Sungkyunkwan University’s Unconventional Oil Technology Optimization Project (U-TOP) Group opened a local office in Calgary, Alberta, on Tuesday to expand international cooperation in oil sands production technologies. The opening marks a significant milestone as it establishes a foothold in Canada to commercialize Korea-developed oil sands plant technologies and bring them to the global market, the university said Wednesday. The U-TOP Group has been carrying out the oil sands technology development project, a national research and development (R&D) initiative led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and supported by the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) since 2022. Through the Canadian demonstration project, the group plans to open the way for the commercialization and global expansion of Korean plant equipment and technologies based on operational data and expertise gained through field operation. The university said high-level officials and experts from both countries attended the office opening ceremony, expressing their strong interest