UK's Newcastle University to lead a national centre for subsea & offshore engineering in a major drive to develop new materials & technologies.
The Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering was unveiled recently by Business Secretary Vince Cable as a key part of the Government's Oil and Gas Strategy. It will be the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together industry and academia to create a world-class engineering research facility.
Developing technologies that can withstand one of the world’s harshest environments, the new centre will be at the forefront of a quest to harness the ocean's potential as a source of food, energy and medicine.
Building on the region's maritime heritage and Newcastle University's world-leading expertise in marine engineering, the Neptune Centre will be developed on the north bank of the River Tyne on the Neptune Energy Park, part of Shepherd Offshore. It will be a centrepiece for the revival of this part of Tyneside, bringing with it jobs and investment.
The Secretary of State said: “The UK's oil and gas sector is crucial to the economy, so we’ve worked closely with the sector on today’s industrial strategy. But its future success relies on it being underpinned by the latest science and technology. “This cutting edge new facility will help put our academic community and industry at the centre of subsea and offshore engineering research. It will drive up skills and develop the innovations needed to fuel growth in the North Sea.”