Revitalize and protect data with expert tape transcription

A worldwide industry leader in data transcription for more than 40 years, Ovation specializes in helping businesses unlock the knowledge contained within outdated, legacy formats. From handwritten pages and graphs to analog tape and digital drives, we can transcribe and reformat data of any kind to provide enhanced business value.

We help our clients realize and preserve the untapped value in obsolete data volumes of any age and format. From handwritten records to tapes and digital discs, we can unlock and transcribe any record into searchable, actionable data to keep and use forever. Our services include tape transcription, data recovery, data scanning and vectorizing, navigation merge, and much more.

Proper transcription preserves data from compromised media and ensures the resilience of your data assets. After transcription, analysis services can reveal powerful insights and information locked away in your data archives. Once data is liberated it becomes available for analytics, thus empowering companies to exploit the inherent potential and worth of previously inaccessible data.

When evaluating a potential partner for any of your data management needs, be sure to ask about the details. Below are five questions to consider when selecting a transcription provider:

#1: Does the provider digitize the data in such a way that it is actually useable?

Some companies can digitize data and identify the metadata, but they do it in an inferior way. Then they enclose it within a wrapper that clients cannot penetrate unless they buy additional services. Ovation has a different approach. When clients want to retrieve their data from Ovation, we recognize that they have already paid for tapes and maintenance. We do not use a wrapper to store the data, except of course if the client requests encryption by choice. We never charge egress fees. Other good news is that when other providers ask their clients to pay extra costs to retrieve their own data, we can break the data loose so clients are able to use it.

As our client, your data is protected, secure and always yours. To ensure your assets are preserved, protected and accessible on demand, we have architected a unique blend of traditional and cloud-based solutions backed by security, performance and immediate access.

#2: How useful are “bells and whistles?”

Make sure you actually need what some providers brag about. For example, some companies are attracted by the idea of managing their data with viewers via a web portal, but this has little or no value when you see magnified views of only inferior data.

#3: Will a “one size fits all” approach meet your needs?

Different organizations have different goals, and you want customized solutions to fit your specific needs. Even if you are looking for only transcription services right now, keep in mind the bigger picture. Our suite of customized solutions provides the full end-to-end data management environment at every stage of the data lifecycle.

#4: Does the provider have broad experience across multiple industries and geographic locations?

Take advantage of Ovation’s international reach. With data service projects spanning 50 countries, our team is effective with cross-border projects, often mobilizing to the client’s country to perform data services. Here are a few industries that benefit from Ovation solutions:

• Oil & Gas: Subsurface and seismic data management is the key to smarter decisions in the oil and gas industry. Quality assurance and data validation ensure accurate metadata and data integrity, and our geophysical specialists provide domain-specific attention to detail. More about our geophysical solutions below.
• Media & Entertainment: Storage, backup, and management of video and audio assets are critical in the film and media industry. Companies use Ovation’s robust systems and processes to transcode, store, and manage valuable digital assets so they are never lost and can be monetized long into the future.
• Biotech & Life Sciences: Fully reconciled data is the life blood of biotechnology and life sciences companies. They can update and safeguard scientific data stored on obsolete legacy formats using our services to transcode them into easy-to retrievedigital files.
• Security: Ovation produces bit-for-bit, direct tape copy, complete duplication, sub-setting and file selection from any media type. Security professionals appreciate the ability to duplicate data for a second site, disaster recovery and risk management.

#5: Is your provider fully equipped to handle full transcription?

Some transcription providers may generate a “bit copy,” but they use the same old format that is no longer readable, forcing clients to wait longer to read the data. With the most comprehensive selection of tape drives and devices, our equipment supports more than 60 years of technology. We transcribe data from historical tape media to the current industry standard media and incorporate real-time quality control. Our processing facilities include a comprehensive inventory of historical equipment and proprietary equipment to read and recover data from every type of media. A special arsenal of rare and customized equipment and an inventory of over 800 devices set us apart, along with the ability to handle 250+ different media types including large volume seismic formats. Scroll down below for a more complete list.

Performing large-scale tape transcription and data recovery services for the energy industry, our experts help oil companies discover, unlock and protect valuable information hidden with huge volumes of data stored on all kinds of media formats. We transcribe more than 500,000 tapes and cartridges every year for oil and gas exploration companies.

We are experts in re-mastering seismic data and specialize in well tape and seismic tape transcription. And our strategic partnership with NthDS AI Data Solutions to integrate its revolutionary platform, Nspect, with Ovation’s powerful network delivers the first end-to-end management of well log data that includes AI transcription capabilities. This fully connected data management solution allows companies to store, access and analyze critical subsurface information in record time. Nspect is the first commercially available service that uses artificial intelligence to digitize well logs six times more quickly than with legacy software. The goal is to liberate the data from the tape vaults and unlock potential to access, restore, mine, analyze, monetize, and deploy it in ways never before possible.

Our geophysical data services improve workflows, so your geoscience teams can focus on analysis and discovery instead of data management. Here is how we can help:

Millions of seismic field data tapes are currently held in specialized data vaults, temperature and humidity controlled, across the world. This data has value for oil companies, and new information can be uncovered from re-processing with new methods and CPU power. New techniques improve reflection detail, image quality, velocities, amplitude and frequency content.

Seismic field data transcription, storage and re-formatting are best left to experts who have comprehensive experience of past field practices and procedures and understand current industry standards and technology applications. Otherwise, valuable data can easily be corrupted or even lost forever. Another consideration is the importance and complexity of complying with regulatory requirements in different countries regarding safekeeping of subsurface data and documentation.

Many recent technical advances solve problems associated with previous surveys, and sometimes provide a reason to reprocess the survey to avoid misleading interpretation. Merging navigation data with seismic data provides information required for data processing. The navigation merge places the (x,y) positions of the source and receiver in the seismic trace header. Our processes use the shotpoint number and the shotpoint time to match the navigation information with the seismic data.

We Nav-Merge, using the shotpoint in the navigation in relation to the shotpoint in the seismic, and using the time in the navigation and the time in the field data as a QC check. We populate all relevant information from the field data into the Nav-Merge SEG-Y, such as the shotpoint, X and Y positions, cable depth, streamer ID, etc. Our extensive quality control procedures include:

• All generated SEG-Y files
• Spreadsheet listing all the lines in the project with comments about each line, and detail lines for which there is no navigation data, or lines for which there is no seismic data
• Navigation sail-line map of the survey area produced from the Navigation data
• SEG-Y sail-line map of the survey area produced from the merged SEG-Y data
• Water depth chart for the survey area, detailing the water depth at each shotpoint
• SEG-D vs P1/90 shot time difference chart, which reveals any shotpoint numbering problems
• Picked minus Expected first arrival time difference chart for each streamer, which demonstrates that the correct trace has been matched with the correct navigation receiver position
• Navigation fold of coverage chart produced from the Navigation data
• SEGY fold of coverage chart produced from the merged SEG-Y data.
• Fold of coverage difference chart showing the difference between the Navigation data coverage chart and the merged SEG-Y data coverage chart, created by NVMFOLD

Let our experts achieve this vital step in data processing, not only for marine seismic. Ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) seismic data is fraught with even more complexities. Vintage surveys have logs which were often hand-written and require very careful QC. It is imperative to safeguard your data investment by ensuring that data transcription/reformat and subsequent QC are executed by experienced seismic geophysicists.

Data conversion:

Our skilled technicians perform data conversion processes using our extensive inventory of equipment and our propriety software to ensure the highest quality output. The SEG data format specifications (SEG-Y, SEG-D) and the acquisition formats (2D, 3D, land, site surveys, well logs or other) contribute to cataloguing and storage decisions. We assess the data for the most suitable options and improve the quality of the catalogue and the data by identifying and addressing cataloguing errors throughout the conversion.

Demultiplexing:

Our software separates the samples to produce the best possible result from complex data.

Well data conversion:

All data formats including LIS, LAS, DLIS, BIT and LISTIF.

Navigation data conversion:

All data formats including UKOOA, ASCII, EBCIDC and TIF. Using mapping and seismic validations, we produce precise subsets from any form of seismic data to match project requirements. We create subsets based on in-line or crossline ranges, shotpoint ranges, coordinates, polygons, or depth ranges. Our thorough understanding of coordinate systems ensures data integrity in relation to the datum and projections.

