New Research Centre for Petroleum (PETROSENTER)
Supports new research centres to advance international petroleum research and innovation for sustainable resource use on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Due Dates: March 18, 2026: Mandatory project outline submission (13:00 CET) | September 23, 2026: Main call / Full application deadline (13:00 CEST)
Funding Amounts: Up to NOK 120 million per centre (total call: NOK 240 million); project duration up to 8 years (2027–2035)
Summary: Supports up to two new research centres for petroleum, advancing international research and innovation for sustainable resource use on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Key Information: Submission of a project outline by March 18, 2026 is mandatory to be eligible for the main application.
Description
This grant supports the establishment of up to two new research centres focused on petroleum research, aiming to address major challenges in the sustainable utilisation of petroleum resources on the Norwegian continental shelf. The centres are expected to deliver long-term, high-level international research and foster innovation, collaboration, and knowledge transfer between research organisations, industry, and societal actors. Research themes include greenhouse gas emissions reduction, subsurface understanding, drilling and well operations, production and transport, and major accidents and working environment. The scheme also encourages cross-cutting topics such as digitalisation, AI, and energy security.
Centres must develop internationally competitive research environments, demonstrate clear innovation plans, and actively involve user partners. The initiative emphasises responsible resource management, knowledge dissemination, and adaptability to emerging challenges throughout the centre’s lifetime.
