Roxar Announces Tempest™ 6.3 with Parallel Processing Capabilities

Benefits include More Realizations, Reduced Uncertainty, Faster and More Detailed Reservoir Models and Low-Cost Desktop Computing

Roxar, a leading technology solutions provider to the oil and gas industry, today announced the release of Tempest™ 6.3, Roxar’s software suite for advanced reservoir simulation, which now comes with parallel processing capabilities.

Using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) standard, parallel processing will allow Tempest™ 6.3 to run on multiple cluster machines and handle a larger number of grid blocks. The results will be more realizations and a better quantifying of reservoir uncertainty; higher resolution and greater detail in the simulation process with a more accurate description of the geology; faster simulation than was possible with a single processor and the effective simulation of larger models; and cost effective desktop computing with users able to purchase ‘off-the-shelf’, low cost multi-processing and multi-chip hardware to run Tempest™ 6.3 on.

Tempest™ comes with state of the art modeling and simulation capabilities, including the ability to simulate a wide range of physical processes within one program, such as black oil, compositional, dual porosity, steam, coal bed methane and polymer injection. Furthermore, at a time when the future of some simulators is uncertain, Roxar remains fully committed to the very best in ongoing simulator development, support and training for Tempest™.

Parallel processing provides the ability to break a single task into multiple parts that can be processed separately and then reassembled. By being able to process a larger number of grid blocks on multiple processors, Tempest™ 6.3 will be able to generate faster and more accurate simulation models and complete faster simulation run times with less time spent calibrating a model during the history matching process. Tempest™ 6.3 operates on the Linux 64-bit, UNIX 64-bit and Windows 32-bit and 64-bit platforms.

Roxar CEO, Sandy Esslemont welcomed Tempest™ 6.3:
“Today represents a big step forward for Tempest™, bringing it in line with the latest hardware and laying the foundation for its future development. As our industry focuses increasingly on reservoir management and production optimization, there has never been a more important time for fast and cost effective simulators that are able to generate multiple scenarios and help better quantify uncertainty and financial risk in reservoir operations.”

He continues:
“With Tempest™ 6.3, users can take advantage of all the benefits of parallel processing and, look forward to a greater understanding of their reservoir flow, more reliable production forecasts and maximized reservoir performance. Our customers are also safe in the knowledge that Tempest™ is a solution that we intend to support and further innovate on for years to come.”

Users will be able to upgrade seamlessly from previous versions of Tempest™ at no additional cost.

Tempest™ comprises four integrated software modules covering the different stages of reservoir simulation. These are:
• Tempest™-MORE: a full-field modern simulator capable of running black oil or compositional simulation modes and optimized for high-performance, which will now have parallel processing capabilities.

• Tempest™-View: a graphical interactive program that provides simulation pre and post processing. Tempest™ View provides data set creation, editing, job submission and monitoring, run control, results plotting and 3D visualization.

• Tempest™-PVTx: a program for fluid characterization that matches equation-of-state descriptions of fluid properties to laboratory data.

• Tempest™-Venture: an integrated tool for economic evaluation and risk analysis that works directly on simulator output to estimate field cash flow and net present value.

Tempest™ 6.3 is closely integrated with Roxar’s industry leading modeling solution, IRAP RMS™. Roxar is currently adding uncertainty capabilities to IRAP RMS™ which will quantify the effects of uncertainties on volumes and cumulative production to ensure less risky decisions are made

Roxar creates value for its customers through its Reservoir Interpretation, Reservoir Modeling, Reservoir Simulation, Well and Completion, Production and Process Solutions and Consultancy Services.

Note to Editors
About Roxar
Roxar is a leading international technology solutions provider to the upstream oil and gas industry. The company creates value for its customers through innovative products and services that help achieve maximum performance from oil and gas reservoirs.

With its head offices in Stavanger, Norway, Roxar employs over 600 staff across a network of wholly owned offices in Europe, the Americas, Africa, CIS, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Founded in May 1999, the company generated revenues of approximately US$130 million in 2005. Roxar’s International customer base includes all of the multinationals, major independents and the majority of national oil companies.

For Further Information:
Sandy Esslemont (USA)
CEO, Roxar Group
Tel: +1 713 482 6439
Email:

Mark Bashforth
Managing Director, Software Solutions
Tel: +47 91 10 75 82
Email:

Svenn Haugen,
Group Marketing Director Tel: +47 51 81 88 00
Email:

Paul Fisher, Axiom Communications Management
Tel: +44 (0) 1285 713 776 / Fax: +44 (0) 1285 713 071
Email: