Sultan Qaboos University has taken ownership of moving the conversation surrounding the top R&D recommendation to the next level and is hosting the summit.
Three quarters of participants who attended the 2015 Oman Energy Forum Workshop, which was the basis of the Oman Energy Master Plan 2040 (Draft) Report wanted to narrow the widening gap between Industry and Academia to establish PPPs for R&D, according to a Gulf Intelligence (GI) Industry Survey.
“Creating a knowledge and R&D ecosystem is a multifaceted and long journey that lies at the core of Oman’s national goals. SQU ensures that it meets with stakeholders from the industry, ministries and various organisations to understand their needs and challenges and collectively develop novel solutions to tackle their challenges in what is a dynamic job market.
SQU would like to see the entire chain of innovation evolve, from research, commercialised innovations to the creation of new businesses and industries. SQU hopes to see Academia and Industry join hands to bolster the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Oman’s energy sector,” said Dr Rahma al Mahrooqi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University.
The need for cooperation has never been clearer, as Oman’s economy faces intensifying pressure. Oil and gas revenues accounted for nearly 80 per cent of Oman’s government revenues in 2015 and the World Bank estimates that low oil prices reduced Oman’s revenues by $10 billion last year. Further losses are inevitable, as Brent oil hovers at $50/bl.
“There is little debate that better cooperation between Industry and Academia is the switch that will help release the growing pressure on Oman’s energy sector and encourage more public-private partnerships. While Oman’s oil production reached 1 million barrels a day for the first time in July last year, the challenges of low oil prices and maximising economic recovery from the country’s maturing fields remain. The innovative spirit that Oman urgently requires to enhance its R&D ecosystem is already evident, with deployment of a string of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies illustrating the country’s appetite for pushing the boundaries,” said Steve Kelly, President & General Manager of Occidental of Oman, which is one of the Summit’s two Premier Partners.
Academia cannot do research for the sake of research; efforts have to be focused on applied research in order to deliver results that are useful to the economic health of Industry and Oman as a whole. Equally, Industry must appreciate the capacity and limits of local universities and research institutions and support their R&D capabilities. Cooperation is a win-win strategy; better education leads to a strong R&D ecosystem that supports Industry’s profit margins and in turn incentivises Industry to financially support Academia’s goals.
“Oman is undoubtedly on the right track to building knowledge capacity and creating an innovative R&D ecosystem, which will enable the energy sector to flourish in a cost and operationally efficient manner,” said Raoul Restucci, Managing Director, Petroleum Development Oman, which is the Summit’s second Premier Partner.
Source Link: omanobserver.om