Interview by Ramin Naziyev, Baku. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Today nanotechnologies are associated with modern technologies. The head of the Nanotechnologies Department in the SOCAR, PhD (technical sciences) Eldar Shakhbazov told Vestnik Kavkaza about the implementation of nanotechnologies in the Azerbaijani oil industry.
See Part 1 http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/economy/40493.html
- What attitude do foreign countries have to innovations by Azerbaijani scientists?
- Results of fundamental studies in the sphere of nanotechnologies conducted by Azerbaijan were added to the international encyclopedia of UNESCO – the section of “Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies.” In 2010 a group of scientists and experts of the SOCAR was awarded by UNESCO for preparation of scientific and methodological studies, development and implementation of nanotechnologies in the oil industry.
- Are foreign companies interested in using such technologies?
- Implementation of nanotechnologies in Azerbaijan presents our country in a new perspective. For the first time in the world mining, the positive results in the sphere of nanotechnologies promote the oil industry in Azerbaijan. Our country takes leading positions due to the fast development of the technologies in the oil industry. The Federal Land of Germany North Rhine Westfalia is interested in establishing economic ties with Azerbaijan in this sphere. Our delegation from the scientific producing center “Nanotechnologies” has made three business visits to North Rhine Westfalia. Aachen Technical University and the center NanoMicroCluster in Dusseldorf presented the book titles “Development and Implementation of Nanotechnologies in Oil and Gas Production” which was written by myself and the first vice-president of SOCAR, Academician Khshbakhat Yusifzade. The book is devoted to the problem of increasing oil production and efficiency of mining processes. It presents a system of implementation of nanotechnologies in the oil industry, using the effect of weak concentrations, considering rheology characteristics of oil and gas spheres.
In Dusseldorf the SOCAR and NRW Invest agreed to establish a center of “Science, Production, Service, Logistics” in Chempark in the town of Leverkusen in Germany. The main tasks of the center are studying and development of nanoproducts which will be used in the sphere of oil production and mining in Azerbaijan.
Moreover, we plan to use international experience for exporting mutual produced goods to various countries and providing the transfer of local patents on the goods to Germany. Thus, the SOCAR and the German Development Agency of North Rhine Westfalia signed the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding. Cooperation between the sides will be provided through organization of sales and studying markets in the EU countries.
- Is there interest in other regions in your projects?
- In 2011 a group of our experts was invited by Mauro Knijnik, the State Secretary of the Brazil state of Rio Grande do Sul, to Porto Alegre. As the result of the meeting in the State Office, the Federal University, technological parks Tecnopuc and TecnoSinos, the sides decided to cooperate in the sphere of nanotechnologies. Many countries show interest to our projects.
The present achievements by Azerbaijan in the oil industry open wide opportunities for producing and selling nanoproducts based on natural materials and the theory of Weak Concentration Effect. Implementation of nanotechnologies contributes to economic development of the country. It means the oil industry plays a big role in improvement of our economic and political ties.
- Are local row materials or imported materials from other countries used in the development of innovative nanotechnologies?
- We use only local resources. Azerbaijan possesses unique natural resources. We have developed nanobentonit which is produced from enrichment of natural row materials from the Alpout Deposit in Azerbaijan. This unique achievement can encourage commercialization of technologies in the EU and the world markets. Along with the oil industry, nanobentonit can be used in 200 other spheres. Now we are working on establishing its producing and selling in the internal market, and later abroad.
