The Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI), based on Petroleum Geological Division No. 36B of the General Department of Geology, was formed on May 22, 1978, prompted by the rapid growth of the Vietnamese oil and gas industry. Today, after nearly 35 years of development, VPI has become a leading scientific and technological research center in the country covering all fields of the petroleum industry. The institute comprises seven specialised research centers: Petroleum Exploration and Production, Processing, Safety & Environment, Technology Application and Transfer, Economic and Management, Laboratory and Archives.