1 Introduction to PRODML

PRODML is an upstream oil and gas industry standard for the exchange of data related to production management. This domain covers the flow of fluids from the point where they enter the wellbore to the point of custody transfer, together with the results of field services and engineering analyses required in production operation workflows.

The production phase of an oil or gas field covers a wide range of data transfer requirements. PRODML covers some of these requirements but does not yet present a coherent view of the whole domain and PRODML’s role within it. A “top-down” full development of such a large scope of data transfers is too large a task for an essentially voluntary effort. Hence, PRODML development has been a “bottom-up” development approach, driven by member company project requirements.

PRODML has been developed by Energistics members—which includes oil companies, oilfield service companies, software and technology companies, regulatory agencies and academic institutions—through the PRODML special interest group (SIG), and its various work groups and project teams.