As is true in many other nations, strong and prosperous collaborative links between industry and academia are a hallmark of Norwegian research and innovation (R&I), and contributes to ensure knowledge based industrial development and to secure competitiveness and productivity. The oil and gas sector is no different in this regard. One example of this is the agreement between Equinor and Norwegian higher education institutions (HEIs) where large sums of funding has been allocated by the former to the latter since 2009. This collaboration, called Akademiaavtalen, was renewed recently, with a transfer of NOK 315 million for the 2019-2024 period.

This is not without controversy, nor is it the only instance of such financing. Apart from industry actors, the state is also represented by the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) which is a central contributor to petroleum related R&I. However, the funds do not always aim to prolong the age of fossil fuels. For instance, in the above mentioned Akademiaavtalen, 40 percent of the funds are allocated to petroleum research, while renewables and digitalization are allocated 40 and 20 percent respectively. NRC allocates funds for petroleym research through its PETROMAKS2 and PETROSENTER programs, while other funding is directed through for instance the ENERGIX program for research on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) – arguably a technology that solves a climate challenge while prolonging the oil age. In yet other instances we can observe how the oil and gas sector partially initiates and allocates resources to renewable energy projects like in the offshore wind project HyWind, but also through partaking in renewables programs like ENERGIX. This could be interpreted as strategies by which they secure competences, market shares, and a role as energy company also in times after the oil age.

The GreenBlack project examines this intersection of the green and the black with the purpose of determining how different types of research financing allocated by different kinds of actors contribute either to prolonging the oil age or to a green transition. By investigating recipients of oil and gas related financing the project will answer the three following questions: 1) how does research funding and joint industry-academic activity shape the directionality of knowledge communities, 2) what strategies exist for securing and allocating funds to knowledge production and technology innovation activities, and 3) what research and innovation activity do these strategies allow for?