Schlumberger DeXa.Net Selected by Atwood Oceanics Inc. to Ensure Worldwide Connectivity.

Business/Energy Editors & High-Tech Writers

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 2002

DeXa.Net* Brings Flexible Networking to Remote Rigs, Global Links

via MPLS-based Secure Private Network

Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB), a global technology services company, today announced Atwood Oceanics Inc. (NYSE:ATW) has selected the Schlumberger DeXa.Net global connectivity solution to provide communications for its offshore and land facilities around the world. Atwood Oceanics is a Houston-based international offshore drilling contractor that needed a secure connectivity solution for communicating between rigs and land offices in Asia, North Africa and their Houston headquarters.

"While robust communications are important to us, so is secure data transfer, quality of service and responsiveness," said James Holland, senior vice president, Atwood Oceanics Inc. "We expect Schlumberger to meet all these important criteria while providing us with a turnkey solution for enhanced global communications."

Atwood required voice, fax and data connectivity between each remote location and its corporate network. Schlumberger applied DeXa.Net very small aperture terminal (VSAT) links between several offshore oilrigs in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia to their respective land offices in Cairo, Houston and Kuala Lumpur. As the rigs periodically relocate to different parts of the world, Atwood chose Schlumberger to ensure that connectivity remains consistent and reliable, wherever the rigs may go.

Additionally, Schlumberger deployed its DeXa.Net Secure Private Network (SPN) connection to link Atwood's Singapore office with its headquarters in Houston. The Secure Private Network has several advantages for companies operating on different continents. It is based on an advanced multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) Internet Protocol technology that can ensure greater reliability, speed and lower latency rates. The DeXa.Net SPN provides options for enhanced security and offers complete privacy from the busy public networks.

"With the integration of our land-based, high speed network and our VSAT satellite service, Atwood has the flexibility to move rigs around the world without changing their network topology, and the option to reserve additional capacity on-demand from rig to shore at times when key data transmissions require more than a usual amount of bandwidth," commented Jean-Michel Rouylou, vice president, Global Connectivity Solutions, Schlumberger. The Secure Private Network is built on the global network backbone of Schlumberger, which ensures connectivity to all worldwide regions.

Atwood Oceanics Inc. and its subsidiaries are engaged in the business of international offshore drilling and related support, management and consulting services. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., Atwood Oceanics was incorporated as a Texas corporation in 1968, commenced its first drilling operations offshore Brunei in Southeast Asia in 1970, and made its first public offering in 1972. Atwood Oceanics has conducted drilling operations in most of the major offshore exploration areas of the world: Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Australia, East and West Africa, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, India, Mediterranean Sea, Central and South America and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The Company currently supports its operations from its Houston headquarters and affiliated offices in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, United Kingdom and Egypt.

About Schlumberger

Schlumberger is a global technology services company consisting of two business segments, Schlumberger Oilfield Services and SchlumbergerSema. Schlumberger Oilfield Services supplies technology services and solutions to the international petroleum industry. SchlumbergerSema aggregates IT consulting, systems integration, managed services and related products to the telecommunications, energy and utilities, finance, transport and public sector markets. Both business segments offer the Schlumberger DeXa Suite of Services to provide IP network connectivity, information security solutions, distributed computing support services and data center hosting services. In 2001, Schlumberger revenues were $14.3 billion. For more information visit http://www.slb.com.

* Mark of Schlumberger