Elsevier and SEPM to Bring Distinctive and Specialized Content to Oil and Gas Exploration

NEW YORK, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

New Geofacets SEPM content module delivers powerful, niche content into the hands of users to give them more confidence in their exploration decisions

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services, today announced that it is to integrate approximately 18,000 geological maps from SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) into its web-based research tool Geofacets. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, SEPM is home to some of the most esteemed journals and must-have resources for geological research.

The collaboration underscores Elsevier's commitment to delivering unique and specialized information to geoscientists in order to help them make informed decisions in high-stake situations. The collaboration follows last year's announcement of Elsevier's partnership with the Geological Society of London giving Geofacets customers access to the world renowned Lyell Collection.

"Regions and basins are exceptionally complex and research about the sedimentary rocks and strata is a crucial discipline that can unlock the answers needed to solve some of the most critical problems posed in oil and gas exploration," said Dr. Howard Harper, Executive Director, SEPM. "Technology is revolutionizing how geoscientists access this information in order to piece together the different elements of the puzzle. Working with Geofacets makes our publications much more accessible and applicable in the industry or for scientific pursuits in general, which is a win-win situation for all concerned."

Maps will be sourced from the Journal of Sedimentary Research, PALAIOS, the SEPM Special Publications, and the Core Workshop Notes. All provide particularly valuable insights for petroleum geoscientists as they are specifically focused on sedimentary geological topics, such as petrography, diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy, which are vital to understanding the subsurface of a region or basin being considered for oil and gas exploration.

"Working with our customers we are identifying the resources that they rely on most and are looking to form strategic partnerships that enhance the capabilities of Geofacets. The benefits to our customers are that they can access this data and tailor their views of a region or basin based on the elements that they are trying to understand," said Friso Veenstra, Director of Market Development, Elsevier. "In order to do that, we need to build a comprehensive picture of the risks and opportunities associated with a region or basin. Working with such a well-respected society such as SEPM, brings us one step closer to realizing that vision."

About Geofacets

Geofacets is a web-based research tool developed for geoscientists working in upstream exploration. It provides access to an extensive database of over 180,000 geological maps from Elsevier's Earth science journals and the Geological Society of London's Lyell Collection, as well as map overlays from leading information providers such as Wood Mackenzie. With intuitive map-based search features and over 115,000 of all available maps downloadable as georeferenced files, Geofacets integrates seamlessly with the geoscientist's workflow in upstream exploration. Its unique interface delivers relevant and high quality content for scientific analysis and seamless integration with GIS and other presentation software.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Mosby's Nursing Consult, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

About SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology)
SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) is a global not-for-profit scientific society. Overseen by its network of international members, the Society's mission is dedicated to the dissemination of scientific information on sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, and many related specialties. The Society supports the science and its members in their professional objectives by the publication of two major scientific journals, the Journal of Sedimentary Research (JSR) and PALAIOS, as well as Special Publications.  Additionally SEPM offers research conferences, short courses, and core workshops for continuing education of professionals and students.  SEPM's membership includes professionals in research and applied technology in the petroleum industry, academia, governmental agencies and students from around the world.

SEPM has often partnered with other organizations to achieve its mission and views this affiliation with GeoFacets as a major step forward by utilizing the latest technology to bring information from its publications quickly and easily to the fingertips of the user.

Media contact
Tom Reller
VP, Global Corporate Relations, Elsevier
T.Reller@elsevier.com
+1-215-239-3508