Project title
Norway-Brazil cooperation in Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Logistics (OGREL)
Project summary
The project establishes a sustainable Norway-Brazil collaboration in education and research in Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Logistics (OGREL) between Molde University College – Specialized University in Logistics (MUC) and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), in cooperation with oil, gas and renewable energies industry.
Norway and Brazil are both oil and gas producing countries. In current oil price crisis and environmental concerns from society, they experience increased need in high-educated professionals able to effectively design energy supply chains by reducing logistics costs and using renewable energies, developing new solutions, and transferring knowledge to the industry.
The main educational and research activities of the project include development and execution of joint research-based courses, development of a study curriculum for master program in energy logistics including oil, gas and renewables, organization of regular joint research workshops, joint teaching, research and student supervision.
Anticipated results are new study curriculum, joint courses, student research works under joint supervision, participation in R&D projects with industry partners, joint publications and participation at scientific conferences, and joint research projects.
The project will benefit in building competence in Norway and Brazil in oil, gas and renewable energies logistics, development of research in application of Operations Research techniques to logistics planning problems in oil, gas and renewable energies networks, increased mobility of students between Norway and Brazil and their involvement in joint research activities, and knowledge exchange between academia and industry.
The goals of the project
- develop joint research-based courses integrated in MSc study programs in Petroleum Logistics and Logistics at MUC and in MSc program in Logistics at PUC-Rio;
- jointly develop a curriculum for MSc study program in Energy Logistics (including such energy sources as oil, gas and renewables) to be integrated into the academic structure at MUC;
- joint teaching and supervision, and guest lectures from partner universities;
- organize academic research workshops;
- increase mobility of PhD and MSc students between Brazil and Norway by student participation in educational (intensive courses) and research activities (work on MSc and PhD theses under joint supervision);
- facilitate student involvement in R&D projects with industry partners and involvement of industry partners in student projects;
- organize workshops involving lectures and advisors from industry partners;
- guest lecturing from industry partners;
- print teaching material, submit papers to journals, present papers on international scientific conferences.
The new offshore exploration areas located in the “pre-salt” layer, in Brazil, and Norwegian operations (Arctic) face similar logistics problems. One of the main challenges is the huge distance from oil rigs and production platforms to the supply bases. In Brazil, the pre-salt fields already produce 1,5 million oil barrels per day, which demands improvements in the current logistic system. In the last 5 years, Petrobras and PUC-Rio have been working to develop methodologies and systems to improve the offshore logistics. This partnership has helped to reduce operational costs and improved safety conditions. Similar solutions have been created by MUC. Norwegian and Brazilian oil and gas industry will benefit the opportunity of sharing the best practices in both countries, with substantial economics and social gains.
Brazil could contribute to Norway by sharing its experience on renewable energy planning and design. Some examples are wind mills planning, hydroelectric system planning and scheduling (Brazil has one of the biggest integrated energy system, based mostly in hydropower) and biofuel supply chain (Brazil has the oldest biofuel program in the world, relying in ethanol and biodiesel production). PUC-Rio has developed several research and developments projects and will provide the knowledge acquired to MUC researchers and students.
The project will help to fulfill Norway and Brazil public and private enterprises and government needs on educated specialists in oil, gas and renewable energy.
Target groups who have demand in project activities and who will benefit from the project:
- students, because the will learn new information, they will know some new approaches to study about energy systems logistics;
- academic and research staff, through bilateral cooperation;
- industries, such as maritime transport, petroleum, biofuels, energy;
- governmental organizations, to have decision and analysis support tools.