CSCA Consortium      

CSCA Invitation

 Dear Madam/Sir,
 
     The Stanford University Petroleum Engineering Department and the Middle East Technical University Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering are proposing to launch a new consortium for collaboration with oil and gas producers in the Caspian Sea and Central Asian (CSCA) Region. We believe that the program will have a significant impact on the training of petroleum engineers in the CSCA region.  

     The program’s main mission is to develop advanced technologies and methodologies for enhancing the recovery of hydrocarbons from CSCA region oil and gas fields, and to demonstrate the viability of these techniques through collaborations with the operators in that region. An important additional objective of the consortium is the training of engineers from the CSCA region by providing them with educational opportunities, including advanced degree level degrees (M.S. and Ph.D.), at the two participating universities. 

     We expect that SU-METU will be supported by all major industrial organizations with activities in the CSCA region. We will use the funds generated by the consortium to enhance educational and research opportunities for bright young people from CSCA region who are interested in careers in the oil industry. In collaboration with companies operating in the CSCA region, research relevant to that region will be conducted at the two participating universities. A technical advisory committee (TAC) will be established to identify suitable areas of research and all participants in the program will be invited to become members of TAC. All research results will be made available to affiliates in the form of theses, research reports, software and early preprints of papers. SU-METU will hold an annual workshop at the Middle East Technical University or Stanford University. The consortium will also explore the possibility of periodic week-long continuing education seminars on relevant topics.  

     We think that by combining the strengths of two of the worlds leading universities we can develop a unique program that will directly address the critical research and manpower needs of one of the most important oil and gas producing regions of the world. We would like to invite your organization to be a member of this consortium. 

     Further details are provided in the attachment. It is our intention to have the program in operation by the start of the next academic year, provided there is sufficient interest. In order to achieve this, we need to hear from you by the end of March 2005.
 
Sincerely,