PETRONAS, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) recently collaborated on how best to leverage the collective strengths, expertise, knowledge of the industry, academia, and professional association.
The UTP Institute of Hydrocarbon Recovery (IHR), in collaboration with SPE UTP student chapter organized a technical talk held at the UTP main campus.
Over 50 students and academic professionals participated in the 1.5‑hour session which featured Dr. Rahim Masoudi, Chief Technical Officer, Custodian–Reservoir Engineering, Resource Development & Management, Malaysian Petroleum Management (MPM), Upstream Business of PETRONAS. Dr. Masoudi shared the industry’s perspectives on the management and integration of oil and gas assets and how the industry is adapting to the dynamic changes in the production cycle and adopting new production criteria and standards in the current economic landscape.
The session gave the audience an overview and insights into what they can expect when they join the workforce while showing academicians what they can incorporate into the current academic syllabus to help nurture and prepare the next generation.
SPE was also invited by Dr. Masoudi to participate in an industry-academia-association dialogue that advocated effective collaboration and higher levels of engagement between the three. Department heads from IHR and UTP and representatives from PETRONAS joined the dialogue with presentations from selected research/interest groups including the Center of Enhanced Oil Recovery (COREOR), the Center for Seismic Imaging (CSI), and the South East Asia Carbonate Laboratory (SEACaRL).
The dialogue addressed areas of opportunities and collaboration. Dr. Masoudi highlighted that as the industry recruits graduating engineers from UTP, there is a need to continually close the gap between the students’ current academic knowledge and what the industry would view as functional workplace skills, especially as it pertains to practical on-the-job application. In addition, participants discussed the opportunities for UTP to participate in R&D and contribute to industry content via associations such as SPE.
Michelle Tan, SPE Director of Asia Pacific events, presented the society’s organization, mission, and function. As an industry association with student and professional members, SPE is ideally placed to bridge the knowledge and participation gap of students and academia through involvement in industry initiatives and events. Such initiatives and platforms include various channels through which academicians and students can stay up to date and cooperate with the wider industry.
In support of this collaboration, Associate Professor Dr. Syahrir Ridha, Director, Institute of Hydrocarbon Recovery of UTP, joins the SPE Asia Pacific Regional Technical Advisory Committee (SPE APRTAC). The SPE APRTAC provides an avenue for Dr. Ridha and his team to work together with subject matter experts from the industry to help chart technical learning programs for E&P professionals.
PETRONAS and SPE were also invited for a tour of IHR’s recently completed state-of-the-art R&D center that houses and provides access to high-end instruments and cutting-edge technologies and services.
