BEIJING (SCMP): An engineer who spent decades in Norway’s energy industry has returned as distinguished professor at the China University of Petroleum-Beijing, a post he says will build a bridge with Europe to help create sustainable energy solutions.
In a ceremony on June 13, university president Jin Yan handed a letter of appointment to Yang Tao, a member of both the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences and the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, for a position at the Chinese institution where he had first earned his chemical engineering degrees.
Yang was chief professional and senior specialist at Equinor, Norway’s state-controlled energy company, and was the founding co-chair of the World CCUS Council, which covers carbon capture, use and storage.
Yang confirmed the China University of Petroleum appointment on his LinkedIn account: “I see this appointment not as the culmination of a career, but as the beginning of a new mission.
“I hope to serve as a bridge between China and Europe, promoting deeper cooperation in low-carbon technologies, carbon management, digital energy, hydrogen, bioenergy and emerging sustainable solutions.”
Yang gained his a bachelor of science at the university in 1991 and a PhD in chemical engineering in 1996.
After completing his PhD, he conducted three years of postdoctoral research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
In 1999, he joined Whitson, a reservoir engineering consulting firm, as a technical expert, according to his LinkedIn profile.
During his tenure, he provided consulting services to more than 300 oilfields and 30 international companies, focusing on reservoir fluid characterisation, gas injection, carbon dioxide flooding and flow assurance.
In 2006, Yang joined Statoil – then Norway’s state oil company – which was renamed Equinor in 2018. Over more than two decades with the company, he rose to chief professional and senior specialist.
According to the China University of Petroleum website, Yang has been extensively involved in oil and gas resources, digitalisation, carbon capture, the hydrogen value chain and sustainable energy for more than 30 years, generating cumulative economic benefits exceeding 100 billion yuan (US$14.7 billion).
He has published multiple papers in top-tier journals, holds more than 10 domestic and international patents and has led several key R&D projects, contributing to the global development of carbon capture, intelligent oil and gas and green fuels.
“The university will provide comprehensive service and support, fully empowering the team to delve into scientific research and produce high-level innovative achievements,” Liu Zhichang, vice-president of the university, said in his speech.
The South China Morning Post has contacted Yang for comment.
