Joint Industry Projects
Visuray’s genesis was spawned by a Joint Industry Project (JIP) with BP, Shell and Statoil and the Research Council of Norway (RCN) through its DEMO2000 program. Visuray was funded in 2006 to qualify the physical principles behind the VR90 tool, and the JIP provided guidance on the application of the technology. The JIP objectives were met in 2007 with a successful run of a prototype, which demonstrated the viability of the X-ray backscatter technique in borehole fluids. Since that time, Visuray commercialised the VR90 Downhole X-Ray Diagnostic Tool.
In 2017, Visuray signed a joint sponsorship development agreement with ConocoPhillips and Statoil Petroleum AS, to fund the development of the next-generation tool, the VR360 Diagnostic Cement Evaluation Tool. The goal of the joint industry project is to deliver a number of downhole prototype tools with a range of external diameters. The project is effective from 18 December 2017 and is expected to last three years, during which time other oil companies may consider joining the project. The prototypes will be jointly tested in oil and gas wells by the parties in the project.