Cluster Insight with MinerAll

– Improved sub-surface mapping is the number one priority to assess the resources and business potential of deep-sea minerals, and coring technology is of vital importance in this early phase, says Per Erik Berger, co-founder of MinerAll.

Cluster Insight is a column where we ask six questions to catch a glimpse into the daily business-lives of the partners and members of GCE Ocean Technology.

This week we have spoken with Per Erik Berger, to learn more about him and his work in MinerAll - a startup company that develops technology for exploration and extraction of deep sea minerals.

1. What is your role in MinerAll?

I am Chairman of the board and one of the two founders of MinerAll AS. The company was established in 2021 with the purpose of further developing CoreAll AS’ advanced coring technology specifically to meet challenges related to exploration for critical minerals. Prior to this, I have been working for various oil and gas related service companies for 35+ years.

In CoreAll AS, we have as the first company in the world, spent the past 10 years developing a downhole instrumented core drilling technology. I strongly believe that I can contribute to Norway’s green aspirations by offering to this industry my competence, my experience and my ability to innovate from nearly 20 years in Baker Hughes combined with my 10 years in CoreAll.

2. Your primary focus at work right now is?

In MinerAll we are focusing on understanding all challenges and future requirements related to exploration for deep sea minerals. These are different compared with challenges related to exploration for oil and gas. We believe improved sub-surface mapping of the resources is the number one priority to assess the resource and business potential of deep-sea minerals. Coring technology is of vital importance in this early phase of deep-sea mineral exploration.

The CoreAll technology is unique in its ability to provide real-time logging data of the core during drilling. However, new sensor technology is needed specifically for logging the mineral content of the rock.

Another challenge of deep-sea mineral coring is to improve the core recovery, and be able to core much longer and deeper than what has been done from the seabed so far. The existing technology we have in CoreAll, may be further developed for this specific purpose and we already have the basic infrastructure in place.

The development of CoreAll’s advanced technology has been funded by the Norwegian Research Council, Innovation Norway and operators on the Norwegian continental shelf. The pay-back time to the Norwegian State will be relatively short due to significant savings and value creation over the coming years. But, in addition to this, Norway will benefit further by enabling the same technology to be used for deep-sea mineral exploration.

3. Biggest challenges and opportunities for MinerAll in the future?

We believe the biggest challenge for MinerAll will be to keep the company afloat during years of research and development without commercial income. The strategy will be to maintain capital discipline and combine the use of resources with CoreAll AS.

We in MinerAll are dedicated to contributing to the green shift by developing and offering tailor made technology. When deep sea mineral exploration activity starts taking off, we will be ready at the starting line.

4. Best part of being member in a cluster?

As mentioned earlier, we are busy trying to understand all challenges and future requirements related to future exploration of deep sea minerals. In this phase, the learning we obtain through our membership in the GCE Ocean Technology cluster has been, and will continue to be extremely valuable.

I am taking the liberty of quoting Ståle Monstad from Green Minerals with whom I share the same view: “The GCE Ocean Technology cluster is a great arena for knowledge sharing and collaboration, to get support and inspiration, and of course to meet potential partners.

5. Your business/life motto

My business motto I have taken from one of Winston Churchill’s famous speeches: “Never, never, never give up”.

6. Which cluster member should we interview next?

It would be interesting to understand the thoughts and visions of GCE Ocean technology’s partner Aker BP related to exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals.

Thank you for the insight Per Erik.