Qatar Petroleum, Total and Q Analytica to conduct joint research programme on petroleum profiling

Qatar Petroleum (QP), Total E&P Qatar and Q Analytica, have signed a joint research and development agreement on petroleum profiling, a technology that can be used to identify the chemical composition of crude oil.

The agreement was signed between QP director for strategic planning and policy Issa Shahin Al-Ghanim, Total E&P Qatar managing director Stéphane Michel and Q Analytica general manager Dr. John Hassard, at QP headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

The joint research project will be implemented in three phases, based on the research and development (R&D) strategy of QP in knowledge transfer and technologies development.

The project will primarily focus on analysing the opportunity to acquire the techniques applied in biomedical research into oil and gas research fields.

The research work will be carried out at the laboratories of QP and Total at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).

Petroleum profiling, which is also known as oil fingerprinting, can be used to identify and quantify all components of crude oil.

It will help to conduct a study on components that affect the properties and reactivity of specific crude oil.

As a part of the project, the partnering companies will study the prospect of acquiring the new technologies currently applied in the biomedical field.

The new technologies will then be used in oil and gas operations to increase the oil fingerprinting task, making it easier, faster and more sensitive.

In the first year of project implementation, the companies are expected to file a number of patents out of the research work.

QP research and technology steering committee chairman Al-Ghanim said the new research agreement will allow the company to bring resources to develop new methodologies and technologies for the development of the global oil and gas industry.

Total E&P Qatar managing director Stéphane Michel said the company had previously signed an agreement with Qatar Petroleum on acid stimulation.

"We are very pleased to sign this new research agreement on the geochemistry of carbonate reservoirs with Qatar Petroleum and Q Analytica," Michel added.

Q Analytica general manager Dr. John Hassard said the company’s analytical technology has been used in a wide range of biomedical programmes, such as rapid vaccine development programme and rapid petroleomic profiling programme, the first one in oil and gas sector.

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Image: The research work will be carried at the laboratories of QP and Total at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP). Photo: Courtesy of Qatar Petroleum.