Data duplication:

Our data duplication software and hardware facilitate bit-for-bit, direct tape copy, complete duplication, sub-setting and file selection from any media type. We are prepared to duplicate your geophysical data for a second site, joint venture sharing, disaster recovery, risk management initiatives or any other duplication purpose.

• Bit-for-bit, byte-for-byte duplication
• Continual 24-hour processing system
• Quality control and validation including MD5 message digest algorithm for file comparison
• Detailed reporting and documentation including EBCDIC header and trace processing reports

Data subsetting:

Working with 2D and 3D seismic data sets covering large geographical areas can be difficult to navigate with efficiency. Well-defined subsets simplify analysis activities and reduce time to load and interpret data.

Data recovery:

Ovation has extensive experience and success recovering and preserving data from compromised media. After extensive research into detecting and recovering damaged data, we developed custom equipment and techniques.

Quality control:

After completing data processing, we perform critical validation activities and ensure the output data is clean, correct and useful. Our approach is custom for field data and processed data. Our quality control includes procedures for the tape, and other media, to ensure structural integrity, functionality and correct labeling.

Validation and quality control includes:

• Tape status report for quality control pass and fail with explanation for deficiencies.
• Summary report for each output media and file, listing total files and associated details
• ASCII text file with the EBCDIC header for each SEG-Y file
• Near trace and shot gathers
• Detailed written report
• Set of image files identifying the output media

Data scanning and vectorizing:

We offer high-quality scanning and cataloguing services for observers logs, reports, well logs, seismic sections and maps. A variety of scanning equipment can scan small format and wide format documents of any length to produce output in any standard format. Our optical character recognition (OCR) services improve usability of documents such as tables and core analysis data.

To increase the value of exploration files, we add vector data to the image files of well logs, maps and seismic sections. Vector data is represented as points and lines that are geometrically and mathematically associated. Points are stored using the point coordinates. For example, a two-dimensional point is stored as (x,y). Lines are stored as a series of point pairs such as (x1,y1) and (x2,y2). Point pairs represent the start and end point of a line segment.

Vectorizing maps:

We are experienced with vectorizing shotpoint maps, cartographic data and satellite images. Our processes include correcting existing map data. We provide output in standard ASCII, ARC shape and p/190 files (shotpoint maps).

Vectorizing well logs:

We use our Diplomat Wellman software to perform data vectorizing on digital images of well logs. With our technical knowledge of well log data, we offer manual curve tracking to supplement our software’s automatic curve tracking for difficult logs. Advanced image manipulation routines ensure that the image is optimized for the tracking algorithms. The vectorizing process includes the ability to depth match curves, de-spike sonic curves, splice curves to produce a composite log and other curve manipulation functions. Our well log services include vectorizing dipmeter (tadpole) data, formation tops and lithology columns.

Vectorizing seismic sections:

We reconstruct the SEGY information suitable for reprocessing and loading to interpretation workstations for re-evaluation using modern techniques. Ancillary data such as location information, velocity tables, field statics and elevations can all be incorporated to produce a complete data set. Our processes include:

• Automatic vectorizing of seismic traces with options for peak tracking with clipped peak interpolation and trough tracking (full waveform vectorizing)
• Interpolation of trough values if no troughs are displayed
• Optional trace reconstruction for poor quality displays
• Basic processing including filtering, mute, automatic gain control (AGC), trace mixing and trace interpolation
• SEG-Y file editing including full control over EBCDIC header contents, and inserting shotpoint and common midpoint (CMP) numbers
• Output vectorized data to disk in SEG-Y format
• Curve capture – vectorize elevations or field statics from seismic scans
• Velocity tables – capture the stacking velocities from the seismic scans
• Location data – geo-reference or digitize seismic shotpoint maps and output to UKOOA
• Re-projection of seismic location data to a specified coordinate system
• Insert the XY coordinates into the seismic trace headers
• Data delivery through file transfer protocol (ftp), DVD/CD-ROM or tape