Murmansk State Technical University hosted Monday an approval ceremony for the first local students, teachers and doctorates part in Hydro's scholarship program. 150 academics from Murmansk turned up in order to learn more about Hydro.
Hydro's initiative in Murmansk aims to bridge Norwegian offshore experience together with strong Russian academic oil and gas expertise in order to help prepare NW Russia for the future petroleum developments in the Russian
Barents Sea.
– I am impressed with the expertise level of petroleum research at Murmansk State University. Now, we hope to contribute with our experience in offshore developments from the Norwegian Continental Shelf, in order to lay a strong academic and professional foundation for future offshore developments in Russia, such as the large Shtokman gas field, Senior Vice President Bengt Lie Hansen stated at Murmansk State Technical University.
Two teachers, three doctorates and three students was handed their approval as part of Hydro's scholarship program. The program will last over a period of three years and entitles economic support and may include various research visits to Hydro's research facilities in Norway.
– Hydro supports different Russian universities and students to develop close connections between the petroleum industry and academic institutions, Lie Hansen says.
Part of Hydro's Shtokman Supplier Development Program
Hydro's cooperation with Murmansk State University is part of Hydro ongoing Shtokman Supplier Development Program aiming to prepare Russian suppliers for the upcoming Shtokman offshore development.
– We wish to apply our project model from Hydro's Ormen Lange development
accumulating over 30 years of offshore experience from the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Through a close cooperation with governmental bodies, academia and suppliers we have achieved a very high degree of national content to the largest industrial project in Norway ever. Such cooperation is essential in order to deliver large-scale petroleum projects on time and budget. We now wish to share our experience with Russia in order to secure successful offshore projects with a high content of Russian supplies, Lie Hansen says.
The Supplier Development Program was initiated by Hydro in 2002, after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, where the two leaders addressed the importance of a closer cooperation between Norway and Russia in NW Russia.
So far Hydro has identified over 400 suppliers, assessed 100 of them and prequalified six Russian suppliers for work on the Norwegian and British Continental Shelf through the Achilles system. Two of these companies, Murmansk Ship Yard and Mostotryad 9, are today delivering services to Norwegian companies.