The UK government has launched a new technology center in Aberdeen to help unlock the full oil and gas potential the UK North Sea.
The £180m Oil & Gas Technology Centre has been officially launched by the UK Government Minister for Scotland Lord Dunlop and Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy Paul Wheelhouse MSP.
In collaboration with a wide range of partners, the Centre will undertake projects to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies in a bid to improve efficiency, increase productivity and lower costs for the oil and gas industry.
Oil & Gas Technology Centre CEO Colette Cohen said: “The Oil & Gas Technology Centre will help to unlock the full potential of the UK North Sea, anchor the supply chain in the North East of Scotland and make the region a great place to live, work and invest for decades to come.”
The center is said to be a core part of the £250m Aberdeen City Region Deal, a long-term improvement program aimed at enhancing growth, competitiveness, connectivity, infrastructure among others in the region.
The deal is backed by the Scottish Government, UK Government, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Opportunity North East.
Oil & Gas Technology Centre chairman Sir Ian Wood said: “Substantially increasing the development and deployment of technology is vital if we are to recover as many of the 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent that could remain on the UK Continental Shelf.
“With clear long-term global aspirations, our success will provide the magnet to encourage a significant proportion of our high-tech supply chain sector to remain in the region beyond the North Sea era.”
Separately, a memorandum of understanding has also been signed by the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University for a joint venture to develop a Centre of Excellence for field life extension and decommissioning in Aberdeen.
Image: The new Oil & Gas Technology Centre is located in Aberdeen, Scotland. Photo: courtesy of The Oil & Gas Technology Centre.