Since 1989, Petrad has collaborated with close to 20,000 participants to develop valuable knowledge and experience for nations developing their energy resources. Petrad offers training programmes based on this accumulated experience and knowledge.

Petrad is renowned for its 8-week programmes, which are developed in line with international best practices for adult learning processes.

Petrad’s training programmes are based on quality learning from Norway’s experience in developing its petroleum resources and industry.  All programmes, however, are designed to inspire participants to present their own cases and challenges as a basis for institutional and national learning. Petrad stimulates and facilitates cross-border collaboration to find solutions for specific national and/or field challenges. Training takes place in an atmosphere of respect and mutual learning through interactive lectures, group collaboration and individual work. After nearly every challenging training day, there are social events, where cultures are shared through conversations and performances. Lifelong networks and relationships are formed between participants, lecturers and Petrad staff.

Petrad’s core values, QUALITY – CARE – SHARE, are guiding for all activities. Our core values originate from our 8-week programmes.

Portfolio of programmes

Petrad currently offers three categories of programmes: our 8-week programmes in Norway, other scheduled programmes in Norway and abroad, and tailor-made courses in Norway and abroad. The 8-week programmes are open for enrolment and scheduled programmes will be announced on the Petrad website. For tailor-made programmes, please contact Petrad.

8-week programmes

Petroleum policy and resource management

Petroleum development and operations

Scheduled programmes

1 week:      Fundamentals of the petroleum upstream value chain

2 weeks:    Petroleum policy and resource management

1-2 weeks: Governance of the petroleum sector for civil society and media

Tailor-made programmes

Drawing upon expertise among our funding and/or collaboration partners, Petrad can facilitate learning programmes on topics including:

·         Petroleum policy and main framework

·         Resource management

·         Environment management

·         Safety management

·         Economy and revenue management

·         Technology development

·         Civil society and cross-cutting issues

Availability and funding

If you require funding from the Norwegian government, Petrad’s services and activities are only available through development cooperation programmes. In order to initiate such a programme, Norwegian authorities need to be contacted by national officials through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) or Norwegian embassies.

8-week programmes

Petroleum resources can add substantially to a nation’s economic development and social wealth, and should therefore be managed by national authorities to the benefit of its people, safeguarding the environment and the needs of future generations. This is the premise for the purpose and design of Petrad’s 8-week programmes.

It is an ambition for most emerging petroleum nations to develop national capabilities to effectively control and manage the extraction of petroleum resources, and to ensure beneficial national participation through the whole range of petroleum sector activities. Knowledge of state of the art technology is an essential element and contributions from international industry along with good interaction with civil society are key to success. An adequate legal framework must be prepared and implemented, and competent government bodies must be organised to monitor the sector properly.

There are two 8-week programmes that run in parallel: “Petroleum policy and resource management” and “Petroleum development and operations”.

The programmes run in Stavanger, on the southwest coast of Norway, at Petrad’s training facilities.

These programme are intended for candidates who hold, or are in line to be promoted to, management positions within government institutions and national oil companies re­sponsible for regulatory development and administrative control over the upstream petroleum sector. Candidates must have relevant academic education at the master or bachelor level and a minimum of four years of relevant experience. Petrad encourages women to participate.

The 8-week programme take place from September to November each year.

The registration deadline is 1 May each year.

Tailored programmes

In close cooperation with our cooperating partners, Petrad’s tailor-made programmes are developed based on a structured needs assessment. Key elements of the assessment include: petroleum sector maturity and perspectives, institutions, roles and responsibilities, culture and a good understanding of all stakeholders.

Relevant training activities are then designed accordingly, in a context of long-term capacity development. Participants will be activated through a wide variety of educational techniques and interactive tools such as simulations, role-playing to solving complex case studies and real-life challenges from the participants’ institutions.

Courses take place in an atmosphere of respect and mutual learning. After nearly every challenging training day, there are social events, where cultures are shared through conversations and performances.

Thematic areas

Drawing upon expertise among our funding and/or collaborating partners, Petrad can facilitate learning programmes and processes within areas such as:

Petroleum policy and governance framework

• Global energy perspectives
• Policy development process
• Legislation and regulations
• Sector organisation and development of government institutions and national oil companies
• Fiscal regimes
• Petroleum economics
• Contract negotiations and contract management
• Local content

Resource management

• Licence management
• Resource assessment and prospect evaluation
• Data management
• Exploration
• Appraisal
• Field development
• Operations and production
• Abandonment
• Petroleum downstream management

Environment management

• Policy considerations
• Management systems
• Legal framework
• Strategic environmental assessments
• Risk assessments
• Environmental impact assessments

Safety management

• Policy and legal framework
• Safety management
• Risk assessments

Economy and revenue management

• Petroleum project economics
• Revenue management
• Risk
• Economic modelling

Technology development

• Education, research and development
• Field development concepts
• Deepwater technology
• High pressure, high temperature (HP/HT)
• Well stream technology

Civil society and cross-cutting issues

• Education
• National participation
• Good governance
• Gender equality
• Anti-corruption

Scheduled programmes

Petrad has developed the following courses, dates to be announced on the Petrad frontpage when available:

One-week basic course: Technical understanding of the upstream petroleum industry

The main objective of this course is to improve the participants’ technical understanding and thus enhance their communication skills with the industry and put them in a better position to monitor, supervise and scrutinise the petroleum sector.

The target group is representatives from government bodies of OfD partner countries, national authorities and civil society organisations/stakeholders in need of a basic understanding of the petroleum industry.

Two-week course: Petroleum policy and resource management

The main objective of this course is to give participants a basic but comprehensive understanding of the importance of petroleum policy and good sector management and conditions for success, based on international experience, with a special focus on petroleum development in Norway.

The target group is primarily public authorities involved in petroleum sector management and development, but also members of parliament, universities and other relevant education institutions, civil society organisations, mainly NGOs, media, trade unions and other relevant institutions.

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Two-weeks course: Governance in the petroleum sector

This mid-level/advanced course will contribute in increasing participants’ technical and economical competence, in order to increase the capability of civil society to understand extractive industries, and to assist in holding their governments responsible for the management of revenue from extractive industries in their own country.

The target group is civil society, members of parliament and media.

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