Decarbonization and Digital Transformation for the Oil and Gas Industry

• Grant number: 25/03627-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Marcio Andre Fernandes Martins
• Grantee: Marcio Andre Fernandes Martins
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica. Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA). Salvador , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Andre Gustavo Scolari Conceição ; Ângelo Márcio Oliveira Sant Anna ; Artur José Santos Mascarenhas ; CRISTIANO HORA DE OLIVEIRA FONTES ; EDNILDO ANDRADE TORRES ; Eduardo Furtado de Simas Filho ; ELAINE CHRISTINE DE MAGALHAES CABRAL ALBUQUERQUE ; Herman Augusto Lepikson ; Iuri Muniz Pepe ; Karen Valverde Pontes ; LEIZER SCHNITMAN ; Raildo Alves Fiuza Junior ; Ricardo de Araújo Kalid ; Silvio Alexandre Beisl Vieira de Melo ; Tito Luís Maia Santos
• Associated researchers: Alirio Santos de Sá ; Armando Sá Ribeiro Junior ; Bernardo Ordonez ; Daniel Diniz Santana ; Delano Mendes de Santana ; Edmar Egidio Purcino de Souza ; Fernanda TEIXEIRA CRUZ ; FRANCISCO GAUDENCIO MENDONGA FREIRES ; Jes de Jesus Fiais Cerquiera ; Karcius Day Rosario Assis ; Kleber Freire da Silva ; Luciana Almeida da Silva ; Luciano Matos Queiroz ; Luciano Rebouças de Oliveira ; Mauricio Brandão dos Santos ; Raony Maia Fontes ; Valeria Cristina Fernandes

Abstract

The proposed Human Resources Program (PRH) of ANP aims to train highly qualified professionals and researchers to tackle the technological challenges of the energy transition in the oil, gas, and biofuels sector. Structured around two fundamental pillars (Industrial Decarbonization and Industrial Digitalization), the program seeks to promote an interdisciplinary approach that integrates research, education, and technological innovation, preparing professionals to meet the evolving demands of the energy sector.The proposing team brings together 12 research groups with proven expertise, distributed across 4 Graduate Programs (PPG) and 6 Undergraduate Programs at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). The Industrial Decarbonization emphasis will focus on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), synthetic fuels, sustainable hydrogen production, integration of renewable energy sources into the oil and gas sector, and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation. Meanwhile, the Industrial Digitalization emphasis will concentrate on artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, industrial robotics, advanced control, and big data, aiming at the digital transformation and optimization of industrial processes.The training of scholarship recipients will be conducted through a comprehensive curriculum, including at least six courses per academic term, with a selection of 13 subjects per emphasis. The PRH program aims to train 16 undergraduate students annually, along with master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers. Students in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Production Engineering will be primarily engaged in Industrial Decarbonization, while students in Electrical Engineering, Control and Automation Engineering, and Computer Engineering will be trained in Industrial Digitalization.The program is strongly integrated with the industrial landscape of Bahia, which hosts key assets in the oil and gas sector, such as mature oil fields, natural gas processing units, the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex, and the Mataripe Refinery, in addition to being a national leader in renewable energy generation. This proximity to industry will enable scholarship recipients to engage in Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) projects, including those funded by resources of the ANP's PD&I clause, thus ensuring the practical application of the knowledge developed.Thus, the PRH program aims to address the growing demand for specialized professionals, establishing an academia-industry training model aligned with the sector's needs and ANP's strategic guidelines, directly impacting the modernization, digitalization, and sustainability of Brazil's energy sector. (AU)