University teams analyze a dataset in the 6-8 weeks prior to their local competition and deliver their results in a 25-minute presentation to a panel of industry experts. Students have the chance to use real technology on a real dataset, receive the feedback from an industry panel, have the opportunity to impress potential employers in the audience and the chance to win cash prizes for their schools.

The timing of the 2011 IBA programme is as follows:

• Final Commitment, December 1, 2010.
• Datasets Released, first Week of January, 2011.
• Regional Competition – estimated February 2011.
• Global Competition in Houston, April 8, 2011

The Asia Pacific Region can accommodate 12 teams and these will be chosen on a “first-come-first-served” basis amongst those that make a final commitment to the programme.  The Regional semi-finals will be judged in February (date to be confirmed).  The eventual winning team will receive travel and accommodation expenses to the AAPG 2010 Annual Convention and Global IBA Competition. All teams should ensure that they have valid passports.  The winning team will also need to get visas to visit the USA.

If you are a faculty advisor of one of the Asia-Pacific Region Universities that would like to register interest and apply for a team representing your University to take part, please contact Asia Pacific Student Coordinator Geovani Kaeng Christopher at geovani.christopher@halliburton.com

If your company wishes to support this exciting competition, and be a part of the Students’ success and lifelong learning, please contact Adrienne Pereira at apereira@aapg.org and Geovani Kaeng Christopher at geovani.christopher@halliburton.com

Further details on the Imperial Barrel Award Competition can be found Here. The site is being updated with 2011 information periodically.

Again, congratulations to the China University of Petroleum for winning the Asia Pacific semi-finals.

The complete list of 2010 Recipients can be found at http://foundation.aapg.org/gia/current.cfm

Interested in applying for a Grant?

The purpose of the AAPG Foundation’s Grants-in-Aid program is to foster research in the geosciences. Grants are made to provide financial assistance to graduate students (currently enrolled in Masters or Ph.D. programs) whose thesis research has application to the search for and development of petroleum and energy-mineral resources, and/or to related environmental geology issues.  Grants are based on merit, and in part, on the financial needs of the applicant. Although the focus of the program is the support of qualified candidates for Masters or equivalent degrees, qualified doctoral candidates are also encouraged to apply.

Factors weighed in selecting successful applicants include: the qualifications of an applicant as indicated by past performance; originality and imagination of the proposed project; support of the department in which the work is being done; and perceived significance of the project to petroleum, energy minerals and related environmental geology.

Grants range from $500 to $3,000 and are to be applied to expenses directly related to the student’s thesis work, such as field work, laboratory analyses, etc. Funds are NOT to be used for capital equipment, conferences, salaries, tuition, room and board during the school year.  More information at  http://foundation.aapg.org/gia/howto.cfm



Under the theme of “Unconventional Reservoirs”, the topic of the lecture was, “TAPPING UNCONVENTIONAL HYDROCARBON RESOURCES – KEY TO BRIGHT FUTURE IN PAKISTAN”.

He structured his lecture as:

• Global energy overview
• Unconventional hydrocarbon resources
  • Tight gas reservoir
  • Shale gas
  • Coal gas methane (CBM)
  • Deep gas
  • Methane gas
  • Methane hydrates
  • Tar sands and oil shales
  • Unconventional gas production USA
  • Unconventional hydrocarbon resources Pakistan

The program was well attended by students, faculty and many industry professionals.  Attention was also drawn to the upcoming activities of the chapter.  The photographs demonstrated the lively discussions.

Mr Rick Fritz, AAPG Executive Director

Mr Rick Fritz, Executive Director, recently travelled to the Asia Pacific region, to meet with Joseph Lambiase, the AAPG Region president, and the Region council, comprising Peter Balllie, Abul “Shams” Shamsuddin, and Mick McWalter. He also met with Adrienne Pereira, AAPG’s Asia-Pacific Programmes Manager in Singapore.

Rick also stopped in Japan and Malaysia and met with members, students and industry representatives. He also met with the presidents and officers of two AAPG’s affiliated societies – the Geological Society of Malaysia and SEAPEX, and hope to work together.

The Asia Pacific region hopes to welcome Rick and other AAPG Officials to the region again soon.

IBA ASIA PACIFIC 2010 WINNER

The China University of Petroleum in Beijing emerged the Winner of the Asia Pacific Imperial Award Semi-Final, held on 19 March 2010. It was a three-cornered fight, with the other two teams being the the University of Indonesia and the Institute Teknology Bandung, also from Indonesia.

Teams were given geological datasets as part of a “business opportunity” from an Operator who is “prepared to offer an equity stake in the acreage to the Students’ ‘company”’. The Students had to act as a New Ventures Group of an operating oil and gas company and had make a detailed assessment of the petroleum potential within the given area. They were expected to “think outside of the box” and look at new exploration models based on the most recent published research, and their given education.

The winning team of 4, comprising Jiang Ning, Zhu Xiuwen, Liu zengqin and Cui Min (from left to right in the photo), will be flown to New Orleans, to attend the International Final Competition on 9th and 10th April 2010, at the AAPG Annual Convention.

From all of us in the Asia Pacific region, we would like to wish them the best of luck at the finals.

Alan Wegener, AAPG Global Development & Conventions Director, views Adrienne’s position strategically. According to Wegener,

“With Asia’s robust growth and a diverse and motivated Region leadership, AAPG has incredible opportunities in Asia. Adrienne has the drive and expertise to help cultivate the contacts and relationships we’ll need to build membership and develop new programs. With more than 24 years experience building and planning events in Singapore, she’s traveled and worked with professionals from most countries. That’s extremely important because she understands the cultural nuances and how business gets done.”

