The first defence of a doctoral thesis on a scientific subject to be held in the Faroe islands will take place today, 6 June, with backing from Statoil.
Supporting this work forms part of a commitment to Faroese higher education in petroleum subjects made by the group under earlier collaboration agreements.
Statoil’s Arild Saasen will be one of the opponents when Jóannes Djurhus defends his work on analytical investigation of in-situ stresses and hydraulic-induced borehole fractures.
A fluid technology specialist in the drilling and well technology unit, Mr Saasen was a prime mover behind the group’s involvement in Norwegian-Faroese cooperation over petroleum-related studies.
Backing for Mr Djurhus’ thesis, which is being defended in the Faroese capital of Tórshavn, reflects the Statoil goal of supporting sustainable development.
The group is committed to operating profitably, safely and in an ethically acceptable manner.
At the same time, it aims to show environmental concern and social responsibility by engaging in measures which can contribute to progress by the local communities in which it is involved.
Exploration off the Faroes forms part of Statoil’s operations along the Atlantic Margin, which extends from west of Ireland to the Lofoten islands of northern Norway.
The group has been assessing the potential of the Faroese continental shelf since the early 1990s, and is currently operator for two licences in these waters.
In connection with its commercial operations in the islands, Statoil has been a prime mover in promoting collaboration deals between Faroese and Norwegian higher education institutions, such as Stavanger University College.
Under a 1997 agreement, Statoil together with Mobil and Enterprise Oil – its then partners in the Atlantic Margin Group – established a final year in petroleum technology studies for graduates from the Faroese university.