Gazprom Neft Establishes a ‘Cross-Industry Joint Technology Development Centre’ with the Administration of Tomsk Oblast
The agreement envisages new forms of cooperation being developed and implemented between Gazprom Neft and local universities, scientific organisations, and real-sector small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).* Cooperation will be based around a “Cross-industry Joint Technology Development Centre” which the company will be establishing in partnership with the Administration and higher educational establishments in Tomsk.
The document also envisages the partners cooperating in experimental formats for organising research and development (R&D) activities and innovation, including research centres, centres of excellence, engineering centres, science and technology consortia, and research laboratories. Joint activities will focus on digitising exploration, production and oil-refining processes, and on developing tools and methodologies for developing new kinds of reserves, including carbonate and fractured reservoirs.
The parties will also be evaluating potential cooperation in R&D, and in the introduction of “new materials” (“smart” and composite materials, new kinds of crystalline structures and chemical compounds, coatings, surface treatments and modifications, and new design and construction technologies), as well as in other areas.
Alexander Dyukov, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprom Neft, commented: “The Tomsk Oblast is one of Russia’s most important innovation and educational centres. Signing this cooperation agreement will allow Gazprom Neft to utilise the region’s massive scientific potential in overcoming the technological challenges facing both our company and the entire oil and gas industry. One of the most important tasks the company plans to address, together with Tomsk’s science and technology community, is developing technologies for the exploration and production of hard-to-recover Jurassic hydrocarbon reserves in Western Siberia.”
Sergei Zhvachkin, Governor of the Tomsk Oblast, added: “The Tomsk Oblast’s competitive advantage lies in the science and technology community’s strong links to the real sector of the economy — specifically with Russia’s leading companies. And Gazprom Neft is one of our most reliable partners, with whom we have implemented no small number of projects — from researching the effective development of hard-to-recover oil reserves, to developing high-tech products for industry. We are now expanding the scope of our cooperation, which is proving profitable for both the region, and the company”.
