The Cluster

The Cluster will promote and support research projects of high importance to Texas and Norway and emphasize exposure of industrial challenges to the academic science community. The objectives will be met by improving communication between industry and academia, provide industrial lecture positions at the collaborating universities, support student and faculty exchange and assist in facilitating industry funding for adjunct and chair positions at the collaborating universities; especially emphasizing the NorTex collaboration.

Work force for the collaborative research is 200 PhD students in Norway within the Petroleum Research School of Norway and similar number of PhD students in Texas.

Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of representatives from all collaborating organizations:

  • Prof. Jon Olson, Department Chair, Dept. of Petr. and Geosystems Eng., UT at Austin, TX, USA
  • Prof. Dan Hill, Department Head, Dept. of Petr. Eng., Texas A&M Univ., TX, USA.
  • Najib Abusalbi, Corporate University Relations Manager, Schlumberger, Houston, TX, USA
  • Prof. George Hirasaki, Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Eng., Rice U., TX, USA.
  • Ganesh C. Thakur, PhD, MBA, NAE, Director of Energy Industry Partnerships & Distinguished Professor of Petroleum Engineering, U. of Houston
  • Prof. Svein Skjæveland, Dept. of Petr. Eng., U. of Stavanger, Norway
  • Prof. Martin Landrø, Dept. of Petr. Eng. and Applied Geophysics, NTNU, Norway
  • Max Medina, Statoil Austin, head of Shale R&D i Statoil
  • Prof. Arne Graue, Dept. of Physics and Technology, U. of Bergen, Norway

Elected Chairman of the Executive Board is Prof. Arne Graue, University of Bergen, Norway

Collaborators

Universities in Norway

Universities in Texas

Oil and Service Industry

University of Bergen Rice University Schlumberger
University of Stavanger University of Houston Statoil
Norwegian University
of Science & Technology
UT Austin
Texas A&M