In the single largest corporate gift to any post-secondary institution in Alberta, Imperial Oil Limited, one of Canada's largest energy companies, has donated a $37 million research lab facility to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
The donation of the 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, named the Imperial Energy Innovation Centre in honour of the donor, will support the expansion of SAIT's energy innovation applied research.
"Imperial established the first petroleum research facility in Canada more than a century ago, creating many of the processes and technologies foundational to oil sands development and used across the industry to this day," says Brad Corson, Imperial's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited that this space will create new opportunities for collaborations within the innovation ecosystem here in Alberta and expand SAIT's programs and facilities to support the next generation of STEM professionals."
Under the agreement, SAIT will take over management of the Quarry Park facility in mid-2025, creating new opportunities for collaborative industry research and training opportunities with students.
"This donation is a clear reflection of SAIT's strong ties to industry and our commitment to applied research. It will also create meaningful opportunities for students to engage directly with experts from this vital sector." says Dr. David Ross, SAIT President and CEO. "The new Imperial Energy Innovation Centre will help drive the next generation of energy research fostering innovation and bringing together leading industry professionals with top researchers in their fields."
The donation represents a powerful integration of Imperial's extensive research presence in the oil sands recovery technology space with SAIT's own Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS), one of Canada's top five research colleges.
As a conductor driving applied research innovation with SAIT students, ARIS and industry, this facility will bring together leading researchers in petroleum engineering with the next generation of thinkers and innovators. The Imperial Energy Research Centre will be a launchpad for solutions to in-field challenges and will enhance the forward movement of applied energy research that drives Canadian industry.
Imperial remains committed to its industry-leading upstream research program. The company will continue to use the SAIT-operated facility to support its ongoing research efforts focused on increasing efficiencies and reducing the environmental impacts of its operations.
Additional information on related programing is being developed.
