China University of Petroleum in Beijing

November 2007

From left: Professor Feng Lianyong, Ph.D. student Mikael Höök, Professor Kjell Aleklett, Chancellor Jiang Qingzhe, Vice Chancellor Professor Xiongqi Pang



Homepage for China University of Petroleum in Beijing

In November 2007 Professor Pang from CUPC and Professor Aleklett from UU agreed to start collaboration between the two universities as follows:

1. CUPB and UU should collaborate in research related to Peak Oil, Peak Gas and Peak Coal, and also in studies of the economic and social consequences of “peak” events.
2. A first study of Peak Oil and Peak Gas should focus on the region of the Middle Asia and China. Motivation: The region has the potential for an increase in both oil and gas production, but the detail of this increase and subsequent decline must be studied to better understand future environmental consequences and economic infrastructural investment needs.

3. A study of future production and consumption of coal in the Asia Pacific regions should be performed. Motivation: The Asia Pacific region currently produces the highest emissions of CO2 globally with future emissions from this region expected to increase further. Future production and consumption of coal in the region is of importance both to energy security for the countries of the region and for the modelling of future climatic change.

4. A study of economic and social consequences of “peak events” will be performed. Motivation: From 1945 to 1970 Swedish energy use increased by 7% per year with a clear effect upon the economy such that Sweden went from being a rather poor country to the third richest country in the world. The current increase in consumption of fossil fuels in China shows a similar pattern. A forced change in the way fossil fuels are consumed may change the future direction of this path.

5. Studies of energy systems in regions with rehabilitation of ecosystems. Motivation; China is allocating resources to study the ecosystem in the Loess Plateau and findings from this study will be utilised to influence planned projects in China and around the world.

The above agreed research program was confirmed by officials at China University of Petroleum in Beijing and Uppsala University in January 2008. (press release from Uppsala University in Swedish)