The North Sea’s technology trade body is looking for global developers to bring forward innovative ideas for the oil and gas industry.
The Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) has issued its annual open call for proposals and this year has broadened the scope for entries.
ITF has also made the submissions process for inventors and technologists simpler than ever, with only a short abstract required in the first instance.
Since 2014, the open call process has been a chance for developers to put forward ideas from a wide range of oil and gas activities, outside the more regular thematic calls for proposals run by the not-for-profit organisation.
The initial application process will remain open until November 17 and consists of two parts; registering on ITF’s Innovation Network and submitting a 300-word project proposal abstract.
Ben Foreman, technology manager with ITF, said: “We know there are technologies being developed by people with genuine industry know-how and we are looking forward to supporting them on their journey to market. We want to ensure that every technology with the potential to make a real difference to operations and bottom lines makes it to the front line.
“The open call is a chance for any credible case to be made. It gives projects which do not fulfil the specific criteria of our Rolling Technology Programme to emerge. The industry is open to new ideas and we can make them heard in the right places.”
The objective is for proposals which make it through the selection process to offer innovations or efficiencies in activities across the entire spectrum of oil and gas operations.
Technologies can be a concept stage or be ready for market development.
In 2015, a similar open call received approximately 100 submissions. Last year, the open call stipulated that technologies had a high TRL, but still attracted nearly 50 applications.
The proposals should address specific issues and demonstrate a clear business case for adoption.
Recent open call successes have included a joint industry project (JIP) by the University of Western Australia (UWA), supported by ITF, to provide industry with a better understanding of the mechanism of hydrate growth and blockages.
The 12-month study, entitled ‘Hydrate Deposit Growth in Subsea Jumpers (HyJump)’, currently has the support of industry partners, including Chevron, Total and Woodside, and is welcoming more participants to join the project.
