Supported by the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP) - a representative body for the oil & gas industry, the ground-breaking ceremony of first ever Norwegian Centre of Excellence in Petroleum Studies (NCEPS) was held at Department of Petroleum Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology.
Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, Tore Nedrebo was the chief guest of the ceremony. Muhammad Moonis (Honorary Norwegian Counsel General in Karachi) accompanied the chief guest.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from Planning Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Petroleum Industry, Deans, Chairperson, faculty members of NED University and media personnel. NCEPS is the outcome of Norwegian Funded Project PK-3004, Pak-Norway Institutional Co-operation Programme (ICP).
The project was executed by NED University of Engineering and Technology in collaboration with Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Professor Michael Golan, Professor Egil Tjaland and Professor Jon Kleppe represented NTNU while Professor Sarosh Hashmat Lodi and Professor Abid Murtaza Khan on behalf of NED University.
The project aimed at to establish Norwegian Centre of Excellence in Petroleum Studies and includes capacity building of faculty members and lab engineers, strengthening of laboratory resources, transfer of technology and development of sustainable linkage between the two universities.
NED University has started construction of building for the Norwegian Centre through the funding from Government of Pakistan. Addressing on the occasion, Norwegian envoy admired the efforts of NED team, headed by Professor Dr Muhammad Afzal Haque, Vice Chancellor Professor Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Dean Faculty of Civil Engineering & Architecture, and Professor Abid Murtaza Khan, Chairman Department of Petroleum Engineering.
Later on, the NCEPS plaque was formally unveiled by the ambassador. NCEPS, since its inception has been quite active and last year it organised the first ever International Conference on Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources (ICOUR-1) in Islamabad which gained enormous appreciation in print and electronic media. Thanks to tremendous support by Pakistan Petroleum Ltd, Oil & Gas Development Corporation and Petroleum Institute of Pakistan.
It is envisaged that NCEPS will act as a platform for acquiring research excellence in all areas of petroleum engineering discipline with emphasis on unconventional oil and gas resources of this region. It will also function as a focal point for academia-industry collaboration. Furthermore, it will address the energy issues of national & regional importance. The Vice Chancellor NED University, Dean (CEA), and Chairman Department of Petroleum Engineering also addressed the ceremony.
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