MSc papers from students studying at the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University (RGU) were pitched against each other at the Aberdeen branch of the UK's Energy Institute’s annual student competition this week.
Six students, three from each university, presented papers varying from reservoir modeling to an assessment of efforts by operators to reduce hydrocarbon releases on the UK Continental Shelf.
Image: Finalists (L-R) MSc Subsea Engineering student Olumide Ajala; MSc Drilling and Well Engineering student Dominic Ponu; MSc Safety & Reliability Engineering student Olusola Adejugba; MSc Oil and Gas Engineering student Christoph Knedel; MSc Oil & Gas Engineering student Loli Anggraini Buckle. MSc Petroleum Production Engineering student Toochukwu Onwuliri.
Only one was able to win the MSc Energy Student Best Paper prize, which went to Christoph Knedel of RGU (MSc Oil and Gas Engineering with Distinction).
His thesis title was: Well Plug & Abandonment: Critical Analysis of Conventional and Unconventional High Temperature Deep Sour Gas Well. A Case Study of the Lacq Field in France. He won a £250 cheque from the Energy Institute.
The runner up was Loli Anggraini of the University of Aberdeen (MSc Oil & Gas Engineering), with thesis title: Buckley - Leverett Analysis of Waterflood Oil Recovery from Mixed-Wet Rock"
Coming third was Toochukwu Onwuliri of RGU (MSc Petroleum Production Engineering with Distinction) with thesis: Dynamic Reservoir Modelling of a Mature North Sea Field.
Other papers looked at the development of a tool for pipe-roller contact evaluation, using data from Total's CLOV project, offshore Angola, and how industry achieved a reduction in hydrocarbon releases.
The students' papers were be judged by leading industry figures from Aberdeen's oil and gas sector.
These were: Archie Kennedy, UK managing director & VP - Europe, Nexen Petroleum (UK); Alistair Geddes, president - strategy, resource development & support, Expro North Sea; Gary Smart, CEO, Tendeka; Graham Hayward, managing director, Bilfinger Salamis UK; Mike Horgan, global sector leader - brownfield & asset management, AMEC; Dick Green, managing director - International BU, Wild Well Control; Les Thomas, CEO Ithaca Energy Inc.
Hugh Rees, branch chairman of the Energy Institute Aberdeen, Highlands & Islands Branch, said: “The judges had their hands full choosing the eventual winners from the six excellent papers, presented by top-class students, who all acquitted themselves very well on the night.”
Mr Kennedy said: “The standard and quality shown by all of the presenters was of an exceptionally high technical standard, which bodes well for the future of our industry.”
Mr Horgan said: “The one word which sums everything up for me was ‘quality’ – the quality of the submissions, the outstanding attention to technical detail, and the ability of the students to summarize and present their message to us. The day was a tribute to the students, and to their education, and it is good to know that we have such a high caliber of individuals about to enter the workplace.”
Mr Thomas said: “Most pleasing thing is that the energy and enthusiasm of this next generation of young professionals augurs very well for the future.”
Mr Noera said: “Joining the Energy Institute judging panel has been a tremendous opportunity to gather and share thoughts with industry experts and universities around the key most critical themes that are driving the technology progress and developments of the O&GV industry, but most importantly the passion, technical knowledge and fresh ideas of the students participating in the session are the foundations for the evolution of the technical and scientific progress for a sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally sensitive O&G industry.”
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