Hydro has entered into three-year cooperative agreements with two universities in North-West Russia. The agreements include 19 educational grants and funding for equipment and books.
Hydro representatives have signed cooperative agreements with the two universities Murmansk State Technical University and Arkhangelsk State Technical University.
In addition, Hydro is about to conclude an agreement with Gubkin University of Oil and Gas in Moscow.
This emerged during the seventh international oil and gas conference RAO/CIS Offshore 2005 in St. Petersburg, where Hydro is the main sponsor along with Gazprom.
Boost competency
"We would like to boost subsea technological competency at Russian universities," says Benedikt Henriksen, who is in charge of efforts to develop Hydro’s supplier network in Russia.
Large sectors of the Russian oil and gas industry are land-based, and the need for knowledge regarding subsea systems will be considerable in coming years.
Offering carbon copy of Ormen Lange
Hydro is working to obtain a partnership on the giant Shtokman field in the Barents Sea and has proposed developing the field with the same subsea technology used on Ormen Lange.
"We want to utilize Russian expertise and it will be important for us - for Hydro, our partners and suppliers - to have access to a highly educated labour force," says Henriksen.
Grants will be awarded to students, research fellows and lecturers. Some of those chosen will also be offered the chance to gain experience by working at Hydro’s Norwegian research centres.
Pride and joy
"We are proud of this cooperative agreement. It gives new students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and forms the basis for new jobs in the future," says Alexande Papuska of Murmansk State Technical University.
Of the 9,500 students at Murmansk State Technical University, 100 of them have enrolled for offshore studies. Hydro also has a long tradition in Norway of providing considerable support to universities and research institutes.