The Dutch oil and gas supply industry belongs to the top of the world. The Dutch supply industry is famous with regard to offshore and gas technology. But also in the field of geophysics, logistics and maintenance the Dutch supply industry excels. The Dutch maritime industrial history, the continuous struggle against the sea, the facts that the Netherlands is the home base of Shell and is a mayor onshore and offshore gas producer has contributed to this.  

However other oil and gas countries are investing enormous amounts of money in developing oil and gas technology to develop their oil and gas technology.  In order to stay ahead of the competition IRO encourages its members to invest in innovative technology.  

The following innovation technology programmes are available for IRO members:  

IRO Innovation Seminar
Every other year IRO organizes an innovation seminar. The last one was on the 7th April 2011.
The seminar was organized in cooperation with the Shell Upstream Research and Development Centre in Rijswijk.
The programme consisted of the following elements:
- Presentation Shell R&D policy by Jeroen Regtien, Vice President Hydrocarbon Recovery Technologies Shell
- Presentation Maritime Innovation Programme (MIP) by prof.dr.ir. R.H.M. Huijsmans, Head section Ship Hydromechanics and Structures, Delft University/Faculty 3mE
- IRO Innovation Prize contest. Overall winner: Airborne Composite Tubulars BV
- Visits to Shell labs: Virtual Reality Centre, Test Rig, Enhanced Oil Recovery Lab, Model Room & Drilling Room, Core Shed
- Innovation stands IRO members
- Innovation network cocktail party for IRO members and Shell researchers

Innovation contracts top sectors
The Government has identified 9 Dutch ‘Top Sector’s for further support. For more information go to: www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/ondernemersklimaat-en-innovatie/investeren-in-topsectoren.

The Government support to promote research and development consists of a 500 million Euro innovation fund for SME companies and furthermore of a number of fiscal incentives. The two top sectors most relevant for the oil and gas industry are ’Energy’ and ‘Water’. In order to profit from the government support companies have participated in so called innovation contracts.
Companies can make their own innovation contract with the government, but it is also possible to participate in innovation contracts made by others like the innovation contracts of TNO, the Netherlands Wind Energy Association and the Dutch Maritime Network.

- Innovation contract Upstream Gas
The gas production in the Netherlands is declining. The government has the ambition to extend the production from small field to 30bcm/yr from 2015 to 2030, the so called 30/30 ambition. In order to fulfill this ambition new technologies have to be developed.
The programme focuses on: Discover of Unconventional Gas, Development of New Play and Deployment in existing fields.
 
- Innovation contract LNG 
The Innovation contract LNG is an initiative of the LNG TR&D (LNG Technology, Research & Development) Association established in October 2011 to cluster knowledge and expertise of the whole LNG chain and to get the Netherlands at the forefront of LNG technology and application. The aim of LNG TR&D is to remove innovation barriers and to strengthen the knowledge and competitive position of companies in the energy sector. LNG TR&D will take on a key role in the development of new R&D projects. 

- Innovation contract for the Maritime Industry
The Netherlands is the maritime centre of Europe and has the strongest maritime cluster in the world. Total direct turnover is € 26.3 billion and 185,000 people are employed in the Dutch maritime sector. The ambition is to expand these powerful position. The Netherlands goes for the maritime top of the world under the motto: safe, sustainable and economical strong.
 
- Innovation contract Wind at Sea
The Dutch offshore wind supply industry belongs to the top and is a strong export product. In 2010 the market share of the Dutch offshore wind supply industry in the realization of 1000 MW was more than 25% with a turnover of € 1 billion. However what is lacking is an offshore testing field where many of the planned innovations can be tested. Innovation and lower costs are a must for the Dutch Offshore wind energy industry to keep its leading position.

Maritime Innovation Council (MIC)
The Maritime Innovation Council of the Dutch Maritime Network (Nederland Maritiem Land) is a network that is especially interesting for the offshore oil and gas supply industry. IRO is an active participant in the MIC, The Maritime Innovation Council. www.dutch-maritime-network.nl

Industry Technology Facilitator, ITF
ITF is a not for profit organisation owned and supported by mayor operating and service companies in the United Kingdom. It supports the oil and gas industry through the development and application of innovative new technologies. A few times a year ITF announces calls for proposals to the international technology development community. Dutch companies are welcome to participate. www.oil-itf.com.  

For more information on innovation please contact Ruud Liem at liem@iro.nl or by phone at +31 79 3411981.