BP’s technology could one day be used to drill on Mars or the moon after it struck a deal with US space agency Nasa.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two have agreed to share their technology and expertise gained from working “in hostile environments”.
BP believes the deal will help advance its plans to drill for oil and gas on Earth, while helping to progress human exploration of the moon, Mars and other planets in the solar system.
“Both BP and Nasa are custodians of deep technical expertise, working in extreme environments – whether that’s at the bottom of the ocean or on the moon,” said Giovanni Cristofoli, a senior executive at BP.
“Sharing what we know with each other will help us solve complex engineering problems faster, meaning we can focus on keeping energy flowing safely and delivering higher margins with lower emissions,” Cristofoli added.
This could include sharing digital models and simulations that allow engineers and scientists to trial new equipment whether 14,000ft underwater or 140m miles (225m km) away on another planet.
In time it could also lay the foundation for future collaborations on using hydrogen, regenerative fuel cells, high-capacity batteries, solar power systems, small-scale nuclear power systems.
The latest tie-up between big business and space explorers has emerged just over a year after the UK Space Agency agreed to back research by Rolls-Royce into how its small-scale nuclear power technology could be used to provide the electricity needed for humans to live and work on the moon.
At the time, George Freeman, MP, and the former science minister, said: “Space exploration is the ultimate laboratory for so many of the transformational technologies we need on Earth: from materials to robotics, nutrition, cleantech and much more.”
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BP’s experience in deep sea drilling could prove useful in exploring Mars, where scientists have recently discovered potentially vast amounts of water trapped deep within its crust, raising new questions about the possibility of life on the red planet.
New calculations by scientists have found that “ancient Martian oceans” could be found trapped within rocks about seven to 12 miles below the planet’s surface which could prove to be a “key ingredient” for the possibility of life on Mars.
