase file reliability.

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