Working closely with Asia Pacific Region officers, AAPG Regions management, AAPG affiliated societies and other interested parties, Adrienne will help develop and deliver new programs and services to members and other geosciences professionals of the Region. Plans are already underway for offering Geosciences Technology Workshops (GTWs), short courses, topical conferences and symposia in the coming year. Singapore based, Adrienne will also enable AAPG to build closer relationships with the key NOCs, IOCs and services companies in the area.
Asia Pacific Region President, Joe Lambiase, sees Adrienne as a welcome addition to the regional team. And on behalf of the Region Council, he said,

“AAPG membership has been expanding rapidly in our geographically and culturally diverse region, and we feel fortunate to have someone as capable as Adrienne to maintain effective communication, coordinate activities and organize events. The expertise and experience that Adrienne brings to the new Regional Office in Singapore will be a catalyst for accelerating AAPG’s already strong growth rate in Asia-Pacific.”

The launching ceremony of the “AAPG University of Karachi Student Chapter” was held on Saturday 17th Oct 2009 in the auditorium of Department of Geology, University of Karachi.

Petroelum Industry delegates, Faculty members and students attended this event. Chairman PAPG Mr. Wamiq Bokhari (CEO, NHEPL) was the Chief Guest of this launching ceremony.

“THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY” OF AAPG UoK STUDENT CHAPTER

Program was started at sharp 12:05 by recitation of Holy Quran by Syed Owais Ali (B.S. IIIrd year).

The Secretary AAPG UoK SC, Syed Anas Ali (B.S.3rd year) hosted the program, after welcoming notes and brief introduction of AAPG and AAPG Uok SC, He announced the opening of chapter and requested the Chief Guest Mr. Wamiq Bokhari to inaugurate the chapter. Then he shared his views for student chapter, suggest for AAPG & PAPG combine student activities and career advices.

Then President AAPG UoK SC, Areeba Ayaz (M.Sc. Final) presents the aims, objectives and future plans of UoK Student Chapter. She introduced the executive committee and office bearer names. Then presenter S. Anas Ali payed tribute to Co-Faculty Advisor Mr. Tariq Hasany (Team leader GNG, SCHLUMBERGER).

The first technical lecture from the platform of AAPG was delivered by Dr.Asif Ahsan( PPL) on “The Identification of Gas in Middle Indus Basin”, which was well appreciated by the audience and the lecture was followed by the question answer session, all the students, faculty members and professionals participated in it.

Then Chairman, Department of Geology, Prof. Dr. Niamatullah was invited, He thanks to all guests and showed his concerns to the department’s development activities.

Then he presented a souvenir shield to chief guest Mr. Bokhari and flowers as a token of gratitude.

At this stage, presenter invited Dr. Syed Iqbal Mohsin, who expressed the need of a bridge between industry and university and this chapter would act like bridge. Then AAPG UoK SC presented flowers as a token of gratitude to PAPG Executive Committee; Mr. Kamran Aziz (Joint Secretary, Pakistan Petroleum Ltd.), Mr. Khan Arshad (Secretary, ENI Pakistan), Mr. Raza Zaidi(New Horizon Pakistan), Ms. Aisha Zubair (University Liaison, Pakistan Petroleum Ltd., she wasn’t there her souvenir received by Ms. Sadaf Naseem, Lecturer). Dr. Asif Ahsan also thanked by a souvenir shield Download the original attachment

their great gratitude to teachers and Chairman Dr. Niamatullah has invited to receive souvenir shield on behalf of all faculty members.

At the end AAPG UoK SC Executive Committee has been invited, President Ms. Areeba Ayaz, Vice-President Mr. Ehtasham ul Haq, Secretary Mr. Anas Ali and Treasurer Mr. Faizan Alam received token of appreciation by Dr. S. Iqbal Mohsin

Now all the guest, faculty and students were invited for the lunch. A big number of professional from industry has joined us along with other university representatives. Amongst all few names are as follows;

From New Horizon Mr. Wamiq, Mr. Raza Zaidi, Mr. M. Faizan.
From Eni Nr. Nazeer ul Haq, Mr. Qaseem Siddiqui, Mr. Khan Arshad, Mr. Imran Khan
From BP Mr. Syed Muhammad Raza, Mr. Javaid Afsar, Ms. Aisha Baig.
From OGDCL Mr. Manzoor Ahsan, Mr. Anees Ashraf
From PPL Mr. Kamran Aziz, Mr. Gillani, Dr. S. Asif Ahsan, Mr. Raza Siddiqui, Mr. Asad Mumtaz Adhmi.

A large number of students from Federal university, Bahria University, Petroleum Technology dept. UoK, NED University, had joined us.

Regards,
Areeba Ayaz
President AAPG UOK SC

In May, the team was announced to be the winner of the Asia-Pacific Region and with much excitement traveled to the AAPG Conference in Colorado to compete in the global final round on June 5, 2009. Competing with 9 other teams from around the world was not an easy task but the team did their very best and came back to KKU with pride and joy.

Picture: The winner of IBA Competition (Asia Pacific Region). KKU-AAPG Student Chapter members proudly presenting their award medal received at the AAPG Annual Conference in Colorado.