OSIsoft winner of Microsoft business business intelligence contest; Oildex processes US $136 billion in transaction detail; Terraspark and TrueOil sign interpretation software agreement; Energy Navigator brings capital tracking and evaluation solutions to US; Simutech offers free Ansys training during downturn

OSIsoft is winner of Microsoft business intelligence solution demo contest

Microsoft announced this week that OSIsoft is one of three Grand Prize winners of the Microsoft Business Intelligence Solution Demo Contest. The OSIsoft submittal used a role-based, “day in the life” approach to show how users can apply top-to-bottom business intelligence (BI) techniques to create visibility into manufacturing and business processes.

“In today’s business environment, people need to make quick, informed decisions. OSIsoft’s PI System enables streaming Business Intelligence, allowing companies to make important decisions based on advanced data collection and analytics. Its integration with Microsoft Office technologies gives users of the PI System an advantage in productivity, visualization and collaboration,” said Chris Colyer, global director of manufacturing operations strategies, Manufacturing and Resources Sector, Microsoft.

John O’Shea, OSIsoft senior vice president sales, commented, “Integrating manufacturing data with PerformancePoint BI is extremely valuable. Our team clearly demonstrated the value of integrating the manufacturing data available in the PI System with the BI capabilities of PerformancePoint. This is an excellent example of OSIsoft’s “Better Together Approach” with Microsoft. OSIsoft is appreciative and proud of the team’s efforts and their dedication to extending OSIsoft‘s reputation for embracing and adopting new technologies to provide value to our customers. This is what our customers trust us to do, and it is what they expect us to do.”

Oildex processes record $136 billion in transaction detail, grows supplier network

Oildex, an energy industry provider of digital data and ePayable services, announced record transaction levels for 2008. In the period from Jan. 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008, Oildex processed US $136 billion in transaction detail. Additionally, the company experienced double-digit growth in its customer base and increased the number of suppliers in its network by more than 40%.

“We believe the significant growth Oildex experienced in 2008 is a direct result of energy companies seeking to control costs and increase efficiency through technology — specifically ePayables solutions,” said Peter Flanagan, president of Oildex. “Oildex provides companies with the tools they need to respond to changing business conditions, by automating time-consuming, paper-based business processes.”

Oildex's industry leading SaaS (Software as a Service) tools have helped energy companies reduce their processing costs by up to 75% and significantly improved productivity by streamlining critical business processes. Oildex services include ePayables and spend analysis, revenue processing, and tools for owner relations support and communication.

Terraspark and True Oil sign interpretation software agreement

TerraSpark Geosciences, provider of software and consulting services for 3-D interpretation, directional well path planning and velocity model building, announced today that True Oil, LLC has purchased TerraSpark’s Insight Earth software suite.

Commenting on the announcement, Geoffrey Dorn, Ph.D., president of TerraSpark Geosciences, said, “True Oil’s purchase of TerraSpark’s Insight Earth demonstrates the value TerraSpark delivers to oil and gas companies in the current economy. Companies are expected to do more with their dollars, and Insight Earth provides an excellent cost/benefit improvement — interpretations can be done more quickly and with greater accuracy for a lower cost of software ownership.”

Roger Barton, chief geologist of True Oil, said, “Using Insight Earth, True Oil has been able to interpret complex data and pick faults in a visually intuitive way that was not possible using any other software. This will enable us to plan wells and produce difficult-to-find fields more rapidly and easily than ever before.”

The Insight Earth solution provides TerraSpark’s customers with 3-D seismic interpretation technology that enables visualization-guided interpretation of both structure and stratigraphy in an integrated workflow where each step informs and improves the next. Insight Earth provides more complete and accurate interpretation results from a 3-D volume in a fraction of the time.

Energy Navigator brings capital tracking and evaluation solutions to US market

Energy Navigator, a provider of software solutions for the oil and gas industry, announced it has expanded its operations and added an office in Denver, Colo. The move will help Energy Navigator supply US oil and gas companies with the proven capital tracking and reserves evaluation solutions they need to meet evolving SEC reserves reporting and regulatory requirements. Staff of the new office will include Dan Shikiar, senior account manager, who has an extensive history in software business development.

“The demand for innovative and alternative capital management and evaluation solutions in the US makes a Denver office a natural choice for Energy Navigator,” remarked Energy Navigator President Boyd Russell. “Our solutions tackle a number of challenges that are not currently addressed in the US oil and gas software market.”

Tim Loser, Energy Navigator’s Vice President of Business Development in Houston, notes, “Our company’s flagship product, Value Navigator, enables customers to take advantage of new SEC reserves reporting guidelines by evaluating and reporting probable and possible reserves categories to recognize upside and maximize shareholder value.”

Loser also noted, “AFE Navigator helps customers stay compliant by automating the AFE process and providing an indelible audit trial for capital tracking. Strategic integration with other key business systems enables an immediate and transparent picture of a company’s capital life cycle.”

Energy Navigator develops software solutions that help more than 250 oil and gas companies make better decisions.

SimuTech Group launches “lend a hand” training program

Simutech Group announced that it has launched its “Lend a Hand” program. As a member of the engineering community, SimuTech Group is reaching out and “lending a hand” to fellow engineers that have been recently displaced or unemployed during these difficult and uncertain economic times.

The “Lend a Hand” program will provide free training of ANSYS simulation software at any of SimuTech Group's North American training facilities. The goal is to provide engineers with a valuable and marketable skill that will place them in much more competitive situation as they search for employment opportunities.

“ANSYS products are an integral part of the engineering process in many different industries throughout the world. Having the ability to include ANSYS proficiency on an engineering resume is invaluable,” says Ken Lally, CEO of SimuTech Group. “If you simply type the keyword 'ANSYS' into any of the major career sites such as Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com, you can easily find numerous employment opportunities requiring ANSYS expertise. In these difficult economic times, every little bit helps and

SimuTech Group hopes that these classes will provide engineers that extra edge needed in finding employment.“

Qualifying engineers will be able to attend all level of classes for ANSYS Mechanical, ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX and ANSYS AUTODYN simulation software programs.

Upon the successful completion of the class, attendees will receive a certificate of completion.

For more information as well as consideration for the “Lend a Hand” program, engineers should visit the SimuTech Group Web site at: http://www.simutechgroup.com/training/lend-a-hand-program.html.