Varco International Chooses MontaVista Software For Next-Generation Oil Rig Controllers
SAN DIEGO , November 5, 2001 - Varco International, Inc. today announced it will standardize on MontaVista™ Software’s embedded operating environment, Hard Hat® Linux®, for its full line of oil rig floor equipment controllers. Varco made the selection after the company had exhausted its search for an off-the-shelf next-generation industrial controller that would meet its complex needs and tested several major embedded operating systems for its own custom controller product.
Varco International produces equipment and automation systems for the oil and gas drilling industry. Varco’s next-generation oil rig controller, its e-Drill product, promises equipment that has a far higher level of automation and functionality (through sophisticated robotic algorithms); is simpler to set up and maintain (through thin-client, web browser-based "screens"); and leverages the Internet to allow remote diagnostics, monitoring and control of these systems.
"Varco was able to meet very aggressive time-to-market deadlines using Hard Hat Linux. MontaVista’s superb technical support helped our engineers overcome technical and reliability challenges," said George Boyadjieff, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Varco International.
Varco evaluated various embedded operating systems for the e-Drill development and set up two pilot projects, each using a leading embedded operating system. At the end of the test period, Hard Hat Linux had met all the requirements, which included real-time performance and the ability to function without a display or keyboard. In less than one month, MontaVista Software integrated and ran Hard Hat Linux, IBM’s VAME (Visual Age Micro Edition), and support device drivers on selected target hardware. Varco was able to run equipment after only six months of development, testing and application programming.
The first systems using MontaVista’s Hard Hat Linux are operational today in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and many additional systems have already been shipped and will be commissioned later this year. Reliability is critical in these applications, with operator liability often exceeding a quarter of a million dollars a day for any equipment downtime.
About Varco International, Inc.
Varco International, Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative drilling equipment and rig instrumentation, oilfield tubular inspections and internal coating techniques, solids control systems and services, and coiled tubing and pressure control equipment for both land and offshore drilling operations. Its operations span six continents, 49 countries and every major oilfield market in the world. For more information, visit the Varco Web site at www.varco.com.
About MontaVista
MontaVista Software, Inc. powers the embedded revolution by providing open-source systems software solutions for embedded developers. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVista’s principal products include Hard Hat Linux, a Linux-based embedded source and binary distribution, cross development platform and a set of tool kits for x86/IA-32, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS, SH, ARM, XScale and other microprocessor architectures. MontaVista offers developers a family of products and services for embedded design and development targeted for applications ranging from communications infrastructure to thin-client and consumer devices. MontaVista Software also provides several technology add-on products addressing specific customer needs such as the Java Development environment, High Availability technology, powerful graphics toolkits and more.
Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Sunnyvale, Calif., MontaVista Software is a privately held company funded by leading investors such Alloy Ventures, US Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, WR Hambrecht + Co., and Intel Capital. For more information about MontaVista, please visit http://www.mvista.com, email to info@mvista.com or call (408) 328-9200.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Hard Hat is a registered trademark, and MontaVista is a trademark of MontaVista Software Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.
For More Information Contact:
Varco International
Dave Cardellini
Director, Engineering
(714) 456-1230
dcardellini@varco.com
MontaVista Software
Joe Samagond
Director of Mktg. & Corp. Communications
Phone: (408) 328-9234
Email: jsamagond@mvista.com
Patricia Colby
PR Strategy & Business Dev.
Pacifico, Inc.
(408) 293-8600, ext. 340
pcolby@pacifico.com
