Integrated workflow builder for disparate computer programs

A method of communicating between a plurality of computer programs, wherein each of the plurality of computer programs are configured to perform hydrocarbon management activities, the method comprising:

• obtaining at least one tool associated with each of the plurality of computer programs, wherein each tool represents a functionality of the computer program with which it is associated;
• displaying, in a toolbox, a representation of the at least one tool associated with each of the plurality of computer programs;
• selecting a plurality of the displayed representations such that the displayed representations are placed in a displayed workspace to establish a graphical representation of a workflow, wherein displayed representations from more than one of the plurality of computer programs are selected, and wherein the displayed representations are positioned in the graphical representation of the workflow in a sequence corresponding to a desired workflow sequence;
• executing the workflow according to the desired workflow sequence;
• and
• facilitating inter-program communications between any of the plurality of computer programs to enable the workflow to execute, wherein the facilitating is performed by transferring messages between the computer programs in a common data format.

A computer program product having computer executable logic recorded on a non-transitory, tangible, machine readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

• code for obtaining at least one tool associated with a first computer program and at least one tool associated with a second computer program, wherein each tool represents a functionality of the computer program with which it is associated, and wherein the first and second computer programs are configured to perform hydrocarbon management activities and have non-identical data formats;
• code for generating a representation of the at least one tool associated with the first computer program and the at least one tool associated with the second computer program;
• code for displaying the generated representations in a toolbox;
• code for placing selected displayed representations in a displayed workspace to establish a graphical representation of a workflow, wherein displayed representations from more than one computer program are selected, and wherein the displayed representations are positioned in the graphical representation of the workflow in a sequence corresponding to a desired workflow sequence;
• code for executing the workflow according to the desired workflow sequence;
• and
• code for enabling inter-program communications between the first and second computer programs to enable the workflow to execute such that messages and data are transferred between the first and second computer programs in a common data format.

A method of hydrocarbon management, comprising:

• accessing a first computer program that performs a hydrocarbon management activity, the first computer program having a first data format;
• accessing a second computer program that performs a hydrocarbon management activity, the second computer program having a second data format;
• obtaining at least one tool associated with the first computer program and at least one tool associated with the second computer program, wherein each tool represents a functionality of the computer program with which it is associated;
• displaying, in a toolbox, a representation of the at least one tool associated with the first computer program and the at least one tool associated with the second computer program;
• selecting a plurality of the displayed representations such that the displayed representations are placed in a displayed workspace to establish a graphical representation of a hydrocarbon management workflow, wherein displayed representations from more than one computer program are selected, and wherein the displayed representations are positioned in the graphical representation of the hydrocarbon management workflow in a sequence corresponding to a desired workflow sequence;
• executing the hydrocarbon management workflow according to the desired workflow sequence;
• employing a third computer program to enable inter-program communications between the first and second computer programs to enable the hydrocarbon-related workflow to execute, wherein the third computer program transfers messages and data between the first and second computer programs in a common data format;
• and
• managing hydrocarbons based on an output of the hydrocarbon management workflow.