Issue 129 April/May 2013 CONTENTS


Laboratory Informatics News and products


Laboratory informatics systems are fuelling efficiency


Tom Wilkie reports on laboratory informatics in the petrochemicals industry


Statistical Science Retrieving data day queries


Felix Grant takes on the challenge of data retrieval and explores the issues surrounding ballooning volumes


High-Performance Computing News and products


Digging for black gold


HPC is a vital part of the oil and gas industry, asWarren Clark discovers


Modelling and Engineering Technology in Turin


Te 6th European Altair Technology Conference is coming to Italy in April. We preview the event


Simulation software simplifies stress


Tom Wilkie investigates why design engineers are turning to simulation soſtware more oſten


Earth, wind and fire


Te natural world is increasingly the subject of modelling and simulation, as Warren Clark discovers


Resources Suppliers’ directory


Inside view


EDITORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM Editor Beth Harlen editor.scw@europascience.com


News and web editor Tim Gillett Specialist reporters Felix Grant, Warren Clark, Tom Wilkie Circulation/readership enquiries Pete Vine subscriptions@europascience.com


ADVERTISING TEAM Advertising sales Darren Ebbs Tel: +44 (0)1223 275 465 Fax: +44 (0)1223 213 385 darren.ebbs@europascience.com


Business development Sarah Ellis-Miller +44 (0)1223 275 466 sarah.ellis.miller@europascience.com


www.scientific-computing.com l @scwmagazine 30 27 10


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Fuel the future


As I write this, details of Pangea, Total’s new 2.3-petaflop supercomputer based at the company’s Jean Feger Scientific and Computing Centre (CSTJF) in southwest France, have been released. Touted as the largest commercial HPC


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system in the world, Pangea represents a valuable resource in the exploration of oil and gas reserves and will enable Total’s in- house engineers and geologists to develop more complete visualisations of seismic landscapes, while concurrently running simulations at 10 times the resolution of existing oil and gas reservoir models. From laboratory informatics and HPC to modelling and simulation, computing technologies are playing fundamental roles within petrochemicals and oil and gas industries. Our features on pages 6, 16 and 30 provide further perspectives. Within our statistical science section,


Felix Grant turns his attention to data retrieval (p10) while we offer a preview of the upcoming European Altair Technology Conference (p23). Rounding out the issue are a feature on computer- aided design (p27) and our regular inside view column.


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Advertising production David Houghton Tel: +44 (0)1223 275 474 Fax: +44 (0)1223 213 385 david.houghton@europascience.com


CORPORATE TEAM Chairman and publisher Dr Tom Wilkie Publishing director Warren Clark Web www.scientific-computing.com


SUBSCRIPTIONS:Free registration is available to qualifying individuals. Register online at www.scientific- computing.com Subscriptions £100 a year for six issues to readers outside registration requirements. Single issue £20. Orders to ESL, SCW Circulation, 9 Clifton Court, Cambridge CB1 7BN, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 211 170. Fax: +44 (0)1223 213 385. ©2013 Europa Science Ltd. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this


Beth Harlen Editor


magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers or of the editorial staff. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by Europa Science Ltd, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication.


US copies:Scientific Computing World (ISSN 1356-7853/ USPS No 018-753) is published bi-monthly for £100 per year by Europa Science Ltd, and distributed in the USA by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Rd, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. Postmaster: Send address corrections to Scientific Computing World PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437.


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