Delegation of Kazan Federal University visited Schlumberger Technology Center in Calgary.

Director of the Center, David Bekste, addressed the group with the welcoming speech. He told the guests about the main activities of the center. So, for five and a half years of existence, the center has completed numerous research projects on the study of heavy oil in Canada. The team consists of only nine professionals who together are in search of the right decisions. "Teamwork for us - explained David Bekste - is not an option but a necessity because it is the only way to ensure that the decisions work in practice."

Professor Danis Nurgaliyev, in turn, spoke about Kazan Federal University, its main areas of research, structure and partners. One of the most promising areas, along with Medicine and Astronomy, is Oil and Gas: "In 2011 the University has created a new structure - the Institute of Geology and Oil&Gas Technologies and within the Institute - Department of heavy oils and natural bitumen."

After the exchange of information the delegation toured the facilities of the University Technology Center. The meeting ended with the "round table" where the parties have identified the main areas of cooperation. Rector Ilshat Gafurov said: "If the main part of your business is a commercial part, and education plays less significant role, the University, by contrast, focuses on educational activities, and only a small part of it is aimed at obtaining commercial interest."

April 3 - KFU delegation with representatives of "Schlumberger" company visited the University of Calgary, Faculty of engineering technology (Schulich School of Engineering). Guests could observe five major departments of the faculty. Each Research Department presented its activities. The emphasis was placed on the study of processes to extract heavy oil and natural bitumen (which is especially important for the Tatarstan side). The delegation was presented the structure of the department, was introduced to the programs for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

After the presentation the main areas of potential cooperation between institutions of higher education were indicated, the parties discussed the possibility of joint training programs for graduate students and student exchange programs. The visit ended with a tour around the laboratories of the University of Calgary that owns the unique equipment for experiments with no analogues in the world.