Background
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the lifecycle of fluid mineral development on the public lands and federal mineral estate from permitting through well and infrastructure abandonment and reclamation of surface disturbance associated with fluid
mineral production. The Automated Fluid Minerals Support System (AFMSS) supports BLM mission-critical programs and activities including Fluid Minerals Inspection and Enforcement Program; Environmental Inspections; and tracking of operational approvals such as Applications for Permits to Drill (APD), Well Completion Reports (WCR), and Sundry Notices on both Federal and Indian Trust Lands and Leases.
Challenge
The Bureau of Land Management had an objective to modernize a 20-year old legacy application to modern technology, enhance data collection for Operators, enforce data standards, and streamline complex business process flows. The legacy application faced major inconsistencies in data tracking and monitoring throughout its offices, with data being stored across 51 disparate databases. They had an objective to overhaul paper applications and turn to web-based software solutions to create a national standard.
Solution
NexGen provided business transformation, business process reengineering, and IT modernization services throughout a complex multi-year project to replace the legacy AFMSS. NexGen implemented the AFMSS 2.0 as a Business Process Management (BPM) based permitting system that maintains case files associated with the permit applications, adjudications, approvals, rejection, and others. Using open-source technology, NexGen developed an enterprise content management system that integrates with the BizFlow Business Process Management (BPM) engine to support the case file management needs within the AFMSS2 application. Due to limitations with the COTS product, our team worked to rearchitect the original proprietary COTS user interface with a modern AngularJS-based mobile responsive solution to enhance the user experience.
Our Team identified and recommended a change to the core AFMSS data architecture, which involved re-orienting the core system to a “well-centric” architecture from an APD-centric data architecture. Since the core architecture is critical to any application’s future fit for use and functionality scalability, this change, drastically reduced the complexity of AFMSS and enabled a more seamless scaling of future functionality such as Sundry processing, Inspection and Enforcement and Well Completion Reporting.
A major goal of this project was to consolidate 51 stand-alone databases which segregated authoritative oil and gas lease data across Indian-owned and BLM-managed lands. In support of the data migration from AFMSS 1 to AFMSS 2, NexGen completed a detailed data migration plan and architected a uniform Oracle-based data schema to consolidate data across 51 disparate databases. This extensive effort was further complicated by the fact that these legacy AFMSS databases did not have field level data validation and rules, consequently data could vary considerably within the same field across different data sources. NexGen performed extensive data cleansing and data conversion in support of this complex data migration effort.
The resulting AFMSS 2.0 helps the BLM reduce permit processing times, while also increasing the efficiency and transparency of APD review and approval process.
Outcome
The AFMSS 2.0 meets a key BLM mission objective – availability of a unified, streamlined, web-based national system for submission, processing and tracking of NOSs and APDs. AFMSS substantially improves data quality and consistency and automates the key processes (NOS, APD, Sundry Notices, etc.) using a custom off the shelf (COTS) business process management (BPM) engine.
"Your team has helped with a high volume of complicated work, maintained high quality and this effort has been sustained throughout the project."
Michael D. Nedd, Assistant Director
BLM Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management
I know it has been difficult, stressful and exhausting, but all of your hard work is paying off! I am thankful to all of you and proud of the work you’re doing. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!”
BLM Project Manager/ COR
About NexGen:
NexGen Technologies (NexGen) provides the people, processes, and solutions that help make innovative IT transformation possible across your systems and applications.
We specialize in delivering top-tier IT support services, specifically tailored for the unique needs of the federal government. Our dedicated team combines cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise to ensure your projects meet the highest standards of quality and security.
For more information, please contact NexGen at info@nexgeninc.com or (720) 377-1800.
