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The AAPG Computer Applications Committee has proposed the AAPG-B data exchange format for general purpose data transfers among computer systems, applications software, and companies.<ref name=pt08r24>Waller, H. O., Guinn, D., Nerkommer, M., Shaw, B., 1990, AAPG-B—committee offers revised exchange format for transferring geologic and petroleum data: Geobyte, v. 5, n. 2, p. 11–21.</ref> For log curves, the Schlumberger LIS (log information standard) has become a de facto standard, and extensions to it have been proposed.<ref name=pt08r8>Froman, N. L., 1989, DLIS—API Digital Log Interchange Standard: The Log Analyst, v. 30, n. 5, p. 390–394.</ref> Another log data format called LAS, for log ASCII standard, has been proposed by the Canadian Well Logging Society,<ref name=pt08r20>Struyk, C., Bishop, R., Fortune, D., Foster, E., Gordon, D., d'Haene, T., Joyce, D., Kenny, S., Kowalchuk, H., Stadnyk, M., 1990, LAS—a floppy disk standard for log data: Geobyte, v. 5, n. 2, p. 23–29.</ref> which may supplant LIS. The [http://www.seg.org Society of Exploration Geophysicists] oversees several standards for seismic data formats, the most common being SEGY for seismic trace data and SEGP1 for location data. A de facto standard for offshore shotpoint location (also called navigation) data is the UKOOA format, from the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association. A format for transferring wellsite data called WITS, for wellsite information transfer standard, has been proposed by the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).<ref name=pt08r18>Rose, R. J., Taylor, M. R., Jantzen, R. E., 1989, Information transfer standards for well-site data: Geobyte, v. 4, n. 2, p. 9–13.</ref>

The AAPG Computer Applications Committee has proposed the AAPG-B data exchange format for general purpose data transfers among computer systems, applications software, and companies.<ref name=pt08r24>Waller, H. O., D. Guinn, M. Nerkommer, and B. Shaw, 1990, AAPG-B—committee offers revised exchange format for transferring geologic and petroleum data: Geobyte, v. 5, n. 2, p. 11–21.</ref> For log curves, the Schlumberger LIS (log information standard) has become a de facto standard, and extensions to it have been proposed.<ref name=pt08r8>Froman, N. L., 1989, DLIS—API Digital Log Interchange Standard: The Log Analyst, v. 30, n. 5, p. 390–394.</ref> Another log data format called LAS, for log ASCII standard, has been proposed by the Canadian Well Logging Society,<ref name=pt08r20>Struyk, C., R. Bishop, D. Fortune, E. Foster, D. Gordon, T. d'Haene, D. Joyce, S. Kenny, H. Kowalchuk, and M. Stadnyk, M., 1990, LAS—a floppy disk standard for log data: Geobyte, v. 5, n. 2, p. 23–29.</ref> which may supplant LIS. The [http://www.seg.org Society of Exploration Geophysicists] oversees several standards for seismic data formats, the most common being SEGY for seismic trace data and SEGP1 for location data. A de facto standard for offshore shotpoint location (also called navigation) data is the UKOOA format, from the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association. A format for transferring wellsite data called WITS, for wellsite information transfer standard, has been proposed by the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).<ref name=pt08r18>Rose, R. J., M. R. Taylor, and R. E. Jantzen, 1989, Information transfer standards for well-site data: Geobyte, v. 4, n. 2, p. 9–13.</ref>

While database standards are still evolving, most users prefer a full function relational database management system (RDBMS). A standard query language, called SQL for Structured Query Language, is receiving acceptance from all quarters. Several commercial database products are available that support SQL. It thus becomes unimportant which product is used since applications can interact with the database via this standard interface. Direct retrievals from the database are available to users who learn SQL, but because many users do not wish to learn a command language, other products are available that build SQL statements from “fill-in-the-blanks” forms or example prompts. Some of these operate within a graphical user interface, letting users point and click their selections with a mouse. Most of the commercial databases offer or plan to offer a distributed database method, in which the actual database spans numerous computers in a network. The user will be able to store and access local data locally, yet still access other needed data from halfway around the world and not be concerned with the difference.

While database standards are still evolving, most users prefer a full function relational database management system (RDBMS). A standard query language, called SQL for Structured Query Language, is receiving acceptance from all quarters. Several commercial database products are available that support SQL. It thus becomes unimportant which product is used since applications can interact with the database via this standard interface. Direct retrievals from the database are available to users who learn SQL, but because many users do not wish to learn a command language, other products are available that build SQL statements from “fill-in-the-blanks” forms or example prompts. Some of these operate within a graphical user interface, letting users point and click their selections with a mouse. Most of the commercial databases offer or plan to offer a distributed database method, in which the actual database spans numerous computers in a network. The user will be able to store and access local data locally, yet still access other needed data from halfway around the world and not be concerned with the difference.