Two development projects with Statoil participation have been highlighted as particularly important in a recent European Union report.
Discussed in the EU's Thermie Sectoral Report 1995-97 Hydrocarbons, these ventures cover volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and advanced wells respectively.
The report covers the hydrocarbon industry and utilisation of hydrogen as an energy source, and notes that the EU has provided a total of EUR 122 million to 167 projects in the two areas.
These funds have been channelled through the Joule-Thermie programme initiated in 1995 with the aim of stimulating the use of alternatives to nuclear energy.
Twelve of the projects considered to be of particular importance to society during the first two-year period receive positive coverage in the report.
These include the VOC project run by Statoil, which has developed technology for recovering and re-condensing the fumes given off when crude is loaded into shuttle tankers offshore.
The recovered VOCs can either be collected in a storage tank as fuel for the ship's engines, or returned to the cargo.
Statoil is also involved in the advanced wells project (AWP) together with Norsk Hydro. This aims to find more cost-efficient methods for hydrocarbon exploration, development and production.
Innovative solutions make it possible to exploit new and existing oil/gas resources by reducing costs and improving both recovery and well productivity.
These projects are highlighted because they focus on market requirements, presenting technological advances which are relevant for the industry while also being commercially and socially profitable.
"This report is being distributed throughout Europe," says Tore A Torp in Technology. "It's important that our projects are highlighted because that's noted by the people who have to decide which technologies and policies will prevail in our markets."
Statoil participated in 31 projects which applied for funding under the Joule-Thermie programme in 1995-97, and 26 of these received support.
The EU programme is divided into three principal sectors - renewable energy sources, rational use of energy in buildings, industry and transport, and fossil fuels (solid, liquid and gaseous).