Basic HTML Version
But Arctic is full of challenges, too, including sea ice,
icebergs and marine icing, winter darkness, remote
ness and lack of infrastructure. Those are all reasons
why SAMCoT’s fundamental research and newly minted
PhDs are key to helping the industry develop the Arctic
technology it needs, says Morton Karlsen, Head of
Research Going North at Statoil and SAMCoT’s chair
person of the SAMCoT Board.
“Activities in this region will put new demands on
our industry,” Karlsen says. “We need to meet these
challenges proactively, by developing the highest stand
ards for Health, Safety and the Environment and opera
tional quality. SAMCoT is a very important initiative
to increase our knowledge about the Arctic, promote
the development of innovative technical solutions and
educate people for future jobs in the oil and gas industry.”
PhDs: the main product
As one of NTNU’s four Centres for Research-based
Innovation, SAMCoT is composed of experienced
researchers, PhD and master’s students, along with
its industry partners. Centre director Sveinung Løset
sees SAMCoT as an Arctic marine technology hub, but
for Karlsen and other SAMCoT industry partners, the
centre is also a place where the next generation of
industry thinkers is being trained.
“The main deliverables from SAMCoT are the people
who are being educated, not necessarily a specific
technology,” Karlsen says. “Those technologies are
going to be different for different industry partners.
What is important for all of us is the high quality of
education that people get at SAMCoT, and of course the
people themselves.”
Karlsen’s colleague at Statoil, Arne Gürtner, who is
principal researcher in Arctic technology, also sees the
centre as an academic powerhouse.
“SAMCoT is a main vehicle for increased knowledge and
research on Arctic technology in academia worldwide,”
he says.
Health and safety top priority
In May 2012, the SAMCoT Board followed an introduc
tory HSE course at UNIS where they experienced first-
hand the high HSE standards followed by SAMCoT.
UNIS, as one of SAMCoT`s research partners, also
plays an important role in developing and implementing
SAMCoT’s HSE strategy.
Kværner Engineering AS, a specialized worldwide
engineering, procurement and construction company,
From fundamental research to
technological innovation:
SAMC
o
T
’s Vision
The frozen reaches of the Arctic contain much as 20 percent of the world’s
undiscovered conventional petroleum resources – a fact that anyone in the oil
and gas industry knows by heart.
SAMCoT Board at a HSE exercise, Svalbard May 2012.
Photo: Nataliya Marchenko