07.06.2013 OIL RESEARCH

Multidisciplinary oil success

Since its inception in 2001, Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research has provided state of the art products for the oil industry.

INNOVATION IN PETROLEUM: The oil drone project is typical for the way Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research is always working to create new methods for enhanced oil production. Foto: Eivind Senneset

Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research’s (CIPR) ten-year spell as a National Centre of Excellence (SFF) came to an end in late 2012. Over this period the centre has developed on geological, physical and chemical processes to increase oil production.

”The secret to our success is our multidisciplinary approach to research,” says Arne Skauge, Director of Uni CIPR and Director of Research and Development at UiB’s Department of Chemistry.

”Every science subject has its own approach, which may not always be compatible. So we are proud that we have succeeded where others have struggled, and now we see that oil companies want to learn from us.”

A miniature oil company

At Uni CIPR, mathematicians, physicists, and geologists work closely together and learn from each other’s way of thinking. One of their goals has been to quantify geological data.

”When you quantify and customise mathematical models it’s easier to create virtual 3D maps of mountains and rock surfaces, whether on Svalbard or in Utah,” the Uni CIPR director explains.

The centre is organised just like an oil company. The researchers work to understand how processes are taking place in oil fields and finding methods to improve oil recovery. From the start the centre has consisted of a mix of academics and people from the oil industry, with experience from production and patenting.

Providing oil professionals

The centre has published around 900 articles in academic journals and 1,600 articles in other publications and magazines. Also, the centre has supplied the oil industry with professionals.

”Around 90 students and 200 master’s candidates have been trained by us. This may be our greatest contribution to the oil industry,” he suggests.

Even if UNI CIPR no longer holds SFF status, the centre is not thinking of reducing its level of ambition. Quite on the contrary.

”We wish to increase our activity, and the drone project shows that we are at the forefront when it comes to using new methods to improve oil recovery,” Skauge says in closing.

(Translation: Sverre Ole Drønen.)

FACTS/ Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research

Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research (Uni CIPR) was established in 2002 as a National Centre of Excellence (SFF), supported by the Research Council of Norway.
Professor Magne Espedal at UiB’s Department of Mathematics came up with the idea, and contacted Arne Skauge, who was then working at the oil company Norsk Hydro.
The centre employed people with industry background, from Statoil and Norsk Hydro, to supply the academic environment at UiB and Unifob (now Uni Research).
The centre’s goal was to create interaction between basic research and applied research, with a direct benefit to society.
Uni CIPR’s main focus is modelling and research chemistry for enhanced oil and gas recovery.
The Uni CIPR budget was NOK 60 million annually, for a total of NOK 600 million during its time as a SFF. The Research Council of Norway’s contribution was NOK 14 million a year, or about 20 per cent of the overall budget.