1.5 History

WITSML was initially developed in October 2000 by the WITSML project, an oil industry initiative sponsored by BP and Statoil, as a new standard for drilling information transfer to evolve WITS, an earlier standard. Initial participants included Baker Hughes, Landmark (Halliburton), Schlumberger, and NPSi (as technical advisor). At the completion of WITSML v1.2 in March 2003, Energistics (known then as POSC) accepted custody of WITSML and is managing the support and future evolution of WITSML through the WITSML Special Interest Group (SIG).

WITSML was designed to be a more modern alternative to WITS (Wellsite Information Transfer Standard). Some of the original semantic content of the WITSML data schemas was derived from the WITS specification.

Version 2—based on the Energistics Common Technical Architecture, particularly use of the new Energistics Transfer Protocol (ETP), and the streamlining and redesign of the WITSML data objects—is the next evolution of WITSML.