عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Aramco Plans $100 Million Funding for KAUST to Support Cutting-Edge R&D 

The Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at Hyvolution exhibition in Paris, France, February 1, 2024. (Reuters)
The Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at Hyvolution exhibition in Paris, France, February 1, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Aramco Plans $100 Million Funding for KAUST to Support Cutting-Edge R&D 

The Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at Hyvolution exhibition in Paris, France, February 1, 2024. (Reuters)
The Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at Hyvolution exhibition in Paris, France, February 1, 2024. (Reuters)

Saudi Aramco announced on Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to support research that aims to deliver environmental and commercial benefits.

In a statement, Aramco said it plans to fund up to $100 million in research and development projects with KAUST over the next 10 years. The funds from Aramco have been earmarked for a wide range of initiatives, from essential research to applied technologies, as KAUST seeks to push the boundaries of science and innovation.

Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser said: "This collaboration will further deepen Aramco's relationship with KAUST and we look forward to exploring new possibilities and frontiers with a strong focus on R&D and technology development, reflecting our firm belief in the importance of innovation across industries and applications."

KAUST President Tony Chan said that the collaboration with Aramco will leverage both entities' expertise to develop innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

Areas of collaboration include the energy transition, sustainability, materials transition, upstream technologies and digital solutions, with an emphasis on developing commercially-viable outcomes.

Topics identified within the energy transition field include liquids-to-chemicals conversion and future refineries research, as well as low-carbon aviation fuels. Sustainability research will include hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, renewables, and energy storage solutions. Additional projects are expected to focus on advanced carbon materials and geothermal energy, among other things.

Most Viewed

 
Business

Chevron Announces First Oil at Ballymore Project in Gulf of Mexico  

The logo and trading information for Chevron is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, June 27, 2022. (Reuters)
The logo and trading information for Chevron is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, June 27, 2022. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Chevron Announces First Oil at Ballymore Project in Gulf of Mexico  

The logo and trading information for Chevron is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, June 27, 2022. (Reuters)
The logo and trading information for Chevron is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, June 27, 2022. (Reuters)

Chevron has started oil and gas production from a project in the US Gulf of Mexico, the oil major said on Monday, bringing the company a step closer toward its goal of growing production from the ocean basin by 50% this year.

The $1.6 billion project called Ballymore, located about 160 miles southeast of New Orleans, is composed of three wells that are expected to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil per day.

Chevron aims to grow oil and gas production from the Gulf to 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026, and at the same time, it is working to cut up to $3 billion in costs across the business.

Instead of building a new production platform for Ballymore, the wells will transport oil and gas back to an existing platform, which the company said will allow it to increase production at less expense.

“Ballymore is interesting in that it's a tie-back to an existing facility, which has allowed us to bring production to market more quickly,” said Bruce Niemeyer, president of Americas exploration and production, in an interview.

The project is also Chevron's first in a geological formation of the Gulf called Norphlet, where the oil and gas industry has historically had fewer discoveries than in other parts of the ocean basin, he added.

Advancements in technology are key to expanding resource exploration, such as the use of ocean bottom nodes, which allow geophysicists to collect better data underneath the ocean floor, Niemeyer said.

Chevron is the operator of Ballymore with a 60% interest, while co-owner TotalEnergies has 40%.

Ballymore holds an estimated 150 million barrels of oil equivalent in potentially recoverable resources.

The company owns 370 leases in the Gulf of Mexico and expects to participate in a lease sale this year by US President Donald Trump's administration, Niemeyer said.

The Ballymore start-up comes after Chevron announced first oil in August at Anchor, a Gulf of Mexico project that is a technological breakthrough with the ability to operate in deepwater pressures of up to 20,000 pounds per square inch.