SASKATCHEWAN PARTNERS WITH RESEARCH GROUPS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris signed a Memorandum of Understanding today in The Netherlands with the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) of Regina, the University of Regina and CATO-2 of the Netherlands. The agreement will encourage the parties to share information on carbon capture and storage (CCS) through student exchange, research collaboration and technology transfer.

"This partnership between world leaders specializing in enhanced oil recovery and carbon storage research will enrich both Saskatchewan and The Netherlands," Norris said.

CEO of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre and University of Regina Adjunct Professor Malcolm Wilson also participated in the signing. PTRC is a not-for-profit research and development organization managing one of the world's largest CO2 storage projects - Weyburn-Midale CO2 Project. CCS is a major area of research at the University of Regina.

CATO is the Dutch national research and development program for CO2 capture, transport and storage. Like Saskatchewan, The Netherlands is redeveloping old oil fields by employing enhanced recovery techniques using steam and CO2.

While in the Netherlands, PTRC and Minister Norris also signed an agreement to work together with Netherlands-based sensor technology institution INCAS³. This agreement will give Saskatchewan access to critical sensor technologies needed to deploy new technologies for enhanced heavy oil recovery.

"Through our Canadian partnerships we have the opportunity to apply our expertise to challenging measurement problems, ranging from water quality monitoring to oil reservoir charting, in an environment that provides the ultimate test for the robustness and reliability for our sensor systems," INCAS³ Managing Director John van Pol said.

INCAS³ has already established partnerships with PTRC, CanNorth, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Nations Education Council and has ongoing discussions with the Saskatchewan and National Research Councils.

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For more information, contact:

Bill Stovin
Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0926