Subsea Sensors for Oil and Gas

The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway as part of Research Initiative for Northern Norway (Nordsatsing). The toal budget for 2009-2014 is 61 mill. kr, with 33 mill. kr from the Research Council. The project funds five PhD-positions, two post-docs, researchers, running costs and equipment. Dr. Olav Gaute Hellesø is project leader. 

The project includes national and international collaboration, and with academia, research institutions and companies. The collaboration includes:

Taco Scientific, Prof. Laura Lechuga, Prof. Thomas Huser, Prof. Lars Egil Helseth, Prof. James S. Wilkinson, Fraunhofer IAP, CMR, Breivoll Inspection Technologies, Babson College, SIVA, etc.

The project has five work packages, which are described below.

Optical sensor for measurement of methane in the air

This sensor is based on optical waveguides and integrated optics. The aim is to make a small and very sensitive sensor to detect methane released from the sea and from other sources. The sensor chip will be the same as for subsea detection, while the packaging will be different.

• Contact: Dr. Stian Solbø, Norut.
• Other participants: PhD-student Firehun Tsige Dullo and MSc-student Viktor Sokolov

Optical sensor for subsea measurement of methane

The design principle is the same as for the sensor for methane in air, and these two work packages are collaborating closely and sharing a dedicated optics-lab. Prof. Laura Lechuga (CIN2, Barcelona) is connected to this project as adjunct professor and the waveguide chips are made in Barcelona. Taco Scientific is doing parts of the work and will possibly be a partner for commercialization of the sensors.

• Contact: Dr. Olav Gaute Hellesø, Dept. of Physics and Technology, Univ. of Tromsø
• Other participants: PhD-student Susan Lindecrantz and Dr. Balpreet Singh Ahluwalia

Ultrasound gas leak detection

Ultrasound is scattered by gas bubbles. The scattered and reflected signal is dependent on the diameter of the bubbles, the concentration, the type of gas and the pressure. Measurements are done on finding these relationships between physical parameters and the detected signal. The aim is to use this knowledge to detect smaller leaks and at larger depths than previously.

• Contact: Dr. Jarle André Johansen, Department of Engineering and Safety, Univ. of Tromsø
• Other participants: PhD-student Bernt Inge Hansen

 Bubbling research. Hydrophone on upper left side.

Process research and development of new ultrasonic transducers

An ultrasound transducer can both emit and detect sound. New material and new fabrication methods for ultrasound transducers are investigated. A lab for fabrication and characterization of the transducers has been established. It is particularly focused on transducers that can be fixed on a flexible support, so an array of transducers can be attached to surfaces that are not flat, e.g. pipelines.

• Contact: Prof. Frank Melandsø, Dept. of Physics and Technology, Univ. of Tromsø
• Other participants: Dr. Sanat Wagle, PhD-student Adit Decharat and Prof. Svein Jacobsen.

  Printed ultrasound transducer with height profile inserted.

Technology entrepreneurship and university-industry technology transfer
in geographically dispersed regions

The main goals of this work package are: 1) to develop a better understanding of the type or resources leading to the establishment of and growth in technology based firms (e.g. infrastructure, financing, knowledge, networks), 2) to develop a better understanding of the role of research in the establishment and growth of new technology based firms, 3) to develop a better understanding of technology transfer from research institutions and how this contributes to innovation in industry, 4) to develop a better understanding of how policy makers and support agencies can contribute to technology transfer and technology based industry development, and 5) to build a leading research group on these topics at the University of Nordland.

• Contact: Dr. Einar Rasmussen, Bodø Graduate School of Business, University of Nordland.
• Other core participants are : Dr Tommy Clausen (Nordland Research Institute), Professor Roger Sørheim, PhD student Siri Jakobsen, PhD student Krister Salamonsen, PhD student Marianne Steinmo.

Some resent publications: