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Methane hydrates — flammable ice-like compounds found in rocks deep beneath the sea — are gaining interest as a potential source of natural gas, but there is still much to discover about the long-term viability of such an energy source, and the environmental impact.

UT PGE proudly hosted the 2013 SPE Gulf Coast Regional Paper Contest on April 5-6, 2013. The contest consisted of 35 undergraduate, masters, and doctorate students from seven universities in the region. Judged by industry professionals, students presented their findings from a research project or internship.

The department is thrilled to announce the first place honor in all three categories went to a UT PGE student. Congratulations to the winners:

BS:

1.Brandon Hilts – UT-Austin

2.Richard Mercer – Texas A&M

3.Mikhail Alekseenko – UH

MS:

1.Shaina Kelly – UT-Austin

2.Karin Gonzalez – Texas A&M

3.Roman Shor – UT-Austin

PhD:

1.Kan Wu – UT-Austin

2.Cassandra Oeth – Texas A&M

3.Lokendra Jain – UT-Austin

We would like to thank our wonderful sponsors for their support of this important petroleum engineering event: 

Presenting Sponsor:
Pioneer Natural Resources

Lead Sponsor:
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Premier Sponsors:
Chevron,ConocoPhillips

Sponsors:
Hess, SPE Dallas Chapter

Also, a big thank you to our judges and moderators who donated their time to ensure the contest was a success:

Nathan Meehan (Baker Hughes), Colin Kiernan (Hess Corporation), Jamie Castagno (Chevron), Sam Chio (Hess Corporation), Dustin Walker (Chevron), Gary Schein (Pioneer Natural Resources), Josh Xu (Chevron), Sam Larkin (Pioneer Natural Resources), Katie Horner (Chevron), Robert MacDonald (Platt, Sparks & Associates), Kory Izard (Chevron), Donald Richardson (RPSEA), Marta Bermudez (Chevron), Shahid Azizul Haq (Schlumberger), Sriram Balasubramanian (Chevron), Alan He (Statoil), Susan Howes (Chevron), Benjamin Shiau (University of Oklahoma)

Hilts, Kelly, and Wu will take their presentations to the international competition at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in New Orleans this September.

Check out the photos from the regional paper contest weekend, including the cruise on Lady Bird Lake!

UT PGE will host the 2013 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Gulf Coast Regional Paper Contest April 5-6. The contest consists of 35 undergraduate, masters, and doctorate students from seven universities in the region. Judged by industry professionals, students will present their findings from a research project or internship.

Six participants from UT PGE will compete in the regional contest; Jason Camacho and Brandon Hilts in the undergraduate division; Shaina Kelly and Roman Shor in the masters’ division, and Lokendra Jain and Kan Wu in the PhD division.

Brandon Hilts, whose paper focuses on managed pressure drilling, says the Regional Contest will help him translate his on-the-job experience in an office setting. “I’m always looking to improve my presentation skills,” says Hilts.

Graduate student Shaina Kelly also hopes to augment her public speaking skills. “Presenting one’s research in a compelling and clear manner is sometimes almost as difficult as doing the research itself!” says Kelly. “The paper contest will help me gain experience in communicating a research message clearly—this is a very valuable skill for the future.”

Naturally, preparing for the contest requires dedication, especially when it comes to perfecting one’s presentation. “Practice, practice, practice, and revision!” Kelly explains. “Many professors have been helpful to the student contestants, volunteering their time to critique our PowerPoint slides and presentation styles.”

The weekend will kick off Friday, April 5 with a dinner cruise on Lady Bird Lake. Following the contest on Saturday, an awards dinner will be held at the Texas Union.

Winners from the SPE Gulf Coast Regional Contest will attend the International Student Paper Contest held at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in New Orleans this October.

From the LeDuc Woodbend Fields in Edmonton, Canada, to the Eagle Ford Shale in San Antonio, UT PGE went on a hunt with an award-winning film crew last summer to capture the department’s rich 83-year history and its influence on Texas and the world.

Please join us in congratulating Deborah Hempel-Medina, winner of the 2013 Faculty Appreciation Week Award for the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering. Nominations for this award were submitted by students in the PGE department, and winners were determined solely by the engineering student body.

Hempel-Medina is a lecturer in the PGE department, and teaches the Engineering Communication course, which covers technical and professional communication as well as engineering ethics. New to the department in fall 2012, Hempel-Medina has quickly become a student favorite because of her practical and enthusiastic approach to teaching.

On receiving the award, Hempel-Medina said: “I’m here for the students, and as such, it’s an extreme honor to be recognized by those who I am trying to serve.”

Hempel-Medina will be honored alongside other faculty departmental winners from the Cockrell School at an awards ceremony hosted by the Student Engineering Council. This ceremony will take place Thursday, March 7, from 4- 6 pm in the Student Activity Center Ballroom. All engineering students are invited, but space is limited. To RSVP for the reception, please visit the SEC website.

There is fast and then there is Kyle Smith fast. UT PGE graduate student, Kyle Smith, finished fourth overall (and was the first Texan to cross the finish line!) at the 2013 Livestrong Austin Marathon with a time of 2:42:55.

For many decades, UT PGE has held a strong reputation for its prestigious faculty members and Dr. Maša Prodanović continues the trend as she received the highly prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. 

UT PGE was solidly represented at the premier hydraulic fracturing conference in the world hosted by SPE February 4-6 in The Woodlands. Faculty and graduate students presented papers in five technical sessions focused mainly on modeling and performance. Dr. Mukul Sharma chaired a session and Dr. Jon Olson served as a keynote speaker sharing expertise with industry and academic colleagues on the latest findings in hydraulic fracturing.

"This SPE conference is beneficial as it allows for the exchange of information and ideas around hydraulic fracturing and it generates new collaborations for future projects," said Olson. "This venue offers great visibility for UT's research among industry, so they see us as solution providers to their biggest challenges in this specific discipline."

The Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department hosted the annual SPE Local Paper Contest on Friday, January 25, 2013, where students had the opportunity to present their research in front of a panel of industry professionals. Judges picked the top three presenters in each division to win a monetary prize, and first and second place winners will have the opportunity to compete in the SPE Gulf Coast Regional Contest this spring, also hosted by UT PGE.

Please join us in congratulating the winners of the 2013 SPE Local Paper Contest:

BS Division:

First Place:             Jason Camacho

Second Place:         Julio Trevino

Third Place:            Brandon Hilts

MS Division:

First Place:              Shaina Kelly

Second Place:          Roman Shor

Third Place:             Prateek Kathel

PhD Division:

First Place:              Lokendra Jain

Second Place:          Kan Wu

Third Place:             Lionel Ribeiro

This event would not have been possible without our sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor:
Pioneer Natural Resources

Lead Sponsors:
Chevron, ConocoPhillips

Sponsors:
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, SPE Dallas Chapter

A big thank you to everyone who donated their time and energy to this contest, especially our judges:

Dustin Walker (Chevron), Jesus Salazar (ConocoPhillips), Shahid Azizul Haq (Schlumberger), Ankur Gandhi (Anadarko Petroleum Corporation), Mark Walsh (Consultant), William Guo (Chevron), Kanay Jerath (Anadarko Petroleum Corporation), Alan He (Statoil), James Meek (Chesapeake), Marta Bermudez (Chevron), Brandon Calva (Chevron), Susan Howes (Chevron), Gary Schein (Pioneer Natural Resources), Sam Larkin (Pioneer Natural Resources)

See you at the SPE Gulf Coast Regional Contest, April 5-6, 2013!

UT PGE hired two outstanding assistant professors this spring: Drs. Hugh Daigle and Mark McClure.