Technical lecture gives Curtin petroleum engineering students insights into gas-lift design and operation

Miri – 14 October 2019 – Third and final year petroleum engineering students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) gained invaluable insights into gas-lift and downhole applications during a Gas-Lift Design and Operation technical guest lecture at the university campus recently.

The lecture, organised by petroleum engineering lecturer Associate Professor Hisham Ben Mahmud, was delivered by guest lecturers Chua Hing Leong of Petronas Carigali and Jason Kok Chin Hwa and Nurul Nadia Saiful Mulok of AppSmiths Technology.

It was divided into two sessions, the first delivered by Chua, who has more than 18 years’ experience in upstream oil and gas operations. Besides Petronas Carigali, he has worked with other companies such as Amsito Oilwell Services Malaysia, Delcom Oilfield Services and Expro Oilfield Services.

Chua enlightened the students on the slickline process of gas-lift valve change, explaining in detail the function, installation and operation of gas-lift valves. He also highlighted the different types of valves and their applications, as well as wireline equipment which are used to install and retrieve gas-lift valves.

The second session delivered by Jason and Nurul involved reservoir and production engineering and artificial lift technologies that are commonly used in Malaysia.

Jason is a petroleum engineering graduate of the University of Tulsa in the United States with some eight years’ experience in the oil and gas industry. He was a production technologist and consultant with Schlumberger before becoming managing director of AppSmiths Technology – Asia Pacific.

Nurul, meanwhile, is a chemical engineering graduate of Universiti Teknologi Petronas who previously worked with Weatherford Malaysia before joining AppSmiths Technology as a gas-lift designer.

In addition to reservoir and production engineering and artificial lift technologies, Jason introduced the students to WinGLUE, an industrial simulation tool for surveillance of gas-lift design, simulation, optimisation and predication, while Nurul explained the operating procedures for use of IPO and PPO valves and unloading valve mechanisms.

In thanking the three guest lecturers for their support of the Bachelor of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering programme at Curtin Malaysia, Associate Professor Hisham said industry involvement in student learning is crucial to student learning outcomes, helping students connect what they learn in the classroom to real-life applications.

Chua explaining the different types of gas-lift valves.

Guest lecturers and students pose for group photo after the lecture.