Some like to pontificate on the ageing workforce and the decline in upstream student intake. ChevronTexaco Corp. (CTC) is doing something about it. Hot on the heels of setting up a ‘smart field’ R&D center at the University of Southern California (see Oil ITJ Vol. 8 n° 9), the company is now funding a new ‘Center of Research Excellence in Earth Science’ at the Colorado School of Mines. The center’s co-executive directors will be John Hebberger, research manager at CTC and CSM distinguished scientist Chuck Kluth.
Subsurface
The center will develop advanced technologies to improve interpretation of subsurface geology through computer modeling. R&D will center on integrated technologies targeted to deepwater exploration. CTC employees will participate in the program and provide real-world geological data from oil and gas fields from around the world.
World-wide
The CRE will support a strong educational component drawing top graduate students from around the world. The program at CSM will also train existing CTC employees in innovative petroleum exploration techniques and strategies.
Fluid flow
The center is actually the third CTC funded R&D unit. In December 2001, the company established a Center of Research Excellence in production fluid flow at the University of Tulsa where research focuses emulsions and multiphase flow, dispersions and heavy-oil chemistry.
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