ITF, the oil and gas Industry Technology Facilitator has signed a membership agreement with Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) sealing its growing reputation in the Middle East for delivering game-changing technologies.

ITF and TAQA inked the MoU at the recent international oil and gas conference Adipec held in Abu Dhabi. The agreement gives Taqa a six month trial of membership.

Kuwait Oil Company also recently joined and Aramco Services Company is already an ITF member, said a top ITF official.

Neil Poxon, managing director of ITF said the new relationship with Taqa further strengthens its role for driving new technology in the Middle East and around the world.

ITF has successfully brought 151 new technologies to market through joint industry projects, securing more than £50 million of member investment through its funding programme, he stated.

This latest agreement brings ITF’s membership to 26 oil and gas operator and service companies, its highest ever level, he added.

'Our track record of delivering solutions to the pressing challenges that face our industry is growing membership, which means we will be able to facilitate even more technology successes. Adipec has been a very useful platform for promoting our goals and we have received a lot of interest,” he explained.

The joint industry project model developed by ITF means members share funding and risk on bringing forward new solutions.

Taqa representatives will now attend regular ITF events and workshops and will liaise with members over the priority challenges that they want to tackle in 2011, said Poxon.

The major challenges include EOR technologies, tight and shale gas and coal bed methane, drilling efficiency, completions technology, produced fluids management and HP/HT production-TradeArabia News Service