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Stratos to Conduct Communication Systems Repairs and Upgrades for Apache in the Gulf of Mexico
BETHESDA, MD (July 25, 2006) - Stratos Global Corp. (TSX: SGB), one of the leading providers of remote communications solutions to the offshore oil and gas industry, today announced that Apache Corporation has accepted a proposal for Stratos to provide remote communications for more than 100 offshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico via its recently restored microwave network. The total contract value of the five-year contract is approximately US$19 million.
Stratos also is supplementing the microwave-based service with satellite-based backup systems at key connection points to maximize business continuity and recovery of communications in the event of disasters, such as last year's hurricanes. These satellite backup services are in addition to improved circuit protection, additional beach crossings, increased bandwidth, true ATM transport and additional redundancy that have already been added to the redesigned microwave network to improve reliability.
Founded in 1954, Apache is one of the world's largest independent oil and gas exploration and development companies, with $20 billion in assets and core operations in the United States, Canada, Egypt, the United Kingdom North Sea, Australia and Argentina. "We have been working with Stratos on offshore communications for a number of years," said Darin LaFleur, Automation Superintendent, Apache Corporation. "The current project will include repairs to the microwave system damaged during last year's hurricanes, as well as an upgrade of our entire Gulf of Mexico telecom network to provide more available bandwidth and redundant, land-based and satellite systems for backup communications."
"This new Apache project demonstrates our ability to strengthen and expand our offerings to respond to the evolving needs of one of the world's largest energy exploration and production firms," said Jim Parm, Stratos' president and chief executive officer. "We believe our continued success is further proof that our portfolio of end-to-end products and services meets all of the remote communications requirements of leading companies in the oil and gas industry."
About Stratos
Stratos Global Corporation (www.stratosglobal.com) is a publicly traded company (TSX: SGB) and the leading global provider of a wide range of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions for users operating beyond the reach of traditional networks. With its owned-and-operated infrastructure and extensive portfolio of industry-leading satellite and microwave technologies (including Inmarsat, Iridium, Globalstar, MSAT, VSAT, and others), Stratos serves the voice and high-speed data connectivity requirements of a diverse array of markets, including government, military, energy, industrial, maritime, aeronautical, enterprise, media and recreational users throughout the world.
For additional information :
Carla Riggs
Director, Corporate Communications
+1 709 748 4857
carla.riggs@stratosglobal.com