02-02-00 J.D. Edwards & Company, a leading provider of agile E-Business solutions and Paradigm Technologies announced they have partnered to expand the upstream oil and gas solution offered in J.D. Edwards' OneWorld enterprise software. Paradigm Technologies is a leading provider of financial applications that address the specific needs of exploration and production companies world-wide.
Paradigm's Excalibur Energy Management system enables oil and gas producers to more accurately and efficiently enter, process, and review accounting, land and production data. Excalibur enables users to compare revenue to production, manage gas contracts and multiple land leases and calculate joint interest billing. The system provides sophisticated reporting tools for management level decision making.

"The development of a J.D. Edwards' OneWorld upstream product with Paradigm Technologies provides a rich technology solution that will allow improved integration with our downstream business systems and create significant overall efficiencies," said Dave Younggren, senior vice president at privately held Gary-Williams Energy.
"Competition is now extremely intense in our industry, which puts downward pressure on our margins. So, it's more critical than ever that our IT systems be flexible to meet changing market conditions and be as cost effective as possible," Younggren said.
"This partnership with J.D. Edwards will elevate Paradigm's premier upstream product offering into the major international and domestic upstream markets," said J. Brian Searles, president and CEO of Paradigm Technologies. "Paradigm can now offer a platform independent, enterprise-wide solution that melds our expertise with OneWorld to provide a fully multi-currency, multi-lingual upstream product that will bring benefits to both independent and major oil and gas producers throughout the world."
Under the terms of the agreement, Paradigm will co-develop, sell, implement and support the joint upstream solution in the small- and mid-sized markets in the US. J.D. Edwards and Paradigm will jointly sell the solution to large accounts in the US. J.D. Edwards will sell the joint upstream solution in the international market and Paradigm will provide support with J.D. Edwards to international clients from its customer service centre in Stokenchurch, UK

Arthur Andersen is participating in the design of the product and will be a preferred implementation partner for the joint solution in the international market. "Through this agreement, J.D. Edwards now offers a flexible, world-class industry solution for integrated oil companies that brings OneWorld into the upstream sector as a market leader," said Richard Emerton, partner in charge of Energy Consulting in EMEIA, Arthur Andersen.
The development effort will address Joint-Interest-Billing, Authorization for Expenditures, and Responsibility Reporting for delivery of an international solution as well as Revenue and Royalty Distribution, Asset Management, Land Division Orders, Split Stream Control, Gas Contracts and Accounting, and a Minerals Management System for delivery to the domestic and international markets.
"With Paradigm, J.D. Edwards is better prepared to address the needs of the entire oil and gas supply chain, from exploration to delivered product," said William Goodison, group vice president, world-wide industry sales and marketing at J.D. Edwards. "We're not only committed to facilitating collaboration between oil and gas suppliers and customers but also to providing the only enterprise software solution that enables our customers to put their ideas into action quickly in the e-business environment."

According to industry analyst firm G2R, total global IT spending in the oil and gas industry is projected to increase from $ 25 bn in 1999 to over $ 35 bn in 2002. Sales of oil and gas software solutions are expected to increase from $ 5.5 bn to $ 7.7 bn. Additionally, G2R believes total IT spending in the exploration and production market will experience the greatest increase from $ 7.7 bn in 1999 to $ 11 bn in 2002.

Paradigm Technologies was founded in 1979 with the purpose of developing and marketing integrated financial and operational software solutions for the oil and gas industry. Since that time, Paradigm has met and exceeded the management information needs of more than 400 oil and gas clients. Paradigm provides a complete solution of software, implementation consulting, ongoing support, and training. Paradigm employs more than 100 people in its Dallas, Denver, and Houston offices.