File Format Tools

These tools may help users to make full use of the files and data we distribute from our web site. Please feel free to let us know of other tools you think should be added to this list. Mention on this page does not imply endorsement by the Kansas Geological Survey.

ZIP archive

We compress TIF and LAS files into ZIP archives. Your browser may be already set up to decompress these files. Commercial software to perform this is available from PKWARE, Inc., the company that invented the format. Other software is available from WinZip. A web page from a group of people creating shareware or public domain software is available at Info-ZIP.

Scanned Wireline Logs

The wireline logs on our website are scanned into TIF files and then compressed into ZIP archives to aid in web distribution. You can read these files in a few ways.

• We use a Neuralog scanner to create the TIF files. Software to read, print, and interpret the scan is available from Neuralog.
• Exploration mapping programs such as GeoGraphix, Petra, or RockWorks can read the logs and create cross sections and other products.
• Microsoft Office Document Imaging is a program included in Microsoft Office. It will read many TIF files, though some of the logs will give problem to some versions of Document Imaging.
• BlueView is a free program from Schlumberger that will allow you to read TIF files and convert them to other formats.
• Drawing software such as Adobe's Photoshop or Corel's CorelDRAW will read many of the TIF files.

LAS (Log ASCII Standard) files

LAS files are digital versions of wireline logs in a format created by the Canadian Well Logging Society. The files are simple ASCII (text only) files, readable by Microsoft Word, Excel, or Notepad. Software to display or analyze LAS files includes:

• The KGS has written an LAS viewer as part of the GEMINI project.
• The KGS sells an Excel add-in called PfEFFER for interactive log analysis.
• Log Data Toolbox is a set of utilities from Schlumberger that will allow you to read and use LAS or other digital log formats.
• Exploration mapping systems and log analysis programs can read and analyze LAS files.

PDF files

To read PDF files, you will need the Acrobat PDF Reader, available free from Adobe.

Text files of well header data

Below is a sample of the kind of well data saved. The columns are explained below the sample data.
Note the Lease Name and Well Number are now in separate columns. (Sept. 18, 2006).

Production data

The file includes an ID code used by the Kansas Geological Survey called the LEASE_KID. We are saving the Kansas Dept. of Revenue code as column 3. Finally, we have included the "Month" values for saving monthly data. Yearly data is indicated by Month=0; Starting cumulative value indicated by Month=-1. API number is listed if we have tied the production data to our well data.
This is an example of the file layout:

Pre-1987 cumulative data and monthly volume data is provided under license agreement to the KGS by IHS Energy. As such, it may be reviewed and used for public service and research purposes. It may not be downloaded or used for purposes of re-packaging, reselling or dissemination to third parties.

Kansas Geological Survey
Comments to webadmin@kgs.ku.edu
Updated May 23, 2011
URL = http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/Elog/tif_zip.html