Curtin Malaysia IChemE Student Chapter members visit Miri Crude Oil Terminal

Miri – 22 November 2022 – 15 undergraduate chemical engineering students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently visited Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd.’s (PCSB) Miri Crude Oil Terminal (MCOT) at Lutong to learn more about its facilities, as well as the application of chemical engineering theories and processes in its operations.

The visit was organised by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Student Chapter of Curtin Malaysia, and accompanying the student members were the chapter’s academic advisors, Associate Professor Bridgid Chin Lai Fui and senior lecturer Dr. Tan Yie Hua.

Hosting their visit were PCSB Field Operations Executive Kelvin Chong Kai Sing and Field Performance Analyst Mohd. Afiq Bin Abu Kassim.

The visit proved very beneficial to the students as they got to learn about the daily production of wet crude and gas from offshore production platforms located in the Great Sarawak Basin and the hydrocarbon fluid journey from the reservoir to the surface. They were able to relate a lot of the processes, both at the offshore installations and at MCOT, to the chemical engineering concepts and theories they are taught in class.

Third-year chemical engineering student and organising chairperson for the visit, Siah Thong, said she was glad that the Curtin Malaysia IChemE Student Chapter was glad to be able to organise a physical site visit to MCOT after more than two years of studying online.

Chong, meanwhile, remarked that he and his team were likewise delighted to host a physical visit by members of the Curtin Malaysia IChemE Student Chapter. He said MCOT welcomes visits by students from various education institutions as part of its contributions to the local community and cited the many times Curtin Malaysia engineering undergraduates have visited over the years, including a number this year.

According to Assoc. Prof. Chin, such study visits to industrial sites and other student learning activities provide chemical engineering students valuable opportunities to learn outside the classroom setting.

“The students benefit from having a more relaxed learning experience and can observe how chemical engineering theories and principles are applied to industrial operations. They also learn about the processes and design concepts involved, the effects of industrial activities on society and the environment, as well as the importance of health and safety,” said Assoc. Prof. Chin.

The IChemE Student Chapter of Curtin Malaysia serves to promote the latest developments and advances in the field of chemical engineering among Curtin Malaysia’s students as well as create networking opportunities between students and industry professionals.

For more information on the student chapter, email csichemesc@gmail.com or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CMIChemESC/ or its website at https://cmichemesc.jimdofree.com.

Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin University’s four-year Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.) in Chemical Engineering, which is double-accredited by both Engineers Australia and the Board of Engineers Malaysia, as well as the IChemE. The course has extensive support and collaboration from industry players, and Curtin Malaysia’s location in Miri, an oil and gas hub, and nearby the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), provides students ample opportunities for industry exposure and practical learning.

Information on Curtin Malaysia can be found on its website at www.curtin.edu.my, or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or Tik-Tok.

Students and lecturers pose for group photo with Kelvin Chong and other MCOT staff

Mohd Afiq Bin Abu Kassim taking the students and lecturers on a tour of MCOT