OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2013. Aramco Overseas Co. B.V. (AOC), a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, has announced the inauguration of the Aramco Fuel Research Center (FRC), France. The established research facility is part of a long-term collaborative research agreement with IFPEN, a world-renowned French public sector research institute specializing in fuel and engine innovation.

The center was inaugurated on March 8 by Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, who echoed the importance of this downstream research and development partnership. “We are delighted to have entered into a partnership with such an important name in the global energy field. IFPEN is at the forefront of downstream innovation, and together, our pooled resources will allow us to make even greater strides toward meeting the world’s global energy needs,” he said.

Aramco FRC is yet another collaborative effort between the two organizations in their long-standing relationship. The joint efforts are designed to promote innovative fuel/engine technical solutions that will improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines and minimize emissions while reducing the overall cost to meet future legislative demands. To accomplish these goals, new fuel formulations and methodologies will be jointly developed and demonstrated on real vehicles.

“We are convinced that this collaboration will help the emergence of innovative technologies in the field of fuels and engines,” commented IFPEN chief executive Olivier Appert. “We will be able to let Saudi Aramco benefit from our strong background in engine/fuel matching and innovative combustion systems, and from our very highly skilled researchers and performance facilities. For its part, Aramco Overseas Co. will bring the know-how of its parent company, Saudi Aramco, in the field of fuel production and industrial networks. In addition, the creation of a satellite office at the IFPEN campus will bring teams closer together, standing as a major step for future collaboration on a broader range of topics. IFPEN is delighted to be able to support AOC as it begins research operations in France.”

This partnership will allow AOC to capitalize on IFPEN’s recognized innovation position, world-class facilities, experienced scientists, established ecosystem and industrial links to various European automakers. In turn, this will accelerate the innovation cycle of the various fuel/engine technologies pursued by its parent company, Saudi Aramco.

IFPEN boasts a significant level of intellectual property, courtesy of its policy of innovation and industrial development designed to protect research, promoting technology transfer to industry and creating jobs. Through FRC, both companies hope to mutually extend these values.

The research center in Paris adds to an AOC facility already opened in the Netherlands, at the Delft University of Technology, which conducts research into oil and gas exploration. AOC will soon be opening another office in Aberdeen, Scotland, focusing on drilling technologies.