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Expanding the boundaries
Into a new age of exploration

by Gary Chambers and James Hurley on August 15, 2008

With global economic growth and demand for mineral and oil resources showing no signs of slackening, exploration technology is now more important than ever.

There has never been a better time to be an earth explorer. Accelerated exploration projects, coupled with advanced technology that allows explorers to conduct deeper subsurface analysis in less time, are changing the face of the industry.

Despite persistently high commodity prices, demand for mineral and oil resources continues to grow. Everybody wants more - a problem heightened by accelerated growth in rapidly industrializing countries such as China and India.

So, we need more. But where do we find it?

This question is challenging governments and businesses around the globe as the mining and petroleum sectors enter a new exploration phase, looking to expand their boundaries of potential to meet global demand for natural resources and improved resource management.

Finding new sources isn't easy - all exploration firms will testify to that - but there are solutions to help. And Toronto based Geosoft Inc., a market leader in earth mapping and exploration information technology, is focused on creating them.

As chief executive officer Tim Dobush explains, "Geosoft is helping to simplify geospatial data access and analysis for performance advantage in exploration industries and the earth sciences sector."

Into a new age

Exploration is going through a state of renaissance. Some are calling it a ‘mega-boom'.  Geosoft finds itself right in the thick of it as governments, consultants and exploration companies dig in for what promises to be a new age of exploration.

"It's an exciting time to be in this field, applying the best technology and the best people to exploration challenges that would have been near-impossible just a few short years ago," says Troy Wilson, VP, Marketing.

This new age presents a unique set of challenges for explorers. The accelerated pace of exploration drives significantly increased reliance on technology to drive efficiencies, productivity and focus. If the tools can't keep up, then explorers can't keep pace.

"Today's exploration boom is similar to the gold rushes of the past," says Mr. Wilson "Only yesterday's pots and pans have been replaced by the ability to apply the right people and technology in the right place at the right time."

Turning data into information advantage for exploration, has always been at the technical core of Geosoft's offering. But as CEO Tim Dobush points out, Geosoft's real strength goes beyond the software. "Geosoft was founded by geoscientists and explorers, and these highly skilled individuals continue to form the core of our company," he says. "Because so many of us have been right where our clients are today, we understand their challenges and we speak their language."

"Everything we do is focused on helping explorers keep pace with the demands of their data world," says Mr. Dobush. "The simpler, more natural and more powerful we can make their data experience, the more freedom we give them to explore." 

That freedom doesn't just come from software. While Geosoft's earth mapping platform and geospatial server technology are considered market-leading, Mr. Dobush says it isn't enough to have excellence in a box.

"Our biggest value is the quality of our people, and the depth of the solutions that they deliver for our customers," he says. "We have developed strong relationships with our clients, and we work with them to understand their exploration and business motivators and how software technology solutions can allow them to be more productive and enhance their understanding of the opportunity at hand.

"We're passionate about working with our clients to overcome their challenges," says Mr. Dobush. "That critical fit makes all the difference in the world when you're faced with the complexity of today's data challenges and not enough resources or time to work through them."

Growing together

Solving the spectrum of explorer challenges has led Geosoft to build strong partnerships and a network of services and support that extends across the globe, to wherever explorers find themselves. Geosoft collaborates closely with leading GIS and mining industry technology providers to deliver solutions that scale to their customers' growing needs.

"Our partnerships have strengthened our ability to provide whole solutions for earth explorers," says Mr. Dobush. "Together with industry leaders like ESRI, we're able to provide integrated solutions that deliver best-of-breed competencies to customers in exploration and the earth sciences."

Being able to reach out to the Earth's most remote exploration areas is essential, as explorers range further afield in search of their next major discovery.

 "We have offices in all five continents because we need to be wherever people are exploring, "says Mr. Wilson. "This is an innovative business, and that demands an innovative approach to serving the needs of explorers, and helping them get full advantage from the software and solutions they use."

Passion and value drives growth

Geosoft, which was founded in 1986, has a history of strong growth and performance. The company has based its business on helping explorers overcome challenges in exploring the earth through spatial data, and has become a trusted solution provider to exploration companies worldwide. In recognition of the company's ongoing achievements in this challenging market, ESRI named Geosoft its 2007 Business Partner of the Year.

In a market space that has claimed so many others, it has succeeded over the past 22 years because of disciplined adherence to its core values. "We're a Living Company, a living entity based on a set of values that drive and motivate us," says Mr. Dobush. "This is why Geosoft continues to thrive. This is why we're confident we'll be around for a long time to come."

In this competitive market, Geosoft maintains a strong commitment its people. This allows Geosoft to attract and retain the best and the brightest, which in turn drives its ability to regularly bring innovative solutions to their Earth explorer community.

An example of Geosoft's innovation is their Google Earth like globe viewer, known as Dapple. As a freely available, open source application, Dapple gives explorers unlimited access to the vast online resources of publicly available geoscientific data published by government and others in the community.

Dapple brings Geosoft one step closer to their promise of ‘all your data, all the time'. It also works together with other Geosoft tools to support geographically dispersed teams that need to work together to solve complex earth science challenges at a project, regional or global scale.

EarthExplorer.com, a community site sponsored by Geosoft, further supports collaboration and dialogue. This virtual community companion to Dapple provides an online space for explorers around the world. "It's an open site built for explorers by explorers," explains Mr. Wilson, "and it provides a forum for sharing not only data, but also stories, experience and knowledge."

Focus for the future

The company has a clear vision for the future as it looks to cement its already strong position within earth exploration. Innovations like Dapple, and the company's focus on helping customers overcome barriers to exploration, position Geosoft for continued growth in a market that will continue to intensify in the years to come.

 "We're on a great journey, and we're excited by the opportunity we see," says Mr. Dobush.  "We want to maintain our leadership status by being a trusted advisor, and by delivering technology that works for earth explorers."

Excerpted from Exec Canada Magazine

Original Exec Canada article:
Expanding the boundaries