KFUPM signed agreements with industrial companies for marketing their inventions
Dec. 6, 2018 | Innovation
On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, KFUPM signed five agreements for marketing a number of its research products and patents with four international and local companies.
The event marks a milestone in the history of the University and signifies the beginning of the second stage of the University’s innovation strategy that represents commercialization and marketing of the technologies produced by the University by transforming them into economic outputs and technical products.
The agreement ceremony, held at Innovation Center building in Dhahran Techno Valley, was signed by Dr. Sahel N. Abduljauwad, Rector of KFUPM and senior corporate officials: Yokogawa Company, SAS Environmental Services, Modern National Chemicals and Petrogistix.
The signing ceremony was also attended by corporate officials of the Science Park in Dhahran Techno Valley and leaders from Saudi Aramco company.
HE Dr. Sahel N. Abduljauwad said that the signing of technology marketing agreements with our industrial partners is part of a long-term strategy for economic development initiated by KFUPM in 2006. It aims to develop a model system to be followed in the field of economic development based on the transformation of the University's research outputs and patents into economic outputs and technical products."
“Each new technology business bearing the name of KFUPM, both with local and international companies, is another step towards a more diversified Saudi economy with knowledge as one of its important tributaries.”
The Vice Rector of Applied Research Dr. Nasser Al-Aqeeli said that many of the University's inventions and outputs have industrial applications and can be implemented and marketed, which will contribute to the localization of technology in the Kingdom in important areas. He added that this is a major objective of both the National Transition Program 2020 and the Saudi Vision 2030.
Dr. Al-Aqeeli said that the industrial partners have a fundamental role in verifying the economic impact of the technologies arising from KFUPM research. Therefore, the university is always interested in developing and activating strategic partnerships with local and international companies.
During the ceremony, KFUPM signed agreements to develop and market the following technologies:
Gas Oil Separation Plant – Operational Decision Support System (GOSP-ODSS)
This technology is an advisory solution for the improvement and monitoring of pressure at Gas Oil Separation Plant (GOSP) in order to increase the revenues of the plant. Yokogawa Saudi Arabia, a major supplier of gas oil separation control systems in Saudi Arabia, is collaborating with KFUPM to develop a smart advisory tool that guides operators to optimum operating scenarios. As Saudi Arabia is one of the largest oil producers in the world, the effect of any slight improvement will save millions of dollars a year.
Continues Process Improvement (CPI)
This method uses artificial intelligence techniques to improve the performance of the control valve in order to maintain the product quality and to increase the plant availability until the next periodic maintenance. It is expected that 2-3% of the total costs spent without this technology will be saved because of the need to close the plant, maintenance of valves, rejection rate due to low quality, and increase the valve lifespan for the end user.
Control of water production in oil and gas wells
For each barrel of oil produced globally, three barrels of water are produced on average. The projected global cost of treating the produced water is eight billion dollars by 2019. This KFUPM invention , a new technology, helps reduce the number of barrels of water produced per barrel of oil extracted when injected into wells. The technology has been extensively tested in the University labs with the results showing that technology outweighs the competitive products. In the next phase, in cooperation with the company that obtained the commercial use license from KFUPM, the technology will be tested in the end-user laboratory before field testing. The technology was licensed to the Modern National Chemicals (MN-Chem), a 100% local company leading in the production and manufacturing of petroleum chemical technologies.
The treatment technique of unwanted waste produced during oil exploration and production
KFUPM has developed a new chemical product that allows oil companies to process different residues produced during oil and gas drilling and production operations. This product is unique in its operation and provides a solution that significantly improves the environmental health and safety. KFUPM has licensed the technology to SAS Environmental Services, a company based in the UK and USA that is renowned for oilfield waste processing products. The company is working to integrate its precision technologies with University technology to provide greater benefits to the sector and set new standards for industrial performance.
Technology for limitation of hydrogen sulphide
The technology developed by KFUPM researchers is a chemical additive to the oil fields to limit the toxic hydrogen sulfide gases that are normally produced during oil and gas operations. The newly developed chemical formula is easy to manufacture and has extensive applications in both exploration and production sectors of the oil industry. Petrogistix, a Saudi company providing innovative services and solutions to regional oil and gas operators, entered into an agreement with KFUPM for the commercial exploitation of the patent. The successful use of this technology is expected to reduce the operating costs and the required infrastructure by 200 million American dollars.
