Curtin petroleum engineering students visit Shell learning hub, attend course on well control

Miri – 20 April 2018 – 27 petroleum engineering students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently visited the Shell Wells Asia Pacific (Integrated Gas) Learning Hub located at the headquarters of Sarawak Shell Berhad here.

Accompanying the students was Head of Department of Petroleum Engineering at Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science, Dr. Hisham Khaled Ben Mahmud.

Hosting them were Shell ASIA/PAC Wells Training Centre Manager Reinaldo Hutabarat and technical and administrative staff of the training centre.

The visit enabled the students to learn more about drilling operations, including the life cycle of wells, well control, well intervention and workover, and pressure control during well intervention. It also gave them insights into the real-life work environment of professional engineers in the oil and gas industry.

While at the centre, the students attended an International Well Control Forum (IWCF) Level 1 Course, which leads to examination and certification by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), facilitated by Well Completion and Intervention Engineer Stanley Poh.

The course enabled the students to enhance their practical understanding of the oil and gas industry and the technicalities of well control, as well as take the free IWCF Level 1 online assessment and receive certificates acknowledging their participation.

Hutabarat commented that the certificates would be a good addition to their resumés and that oil and gas companies commonly encourage their staff to undergo such courses to enhance their industry knowledge and competencies.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hisham remarked that both the visit and the course were highly beneficial to the students as they highlighted the importance of well integrity and control, as well as the health, safety and environmental practices in upstream operations.

He added that industry visits and other forms of practical learning are critical in the petroleum engineering course at Curtin Malaysia so that students can easily connect what they learn in classrooms to real-life industry applications. Such activities also complement practical study in fluid and reservoir rock laboratories and geodynamic lab work at the university.

He said the Department of Petroleum Engineering has organised several visits to the training centre in the past and will continue doing so as it is one of the best in the region. He also said that Shell, as a key industry partner of Curtin Malaysia, is very supportive of student learning and career development at the university.

Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin University’s four-year Bachelor of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering (Honours) which covers a wide range of subjects that are core to the petroleum engineering field and is recognised by Engineers Australia, Board of Engineers Malaysia, in addition to the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.

It remains one of the most popular engineering courses at Curtin Malaysia since its introduction in 2011. Dr. Hisham said graduates are immediately employable in the industry upon graduation and, in fact, most of the petroleum engineering students find employment even before graduation.

Group photo of Curtin visitors and Shell staff at the training centre.

Hutabarat briefing students on intervention operations.

Hutabarat demonstrating well drilling mechanism.

Hutabarat and technical staff Stanley Poh receiving certificate of appreciation from Dr. Hisham.