News Archive

Sophisticated equipment and high-level expertise at The University of Western Australia are helping to build strong ties with our Korean neighbours who recently visited UWA to build on their knowledge of developments in the oil and gas industry.

A group of Korean academics and company directors said they were impressed by state-of-the-art facilities at UWA's Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS).  They were keen to take new knowledge back to their students and companies to progress work they were doing in the same area.

Thirty-seven workshop participants developed action plans for further cooperation and joint research projects between the two industrial and research partners.

Korea Maritime University Professor Seung Jae Lee said the visit had enormous ongoing benefits for participants and Korean students.

"As academics this workshop helps our research because we can observe results being achieved through the use of UWA's sophisticated laboratory facilities - COFS houses the only centrifuge modelling facility in Australia."

COFS facilities are used for specialised lab and model testing to investigate soil structure for preliminary knowledge in the construction of strong oil and gas structures.

"Our relationship with UWA offers invaluable opportunities for Korean students to come and gain relevant experience in a vibrant and dynamic environment at the centre of WA's resources hub,"Professor Lee said.

COFS Director, Winthrop Professor Mark Cassidy, said UWA was building on several important agreements with Korea, including collaborative arrangements with the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Korea University and Seoul National University.

Korea's top 10 resource universities were strengthening ties with UWA to develop a global talent in mineral and energy resources development.  Professor Cassidy said he was delighted to deliver the workshop with support from UWA's Energy and Minerals Institute, the Australia-Korea Business Council of WA, the WA Energy Research Alliance and industry sponsors.

"The workshop aimed to promote Australian and Korean cooperation in the offshore technology industry and to expand international networks in oil and gas technology between Australian and Korean industry, university and national research bodies," Professor Cassidy said.

Workshop themes and topics included Innovative Design and Construction Techniques, Offshore Geotechnics and Geohazards, Floating LNG and Naval Architecture and Gas Processing Technology.

The workshop was followed by a dinner to celebrate a decade of Australian and Korean Oil and Gas Technology, tours of WA:ERA and UWA laboratories, and a Pilbara visit.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Mark Cassidy (Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems Director)  (+61 4)  31 241 508
Nicola Holman (Energy and Minerals Institute)  (+61 8)  6488 7586  /  (+61 4) 19 716 311
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783