Chairholders
Profile
Gerrit Voordouw
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
Chair title
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Petroleum Microbiology
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Senior Chairholder since 2007
Summary
A sustainable energy future requires reducing per capita energy use, increasing the fraction of alternative forms of energy, and improving the efficiency of extraction and use of fossil fuels to lower environmental impact.The NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Petroleum Microbiology will focus on this last aspect and will develop microbial biotechnologies for the extraction and processing of fossil fuels, especially oil and gas. The Chair research program will focus on:
- the oilfield sulfur cycle, particularly the field-wide use of nitrates to lower the concentration of sulfide produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB);
- prevention of SRB sulfide-mediated corrosion of metal pipes and equipment by the use of nitrates, and on ;
- stimulating resident bacteria to make biomass, biosurfactants or viscosity-breaking, highly reactive chemicals to improve production.
Partners
- Aramco Services Company
- Baker Petrolite Corporation
- Commercial Microbiology Ltd.
- ConocoPhillips Company
- Repsol YPF, S.A.
- Shell Canada Ltd.
- Yara International ASA
- Computer Modelling Group Ltd.
Contact information
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
Biological Sciences Building – Room BI 186
2500 University Dr. NW
Calgary, Alberta
T2N 1N4
Tel.: 403-220-3140
Fax: 403-289-9311
Email: voordouw@ucalgary.ca
Website:
http://www.bio.ucalgary.ca/contact/faculty/voordouw.html
