THE trend of winners for this years American Association of Petroleum Geologist (AAPG) Imperial Barrel Award (IBA) Programme for the African Region, took a different dimension, the moment the judges at the semi-final competition started nodding their head in agreement during University of Cairos presentation. It thus came as no surprise when the Egyptian institution was announced winner, after the rigorous competition held at Peninsula Hotel Lagos recently.Apart from flying Africas flag at the global contest, the institution also broke the three-year record in which Nigerian universities have emerged winners and represented Africa for three consecutive years. It could be recalled that since the emergence of the IBA programme in Africa in 2008, the Federal University of Technology, Abeokuta (FUTA), Nigeria, won in that year and represented Africa while the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) represented Africa in 2009 and 2010 respectively.The Cairo University team, made up of Hussein Ali Abdu l-Aziz, Ibrahim Mohamed Ismael, Usama gamal Naser, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Abd El-hamid, probably saw it coming after the team scored the highest point at the preliminary. Abdu l-Aziz had told The Guardian: Right now I am curious. I dont know what will happen in the final round, but I have a feeling we have done something great. We have worked hard as a team and we understood every detail of what we are doing. I will be glad if we eventually win.Cairo University competed among 12 African Universities. The team will represent Africa at the global IBA competition in Houston on April 8 and 9. However, FUTA came second while Helwan University, Egypt took the third position. Stellenbosch University from South Africa came fourth.The Coordinator AAPG/IBA Africa Region, Mr. Oluseye Ekun, a staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited, said all the teams were given a data set, a simulated kind of story within the industry, to within eight-weeks analyze, interpret, make recommendations.Each team is expected to demonstrate evidence of rigorous and creative technical evaluations; work effectively as a team to a strict deadline; make decisions based on inadequate data; define the key plays, petroleum systems, leads/prospects and risks; complete a technical assessment of the petroleum potential of the basin/area and make recommendations on future exploration activity based on prevailing technical and economic conditions.The IBA is a hands-on opportunity for students to experience the creative process and high-tech science that are the foundation of the energy industry today. The participants have received real world experience with their performances, judged by industry experts. They have a chance to travel to the premier industry event, to network with both future colleagues and future employers, and a chance to win accolades for themselves and cash awards.Speaking shortly after the preliminary, the Vice President of AAPG Africa Region, Mrs. Doja Ojelabi noted that out of the 20 teams that registered for the competition, only 12 made it to the semi finals. On whether Africa could emerge winner at the final global competition she said: judging the quality, there are very high quality in some of them, and if we get our winner which is the best for Africa I think the best for Africa is good enough for the best of the world.The overall winner at the global competition will go home with Imperial Barrel Award plus $20,000 dollars. The second position winner will get The Selley Cup and $10,000, while the third place winner would win The Stoneley Medal and $5000.
Click here to read full news..
