Partner Article

ITF chairman to address OPEC R&D Forum

The chairman of the leading global technology facilitator, ITF, will top the bill at OPEC’s global research and development (R&D) forum, challenging industry players to tackle barriers to collaboration.

Max Rowe will highlight how new technology to recover the world’s remaining hydrocarbons in increasingly challenging markets can be accelerated through pan-industry partnerships.

Prof Rowe will deliver the keynote address at the event, which is taking place in Vienna on 7 and 8 May. Delegates from the world’s leading oil and gas companies will attend the forum which focuses on technology challenges, opportunities and collaboration.

The overall aim of the event is to encourage R&D and technology transfer between OPEC member countries. World leaders in technology and oil and gas will gather to discuss problems and solutions in this arena.

Entitled ‘Collaboration and competition in upstream technology development and deployment’, Prof Rowe’s speech will pose the big questions, such as why is development to deployment so difficult? Focusing on the competitive issues and barriers, Prof Rowe will also discuss case studies of fostering successful partnerships.

“It is an honour to address this event, which will take the technology topics pertinent to OPEC member countries to the forefront of industry debate,” said Prof Rowe. “Delivering the keynote speech at OPEC’s forum is a significant milestone for ITF, and further enhances our position as a leading authority in the global R&D arena.

“The aim of this event is very much in line with the ethos of ITF to foster collaborative research and development in the international oil and gas industry. In a sector where going from concept to commercialisation can take on average 16 years, there are questions we need to ask to improve this process, and joint working is key to unlocking a streamlined and effective approach.”

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed in 1960 to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among its member countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.

Current member countries are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

ITF, the technology facilitator for the global oil and gas industry, is a not-for-profit organisation owned by 29 international oil and gas operator and service companies. It is the only global collaborative R&D funding programme operating across continents.

Since its formation in 1999, the organisation has facilitated the launch of more than 200 joint industry projects (JIPs) from early stage projects through to field trials and commercialisation. It aims to secure a further £50 million for technologies by 2015.

For more information on ITF, visit: www.itfenergy.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by ITF .