Eni and Stanford University Announce New Research Alliance

STANFORD , CALIFORNIA – February 17, 2011 – In a joint announcement, the Italian energy company Eni and Stanford University today announced a new strategic alliance on research and innovation. Over the next four years Eni plans to provide more than $10 million in research support to accelerate research and increase opportunities for collaboration between the two technology leaders. The centerpiece of the collaboration will be a research program focusing on core technologies for the oil & gas industry.
The integration of academic and industrial approaches seeks to capitalize on the synergies between Stanford's multidisciplinary technology capabilities and Eni's engineering expertise to drive scientific innovation to meet the energy challenges of tomorrow.  
The research portfolio is geared toward defining and rapidly implementing breakthrough technologies in exploration and production operations and developing innovative methodologies for environmental protection and remediation.
The Framework Research Agreement was signed in Palo Alto (California) by Ann Arvin, Vice Provost and Dean of Research of Stanford, and Umberto Vergine, Senior Executive Vice President for Studies and Research at Eni. This alliance builds on an existing, longstanding collaboration between Eni's Exploration & Production Division (E&P) and Stanford's School of Earth Sciences.  

Eni is a major integrated energy company  with the objective of building a leadership role in innovation. The company strongly believes that relationships with a worldwide network with first-class research institutions, such as Stanford, are key to the company's long-term success and to the world's energy future.
 Stanford is recognized as one of the world's leading universities. Established in 1891 by Jane and Leland Stanford, the university was designed to prepare students "for personal success and direct usefulness in life" and "promote the public welfare by exercising an influence on behalf of humanity and civilization." Today, Stanford University is continuing that mission through innovation in a broad range of disciplines, and its cross-departmental approach has led to countless breakthroughs that are helping to solve the engineering challenges of our time.
The alliance is an integral part of Eni's strategy to guarantee the company's Exploration & Production Division maintains its leadership in technology as a cornerstone for continuous growth in its core upstream activities. 

Eni Contacts:

Press Office: Tel. +39.0252031875 – +39.065982230
Freephone for shareholders (from Italy): 800940924
reephone for shareholders (from abroad): +39. 800 11 22 34 56
Switchboard : +39-0659821
ufficio.stampa@eni.com
segreteriasocietaria.azionisti@eni.com
investor.relations@eni.com
 Web site: www.eni.com
Stanford Contacts:
 Andrew Myers
Associate Director, Communications
Stanford School of Engineering
Tel: 650.736.2245
andrew.myers@stanford.edu
Web site: soe.stanford.edu