diff --git a/pylot/core/util/utils.py b/pylot/core/util/utils.py
index 1ec04f60..69cea677 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/utils.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/utils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 import os
 import pwd
 import re
+import hashlib
+from obspy.core import UTCDateTime
 import obspy.core.event as ope
 
 def fnConstructor(s):
@@ -20,11 +22,94 @@ def fnConstructor(s):
         fn = '_' + fn
     return fn
 
-def createEvent(origintime, latitude, longitude, depth, **kwargs):
-    evt = ope.Event()
+def getHash(origintime):
+    '''
 
-def createArrival(picknum, picktime, eventnum, station, cinfo, phase, wfname,
-                  authority_id):
+    :param origintime:
+    :return:
+    '''
+    hg = hashlib.sha1()
+    hg.update(origintime.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S.%f'))
+    return hg.hexdigest()
+
+def createResourceID(timetohash, restype, authority_id=None):
+    '''
+
+    :param timetohash:
+    :param restype:
+    :param authority_id:
+    :return:
+    '''
+    assert isinstance(timetohash, UTCDateTime), "'timetohash' is not an ObsPy" \
+                                                "UTCDateTime object"
+    hid = getHash(timetohash)
+    resID = ope.ResourceIdentifier(restype + '/' + hid[0:6])
+    if authority_id is not None:
+        resID.convertIDToQuakeMLURI(authority_id=authority_id)
+
+
+def createOrigin(origintime, latitude, longitude, depth, resID=None,
+                 authority_id=None):
+    '''
+    createOrigin - function to create an ObsPy Origin
+    :param origintime: the origins time of occurence
+    :type origintime: :class: `~obspy.core.utcdatetime.UTCDateTime` object
+    :param latitude: latitude in decimal degree of the origins location
+    :type latitude: float
+    :param longitude: longitude in decimal degree of the origins location
+    :type longitude: float
+    :param depth: hypocentral depth of the origin
+    :type depth: float
+    :return: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.Origin` object
+    '''
+    pass
+
+
+def createEvent(origintime, cinfo, etype, resID=None,
+                authority_id=None, **kwargs):
+    '''
+    createEvent - funtion to create an ObsPy Event
+    :param origintime: the events origintime
+    :type origintime: :class: `~obspy.core.utcdatetime.UTCDateTime` object
+    :param cinfo:
+    :param etype:
+    :param resID:
+    :param authority_id:
+    :param kwargs:
+    :return: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.Event` object
+    '''
+    etype = ope.EventType(etype)
+    if resID is None:
+        resID = createResourceID(origintime, etype, authority_id)
+    event = ope.Event(resource_id=resID)
+    event.creation_info = cinfo
+    event.event_type = etype
+    return event
+
+def createPick(picknum, picktime, eventnum, cinfo, phase, station, wfseedstr,
+               authority_id):
+    '''
+    createPick - function to create an ObsPy Pick
+
+    :param picknum: number of the created pick
+    :type picknum: int
+    :param eventnum: human-readable event identifier
+    :type eventnum: str
+    :param cinfo: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.CreationInfo` object
+        holding information on the creation of the returned object
+    :type cinfo: :class: `~obspy.core.event.CreationInfo` object
+    :param phase: name of the arrivals seismic phase
+    :type phase: str
+    :param station: name of the station at which the seismic phase has been
+        picked
+    :type station: str
+    :param wfseedstr: A SEED formatted string of the form
+        network.station.location.channel in order to set a referenced waveform
+    :type wfseedstr: str, SEED formatted
+    :param authority_id: name of the institution carrying out the processing
+    :type authority_id: str
+    :return: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.Pick` object
+    '''
     pickID = 'pick/' + eventnum + '/' + station + '/{0:3d}'.format(picknum)
     pickresID = ope.ResourceIdentifier(id=pickID)
     pickresID.convertIDToQuakeMLURI(authority_id=authority_id)
@@ -33,8 +118,33 @@ def createArrival(picknum, picktime, eventnum, station, cinfo, phase, wfname,
     pick.time = picktime
     pick.creation_info = cinfo
     pick.phase_hint = phase
-    pick.waveform_id = ope.ResourceIdentifier(id=wfname, prefix='file:/')
+    pick.waveform_id = ope.ResourceIdentifier(id=wfseedstr, prefix='file:/')
+    return pick
 
+def createArrival(pickresID, eventnum, cinfo, phase, station, authority_id,
+                  azimuth=None, dist=None):
+    '''
+    createArrival - function to create an Obspy Arrival
+    :param pickresID: Resource identifier of the created pick
+    :type pickresID: :class: `~obspy.core.event.ResourceIdentifier` object
+    :param eventnum: human-readable event identifier
+    :type eventnum: str
+    :param cinfo: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.CreationInfo` object
+    holding information on the creation of the returned object
+    :type cinfo: :class: `~obspy.core.event.CreationInfo` object
+    :param phase: name of the arrivals seismic phase
+    :type phase: str
+    :param station: name of the station at which the seismic phase has been
+    picked
+    :type station: str
+    :param authority_id: name of the institution carrying out the processing
+    :type authority_id: str
+    :param azimuth: azimuth between source and receiver
+    :type azimuth: float or int, optional
+    :param dist: distance between source and receiver
+    :type dist: float or int, optional
+    :return: An ObsPy :class: `~obspy.core.event.Arrival` object
+    '''
     arriID = 'arrival/' + eventnum + '/' + station + '/{0}'.format(phase)
     arriresID = ope.ResourceIdentifier(id=arriID)
     arriresID.convertIDToQuakeMLURI(authority_id=authority_id)
@@ -42,10 +152,13 @@ def createArrival(picknum, picktime, eventnum, station, cinfo, phase, wfname,
     arrival.resource_id = arriresID
     arrival.creation_info = cinfo
     arrival.pick_id = pickresID
-    arrival.phase = pick.phase_hint
-    azi = self.location[eventid]['Backazimuth'] - 180
-    arrival.azimuth = azi if azi > -180 else azi + 360
-    arrival.distance = self.location[eventid]['Distance']['deg']
+    arrival.phase = phase
+    if azimuth is not None:
+        arrival.azimuth = float(azimuth) if azimuth > -180 else azimuth + 360
+    else:
+        arrival.azimuth = azimuth
+    arrival.distance = None
+    return arrival
 
 def getOwner(fn):
     return pwd.getpwuid(os.stat(fn).st_uid).pw_name