The two parties recently signed, in Kuala Lumpur, a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), for the joint research arrangement. The MoU allows CSIRO and PETRONAS to continue the exploitation of their combined strengths in the fields of petroleum exploration and production, alternative energies and advanced materials technologies.

CSIRO Petroleum, a division of CSIRO, is already the technological partner of PRSS in petroleum geomechanics, particularly in the areas of wellbore stability and sand production.

CSIRO Petroleum's Mr Greg Thill, said that the new MoU was an extension and expansion of the first five-year arrangement for joint research efforts signed in 1998.

"The first collaboration focused on advanced research and development projects in the field of petroleum exploration and production."

"This new arrangement further strengthens our strong collaborative relationship with one of the major national oil companies and opens opportunities to all the production sharing contractors in Malaysia," says Mr Thill.

The research collaboration with PRSS will involve several other CSIRO divisions including CSIRO Petroleum, CSIRO Molecular Science, CSIRO Energy Technology and CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology.