Global Energy Forum Shows Microsoft Solutions in the Oil and Gas Industry

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, April 29 /PRNewswire/ --

- Major players gather to explore Microsoft's tailored technology 
solutions that enable the industry to seize opportunities, improve
predictability and compete under dynamic market conditions.

Today the first Microsoft Middle East and Africa Global Energy Forum
brings more than 300 decision-makers from oil and gas companies across the
region to the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. With a keynote address from
Gerald Doucet, secretary general of the World Energy Council, the Global
Energy Forum explores how Microsoft Corp and partners' technology solutions
can empower the industry as well as address global and regional aspirations.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

Hosting the Global Energy Forum in the Middle East and Africa region
derives from Microsoft's recognition of the region's continuing importance to
the global reserves and supply. The Global Energy Forum combines the
experience of global and regional partners, including Accenture, Schlumberger
Information Solutions (SIS), The Information Store, OSlsoft, GE Fanuc and
WellPoint Systems Inc, to showcase Microsoft technologies that integrate with
partner expertise, encompassing solutions for exploration, logistics,
marketing and more.

"With today's global reach for energy security, sustainability and
efficiency, IT plays an ever-mounting role in empowering the industry," said
Omar Saleh, oil and gas sales manager for Middle East and Africa at
Microsoft. "With our partners, through our Peak Performance Initiative,
Microsoft is specifically addressing priorities in the oil and gas industry
-- including digital oilfield, integrated supply chain, health and safety
performance, upstream integration, and capital projects intelligence --
delivering solutions that are fully integrated across people, processes and
technology."

"Microsoft's proven technologies and Accenture's expertise deliver
industry-leading information connectivity -- the key to maximising output in
today's tough production environment," said Alexandre Oliveira, global
upstream lead at Accenture. "Accenture, in using Microsoft's integrated
software solutions, delivers high-performance asset management programs
focused on managing and optimising the performance of existing reservoirs,
wells and surface facilities."

Microsoft and SIS are collaborating to integrate business and technical
work flows to reduce uncertainty, improve decision-making and accelerate
technology adoption. SIS leverages Microsoft technologies to provide an open
innovation framework, allowing oil and gas companies to incorporate
proprietary applications into integrated SIS work flows, providing
customisation for competitive advantage in complex reservoirs.

"Meeting the challenges of global energy supply and demand depends on
integrated business processes, breakthrough innovations and rock-solid
business relationships," said Ali Faramawy, vice president, Microsoft
International. "Oil and gas companies succeed when individuals and teams make
better decisions faster, accelerating time to insight. The Microsoft Global
Energy Forum is an important vehicle for oil and gas companies to explore the
optimal solutions open to them, and look at what is in the innovation
pipeline to stay ahead."

"Microsoft has a dedicated work force committed to working with partners
to deliver impactful solutions to decision-makers in the oil and gas
industry," said Manal Ezzat, regional marketing manager for Middle East and
Africa at Microsoft. "We aim to nurture existing relationships and develop
new ones through a series of ongoing business initiatives and recurring
engagements to showcase our latest innovations and cutting-edge
technologies."

About Microsoft in Oil and Gas

Meeting the challenges of global energy supply and demand depends on
integrated business processes, breakthrough innovations and solid business
relationships. Together with its partners, Microsoft delivers technology
solutions that help people in the oil and gas industry make better decisions
faster. More information about Microsoft in the oil and gas industry can be
found at http://www.microsoft.com/oilandgas.

About the Middle and Africa Global Energy Forum
    http://microsoft.crgevents.com/GEFMEA2008/microsoft_gef



About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise
their full potential.

About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)

Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft
employs more than 16,000 people in over 64 subsidiaries, delivering products
and services in more than 139 countries and territories.

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