International cooperation will allow petrologists to run proficiency tests on virtual slides
The Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources (IPR) of PUCRS develops several research and innovation projects towards sustained growth at the university in the area of oil and derivatives, natural resources, energy and the environment. IPR offers a variety of external services. More recently, the Institute has developed a new proficiency test in the area of description of petrographic slides. This project involves the German company Zeiss, one of the most important manufacturers of optical systems and optoelectronics in the world. This partnership will allow the test to be offered internationally to any petrologists in the world.
This is mandatory for any laboratories seeking ISO/IEC17025 accreditation. One of IPR’s goals is to obtain international accreditation for its tests to ensure that they can be accepted anywhere in the world. This is one of many initiatives designed to expand IPR’s portfolio of specialized services. Proficiency tests are performed to certify the competence of professionals, laboratories or companies in a specific area.
For this specific test, the technical skills and knowledge in the description of petrographic slides for rock characterization and classification, a routine activity in geological studies and widely used in the oil and gas industry, will be evaluated. In the activity, petrographic slides will be described in virtual slides (100% digital photomicrograph mosaics). At the end, participants can request a certificate of proficiency.
The company Zeiss has invested in the development of technologies for the digitization of petrographic and biological slides. In this test, in partnership with IPR, the German manufacturer will be responsible for providing the necessary software to run the digital geology proficiency test and popularize it. IPR will be responsible for the organization of the proficiency test, sample selection and preparation of slides, distribution of digital files, statistical analysis of results and issuance of certificates.
In actuality, each participant will receive digital samples to analyze and confidentially report the results to the IPR. After that, the Institute will assess the accuracy of answers, against an established standard value. Participants who get the trial results right are considered proficient.
Since 2018, IPR has been accountable to the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies at PUCRS. The institute has been strongly involved in expanding and offering its portfolio of specialized services and ensuring that all the technical knowledge produced there and the entire technological structure can be accessed by companies, governments and society, supporting the solution of complex problems faced in the most varied areas.
According to the Institute’s Director, Dr. Felipe Dalla Vecchia, who is also a researcher at the School of Technology of PUCRS, the implementation of new services, supported by the experience, competence and knowledge of the multidisciplinary team of researchers, faculty and staff, and the technological resources and state-of-the-art infrastructure available, brings the quality of research and service to a higher level.
“The cutting edge research enables the institute to offer excellent services and, with each advance in the development of specialized services, the research is inevitably qualified”, the professor highlights. For further information, check the program’s protocol here. To register, click here.
Based at PUCRS’ Science and Technology Park (TECNOPUC), The Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources (IPR-PUCRS) opened its doors in 2014. It materializes the activities that began at the Center for Excellence in Research and Innovation in Petroleum, Mineral Resources and Carbon Storage (Cepac). It relies on a multidisciplinary team involving professionals from Geosciences, Chemistry, Biology and Engineering. The institute sits in building in an area as large as 5000 m2, comprising 7 floors, 4 of which are dedicated exclusively to highly complex laboratories for the development of R, D & I projects and specialized services.
The Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources has been expanding the university’s research activities focusing on energy production and its sustainable use, meeting the country’s development needs in this area. By 2026, it will be an international reference in research and technical quality in laboratory analyses and production of certified materials in petroleum, derivatives, natural resources, energy and the environment. To this end, it is implementing a Quality Management System for accreditation in two international standards, ISO/IEC 17025 (general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories) and ISO 17034 (general requirements for the competence of reference material producers).
ZEISS is a technology leader in the optics and optoelectronics. In the previous year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue of 7.5 billion Euros in its four segments: Semiconductor Technology, Industrial Quality and Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets (status: Sept 30, 2021).
The company develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions in industrial metrology and quality control, microscopy solutions for life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnosis and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. ZEISS is a world reference in optical lithography, a method used by the chip industry in the manufacture of semiconductor components. It also produces lenses for eyeglasses, cameras and binoculars.
ZEISS is changing the future of technology with advances in the optical industry and related areas. The company’s significant and sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for its success, technology and market leadership. The company invests 13% of its revenue in research and development – this high level of spending is a longstanding tradition and also an investment in the future.
With more than 35,000 employees, ZEISS is present in almost 50 countries, with 30 factories and 27 research and development centers in different regions of the world. Founded in 1846 in the city of Jena, the company is currently headquartered in Oberkochen, both cities located in Germany. The Carl ZEISS Foundation is one of the largest German foundations promoting scientific study. It is also the sole owner of the holding Carl ZEISS AG.
