Overview
NorTex Petroleum Cluster promotes collaborative petroleum research initiatives between Texas and Norway. NorTex Short Term Exchange Program (STEP) financially supports students and researchers to spend collaborative research time in counterpart countries.
Applications for travel support from NorTex Petroleum Cluster have two deadlines each semester:
– Applications for support for the Fall semester need to be submitted no later than May 1st in the previous semester or, after the Fall semester has started, by Sept. 20th.
– Applications for support for the Spring semester need to be submitted no later than December 1st in the previous semester or, after the Spring semester has started, by March 1st.
Applications need to include a brief project description with objectives (half a page), CV, exchange research time, location and duration of stay, collaborative partner confirmation letter and person(s) who will receive the financial support. Funding is aimed at shorter research terms/visits; the time limit is normally maximum 3 months; corresponding to max ca. NOK 50 000 (ca US$ 5 800).
Submit proposals to the NorTex Board Chairman, Prof. Arne Graue, University of Bergen by submitting via e-mail to: arne.graue@ift.uib.no.
Recent Projects
Ryan Poling-Skutvik travelled to Norway in a collaboration between the Krishnamoorti research group at the University of Houston and the Petroleum and Process Technology research group at the University of Bergen. The travel was initiated by the NorTex Petroleum Cluster as part of the NorTex Short Term Exchange Program to increase collaboration between universities in Texas and Norway working on petroleum related research. Ryan has experience in preparing and characterizing polymer-functionalized nanoparticles that work to increase oil recovery in oil reservoirs. He conducted experiments using silica micromodels of porous rocks to determine the efficacy of the grafted nanoparticles on oil recovery. This trip paves the way for closer collaborations between the two research groups. While in Bergen, Ryan enjoyed the beautiful outdoors and hiking surrounding the city. He also travelled Norway, visiting Oslo and the Lofoten islands.