THE technology centre that was set up to help the North Sea industry boost efficiency amid the crude price plunge with a pledge of £180 million official support has approved projects worth £1.6 million since it was launched in February. The three projects selected by the Aberdeen-based Oil & Gas Technology Centre concern the use of drones and ultrasound technology to help keep oil and gas facilities in good shape and a component that could cut the cost of drilling in rough weather. The chief executive of the centre, Colette Cohen, said it looked forward to helping the companies behind the technologies to take their concepts from early stage development through to deployment in the field. She noted: “Since our launch in February, we’ve screened almost 200 technologies and have an excellent pipeline of opportunities, with operating companies now facilitating field trials on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.” Oil giants Total, Chevron and Nexen have agreed to participate in projects. Air Control Energy, TRAC Oil & Gas and Deepwater Oil Tools have been awarded around £1 million project funding by the centre in total. Recipients of OGTC funding have to raise one third of the cost of qualifying projects themselves. The centre was launched with £180m funding from the UK and Scottish Governments.
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