Advances in the digital outcrop modeling software and workflow: Examples and lessons from outcrops: Saudi Arabia

Photorealistic 3D Digital Outcrop Models (DOMs) are increasingly encountered as a cutting edge topic in geosciences, especially reservoir analog characterization. A custom viewing and analysis software have been developed specifically for work with these DOMs. Although 3D outcrop models are an exciting topic, finding software tailored to provide the range of geological analysis tools one would want to use to extract meaningful results from them is still challenging. Utilizing the excellent outcrops in Saudi Arabia, a new 3D outcrop model visualization & analysis software has been developed, with a focus on being able to load and display large outcrop model datasets, in fully georeferenced coordinates. Analysis tools have been implemented to perform interactive analysis & annotation of the outcrop, including both sedimentological and structural analysis tools. Also in this work, we suggested workflow for digital data acquisition (by high-resolution camera and GCPs); processing (by Reality Capture software) and interpretation (by ArcGIS and VRGS software). Following this workflow will provide a practical guide towards gearing the data collection to meet the desired outcomes within time and effort constraints.