Cell Processors build the Kaleidoscope for Oil & Gas

A new report from Francisco Ortigosa, Repsol YPF talks about the problems oil and gas companies have visualizing data from the bottom of the ocean, particularly the US Gulf of Mexico.  Their solution?  Combining the Mare Nostrum supercomputer with Cell Processors (just like the PS3 or the RoadRunner) to create the “Kaleidoscope Project”.

The Kaleidoscope Project encompasses a simultaneous innovation of hardware and software to achieve a petascale solution to seismic imaging using off-the-shelf technology. Software research focuses on the quality of algorithms and avoids shortcuts or tradeoffs common because of lack of computing power. Kaleidoscope is to ensure the maximum possible imaging quality regardless of the computer power required. And of course speed and power, which are the two main factors for the project to succeed, are guaranteed while ensuring low cost because it’s coming from a massive market.

via Seismic visualization supercomputer brings subsalt data into the light.

This story written by Randall Hand

Randall Hand is a visualization scientist working for a federal research lab, aiding researchers to discover the insights buried within their terabyte datasets generated on some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. He also runs VizWorld.com .

Science cell, gpgpu, hpc, ibm, oil&gas, sony