VISUALIZATION

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- Fakespace Systems Inc. and SGI (NYSE: SGI) today announced that they have provided a state-of-the-art visualization system to Murphy Oil Company Limited in Calgary, Canada, a division of Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR - news). The new system, which is the first active stereo digital projection system purchased for use in energy exploration, enables geologists, geophysicists and engineers to work together in a collaborative visualization environment. Murphy Oil Corporation is a worldwide leader in oil and gas exploration and production, with headquarters in El Dorado, Ark. Its Canadian division has worked with high-performance, collaborative computing and display systems in several joint projects in facilities owned by partner companies. Based on this experience, the Calgary office selected the SGI(TM) Reality Center(TM) visualization facility based on Onyx2® systems and an 8-foot by 16-foot Fakespace Systems WorkWall(TM) as the optimal visualization system for its application requirements. ``In many of our active offshore exploration projects, we are dealing with extremely large amounts of volumetric data,'' said Duncan W. McMaster, general manager, East Coast Exploration at Murphy Oil Company Limited. ``The new visualization center improves our ability to understand these huge data sets and speeds our ability to make effective drilling decisions. We were very pleased that SGI Professional Services was able to bring in the expertise and the most advanced technology available to meet our particular needs.'' A key feature of the system, according to McMaster, is the ability for groups to work with seismic data in a truly collaborative environment, instead of a more passive, theater-type setting. The custom- designed system developed by Fakespace Systems and SGI provides an extremely bright (5,000 lumens per projector) display that allows participants to work with stereoscopic subsurface simulations in a well-lit room where they can also reference notes, print-outs and drawings. For Murphy Oil's offshore exploration, which is focused on Canada's eastern coast, the graphics power of the SGI(TM) supercomputer provides real- time rendering of highly complex three-dimensional deep-water data. The high- resolution, rear-projected WorkWall display enables the exploration team to gather close to the screen for discussion and inspection of minute details within these massive visualizations. The WorkWall display at Murphy Oil is based on two active stereo DLP(TM) (Digital Light Processing) projectors (the Mirage(TM) 5000 from Christie Digital) that provide an exceptionally bright, stable display for dimensionally accurate viewing, even when working very close to the screen. The two-projector system also enables simultaneous viewing of both stereoscopic and monoscopic images projected side by side. A single-pipe SGI Onyx2 system with two Raster Managers, four central processing units (CPUs) and 8GB of RAM powers the display. ``With its broad product range, Fakespace Systems has the experience and expertise to help us determine the best possible visualization solution to meet the business needs of almost any organization,'' said Bill Bartling, director, Global Energy Solutions, SGI. ``When our Professional Services group works with Fakespace Systems, we can rely on quality displays, solutions focused on customers' business and dependable service that ensures customer satisfaction.'' Fakespace Systems provides the broadest range of visualization systems available today for seismic data interpretation and subsurface evaluation. These systems, which are used by geologists, geophysicists and engineers to promote collaboration and better understanding of complex data, range from fully immersive room environments to depth-enhanced displays that fit in an average size conference room. Fakespace displays are available with either passive or active stereo and either CRT or digital projection technology. For more information visit www.sgi.com or www.fakespacesystems.com