Kristina Helland-Hansen, head of Exploration Technology department at Statoil, has accepted a position as a permanent member of the steering committee for CAGE.
Text: Maja Sojtaric
The steering committee is responsible for overseeing the strategy for research, training, economy and patent developments at the center of excellence.
“The committee oversees operational aspects of CAGE including the relationships to the University, institutes and industry. It is important that we now have a representative from the industry to contribute to our board with her experiences.” Says CAGE Director Jürgen Mienert.
Kristina Helland-Hansen has a PhD in geophysics and geology, and has done research on underground seismic and deep marine sediments. She has a background within several research related topics at Hydro and Statoil, both in a technical capacity, but also as a leader for the exploration unit, focusing on seismic analysis and predictive concepts. Helland-Hansen is currently leading a research group that among other projects studies hydrates beneath the ocean floor.
Interesting to follow the development of CAGE
“The core competence and research at CAGE is very interesting to follow, as it is directly relevant for some of the research projects that I am leading at Statoil” says Helland-Hansen.
Research done at CAGE is of strategic relevance for Statoil, according to Helland-Hansen.
“We wish to better understand what can happen if we drill through shallow hydrate layers. That knowledge can help us prevent serious accidents, avoid operational obstacles and improve planning of our wells. Hydrates are also potential energy source for the future.” she says.
The other members of the board are: Prof. Kenneth Ruud (Pro Rector for Research and development, UiT The Arctic University of Norway); Prof. Morten Hald (Dean. Science and technology faculty, UiT); Dr. Morten Smelror (Director, Norwegian geological survey (NGU), Trondheim); and Dr. Nalan Koc (Research Director, Norwegian Polar Institute), and Prof. Inger Schjölberg (Director NTNU Oceans)
