ECONOMICS

AGM, in collaboration with Silicon Graphics has optimized and released its showcase product, Recon on the Silicon Graphics Onyx4 UlitmateVision visualization system. AGM's Recon is a next-generation 3-D geological interpretation package enabling geoscientists and petroleum engineers to visualize and interpret well log and seismic data in 3-D as a platform for analyzing, modeling and managing their reservoirs. Visualizing the complex models in a reservoir is critical to the ability to understand, predict, and manage a field, especially, as the costs to extract oil go up and the availability goes down. AGM's Recon software combined with the Onyx4 UltimateVision system enables geoscientists to visualize their reservoirs and the models that simulate how they work, thereby maximizing the profitability of their fields. Recon is the industry's first integrated 3-D geological interpretation tool for geologists, geophysicists, and engineers. Built from the ground up using next-generation technologies, Recon is the best-of-class product of choice for advanced 3-D geological interpretation. Recon's unique OpenGL(R) API-powered interpretation environment combines 3-D views of well log and seismic data with both basemap and 2-D cross-section views. Interpretation changes in any window are immediately reflected in the other two views. Recon supports even the most complex models with massive datasets when the appropriate Onyx4 configuration is provided because the software scales to the largest models by leveraging all of the available computing system resources. The release of Recon on the Onyx4 UltimateVision platform is the result of collaboration between SGI software engineers and personnel at AGM, which has been an SGI independent software vendor since its founding in 1996. "SGI is pleased to work with AGM to deliver a combined software and hardware solution that can manage the toughest data and modeling challenges the industry can offer. Reservoir problems are not getting smaller or easier and Recon's innovative and scalable approach is the platform for the next decade of optimizing reservoir performance, delivery and profitability," said Bill Bartling, Senior Director of Market Strategy, Energy, SGI. "In 2002, AGM pioneered the first integrated 2-D/3-D interpretation environment using state-of-the-art SGI technology," said Robin Dommisse, AGM's CEO. "Recon is the first 3-D geological interpretation tool specifically designed to take advantage of continuing advancements in graphics and computing technology. This flexibility has enabled us to provide our clients with innovative new workflows resulting in cycle-time reductions, more accurate interpretations, and improved success." Professionals in the Exploration and Production industry rely on the high-performance visualization capabilities of the Onyx(R) family to understand their reservoirs. Silicon Graphics Onyx4 UltimateVision is the fourth generation of this family and it combines the proven SGI(R) NUMAflex(TM) technology with SGI's scalable graphics architecture based on industry standard graphics components. The Onyx4 scales up to 64 CPUs, 128 GB of memory, and 32 graphics pipelines, which are all connected inside a high-performance global shared memory infrastructure. This breakthrough combination provides the scalable and robust infrastructure that enables Recon customers to understand all of their data and models.