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Mining & Resources · head to head

IHS Markit Petra vs Seequent Central

IHS Markit Petra logo

IHS Markit Petra

Mining & Resources

Geological interpretation and mapping software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Seequent Central logo

Seequent Central

Mining & Resources

Collaborative platform for subsurface data management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IHS Markit Petra iHS Markit Petra's product page (ihsmarkit.com/products/petra.html) now redirects live to spglobal.com, confirming IHS Markit's merger into S&P Global means the Petra product line is sold under S&P Global rather than as an independent IHS Markit product (redirect observed 19 August 2026).; Seequent Central cloud hosted on Microsoft Azure and requires an internet connection, with no offline or self-hosted option
  • They diverge on capability: IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Seequent Central covers Version control.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IHS Markit Petra and Seequent Central actually diverge.

Attributes where IHS Markit Petra and Seequent Central differ
AttributeIHS Markit PetraSeequent Central
PlatformsWindowsCloud, Windows
Founded19592004

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mining & Resources).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IHS Markit Petra

  • Well log analysis
  • Cross-section creation
  • Contour mapping
  • Formation tops
  • Volumetric calculations
  • Kingdom
  • ArcGIS
  • Petrel

Only in Seequent Central

  • Version control
  • Model publishing
  • Data management
  • Audit trails
  • Secure sharing
  • Leapfrog Geo
  • Leapfrog Works
  • Oasis montaj

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IHS Markit Petra

  • Well log interpretationnot Seequent Central
  • Geological mappingnot Seequent Central
  • Exploration analysisnot Seequent Central
  • Formation evaluationnot Seequent Central
  • Resource assessmentnot Seequent Central

Seequent Central

  • Centralised version control and audit trails for geological modelsnot IHS Markit Petra
  • Shared 3D visualisation of Leapfrog and Oasis montaj models across distributed teamsnot IHS Markit Petra
  • Project branching for scenario modellingnot IHS Markit Petra
  • Mining exploration and geothermal project coordinationnot IHS Markit Petra
  • Civil engineering and environmental projects needing a single model of recordnot IHS Markit Petra

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IHS Markit Petra

  • IHS Markit Petra's product page (ihsmarkit.com/products/petra.html) now redirects live to spglobal.com, confirming IHS Markit's merger into S&P Global means the Petra product line is sold under S&P Global rather than as an independent IHS Markit product (redirect observed 19 August 2026).

Seequent Central

  • Cloud hosted on Microsoft Azure and requires an internet connection, with no offline or self-hosted option
  • Hosting instances start at a minimum 500GB of storage, with more sold as an add-on
  • Billing splits into three separate lines: cloud hosting per organisation, user subscriptions per person and Leapfrog Connector licences per modeller
  • Publishing models from Leapfrog into Central requires a separate Leapfrog Connector licence
  • Value depends on already owning other Seequent tools such as Leapfrog, GeoStudio, PLAXIS or Oasis montaj

Pricing, plan by plan

IHS Markit Petra

On request
  • Petra Standard$8000/year
    • Well log analysis
    • Cross-sections
    • Contour mapping
  • Petra Professional$15000/year
    • 3D visualization
    • Advanced mapping
    • Volumetric analysis

Seequent Central

On request
  • Central Team$5000/year
    • Version control
    • 5 users included
    • 100GB storage
  • Central Professional$12000/year
    • All Team features
    • 25 users included
    • 500GB storage
  • Central EnterpriseFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited storage
    • SSO integration

Which should you pick?

Choose IHS Markit Petra if

  • You need well log analysis.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want cross-section creation.
IHS Markit Petra review

Choose Seequent Central if

  • You need version control.
  • You work on Cloud, Windows.
  • You also want model publishing.
Seequent Central review

Questions people ask

Is IHS Markit Petra or Seequent Central better?
Neither clearly leads. IHS Markit Petra starts at On request and Seequent Central at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IHS Markit Petra or Seequent Central?
IHS Markit Petra starts at On request and Seequent Central at On request.
Does IHS Markit Petra or Seequent Central run on more platforms?
IHS Markit Petra runs on Windows. Seequent Central runs on Cloud, Windows.
What is IHS Markit Petra best used for?
IHS Markit Petra is most often used for well log interpretation, geological mapping, exploration analysis, formation evaluation. Of those, well log interpretation and geological mapping are not what Seequent Central is typically brought in for.
What can IHS Markit Petra do that Seequent Central cannot?
IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Cross-section creation, Contour mapping, Formation tops. Seequent Central covers Version control, Model publishing, Data management, Audit trails. Both handle Windows support.
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