ExxonMobil, bp, and Chevron among oil and gas giants investing in University of Aberdeen energy initiative

ENERGY giants have invested £600,000 (US$786,000) in the University of Aberdeen’s energy initiative focused on decarbonising the oil and gas industry.

Nine companies, including bp, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell, have committed to supporting research at the university’s Centre for Energy Transition (CET).

The companies will fund the university’s range of master’s and short-course programmes related to the energy transition, including its advanced chemical engineering master’s and offshore structures and subsea systems course.

John Underhill, the University’s director for energy transition, said: “In supporting these studentships our funders have sent a strong message about the confidence industry has in the Centre’s ability to progress the energy transition and support the industry’s shift to a cleaner future.”

Industry collaboration

The university says CET will have several key areas for its energy transition research, including geological exploration of seabeds suitable for subsurface storage and energy sources.

It will also undertake research into spatial planning and engineering for low-carbon renewable projects, particularly for offshore wind and wellbore technologies.

The university has strong ties with its industry investors, establishing several studentships and educational programmes for young engineering talent.

Earlier this year, bp celebrated 30 years of its student tutoring scheme. Around 3,000 students from higher education institutions in northeast Scotland, including the University of Aberdeen, have benefited from the scheme which encourages young people to go into the energy industry.

Chevron has also collaborated with the university’s National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), funding the centre’s research into the environmental impacts of decommissioning energy projects.

Andrew Kulpecz, Chevron’s general manager UK Upstream, said: “Meeting the demand for affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy is critical and as the world transitions to a lower-carbon future, we will need scale, speed, and solutions.

“At the heart of this will be a pipeline of talent, with the creativity and ingenuity to deliver the lower carbon energy needed today while building the energy system of tomorrow.”