Second Places

Innovative Training Tool for Global Oil and Gas Industry Previewed at London Show
October 23, 2008;

A groundbreaking training tool for the global energy industry, which uses virtual worlds to simulate potential disasters, is being previewed at the major Virtual Worlds London event this week.

The technology has been developed by Second Places, which specialises in creating presences in virtual worlds for corporate clients.

Millions of users all over the globe have already signed up for virtual worlds and the industry is growing at such a pace it is predicted that by the end of 2011, 80% of internet users will have a “second life” in a virtual world.

Second Places' oil and gas training simulator recreates an offshore environment in a virtual world – of which Second Life is the best-known – and places avatars in positions where they will encounter dangers and have to react to the emerging situation.

By using a virtual world instead of an actual training facility, the client can bring together any number of staff from anywhere in the world, allowing for the interaction and team work which would be expected if the event happened in real life.

Mark Duffy, the Aberdeen-based Managing Director of Second Places, is delighted with the feedback he has been receiving at Virtual Worlds London, a two-day event at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.

He said: "The oil and gas simulator allows organisations to provide training for numerous situations at a very low cost, while ensuring all possible scenarios and different outcomes are covered.

"As well as emergency response work – simulating events such as a helicopter crash or an explosion – the tool can be used for specialised training in disciplines such as engineering.

"Participants respond physically to situations, facing the consequences they would in real life. For example, in a situation where two people run out the door at the same time, the avatars will bump into each other or fall down just as they would in the real life scenario.

"The programme allows trainers to develop and assess employees' knowledge as well as judging their reactions and their ability to keep calm under pressure, allowing them to identify further training needs where necessary."

Mark said the feedback had been positive so far.

"The possibilities are endless and while it is still at an early stage, we have been receiving some very positive feedback from representatives of some the major players in the virtual worlds industry who are at the event," he added.

Second Places creates presences in virtual worlds, a revolutionary new way of using the internet.

The company was formed by a partnership between Fusion Unity in Aberdeen and Clicks and Links in Manchester, and now employs eight members of staff who work with around 25 clients.

As a market leader in developing innovative, interactive virtual worlds for clients, Second Places helps them make the best use of virtual technology to achieve their business objectives.

The team has worked across multiple industry sectors such as business, travel and tourism, non-profit, entertainment, private and education sectors.

Virtual Worlds London is the leading European event for businesses seeking to understand and maximize business strategies within virtual worlds.