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(i) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT On behalf of SPE members and the team that made it to Lagos Nigeria with me, I acknowledged the great effort, solidarity, moral and financial support accorded to us by Nkumba University’s Administration in search for knowledge, skills and development of Petroleum career as course and students as future expatriates for the Nation. To be audible enough, the University sponsored two round trips or air tickets amounting to 2.9 million Ugandan shillings. I am proud to mention that I was one of the beneficiaries. 1.0 INTRODUCTION NAICE, which is the acronym for Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition is organized on behalf of the SPE Sections in Nigeria by the Nigeria Council. It was that same body’s council which sponsored and facilitated most of our requirements such transport with in Nigeria, accommodation and feeding. Over the years, NAICE has grown to become the largest upstream Oil and Gas event in Africa. It holds annually in Nigeria and attracts industry practitioners at all levels, as well as key stakeholders. It has continuously served as one of the industry's opportunity to learn, debate and challenge ideas to chart the right course towards a sustainable future for the industry. In 2013, it was held in the ancient city of Calabar and the recent edition held in Lagos. The choice of major cities and particularly Abuja was primarily aimed at encouraging greater government participation and to leverage on government and industry leaders' presence to influence the direction of policies something we must take note of as young nations in the petroleum industry which needs to learn a lot from others to be able to chart the way forward. Key National Policies Initiated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers through its NAICE and Annual Workshops include: Nigeria Content Development Policy, Gas flare, Reduction Policy, National Policy on Reserves Definition, Calculation and Classification and Currently, the society is collaborating with the Nigerian Society of Engineers to create Local Standards and Codes that will guide the Petroleum Engineering Practice in Nigeria. Nkumba University in conjunction with the SPE Nigeria council was able to delegate two students to participate in the conference and I must say that the University was well represented. Amongst the students that participated in the NAICE was Agaba Mathew and Kuorwel Ngang Jacob. Whereas Edezu Godfrey who was meant to be with us went to Da-el-Salam Tanzania to present a paper in the African Geologists’ Regional Summit, Guild President was not able because of other commitments. All of which are from SCOS’s Department of Natural Resources (Petroleum and Mineral Technology) a part from the Guild president of Nkumba University. I am proud to say that Nkumba University has once again been heard by so many professionals from different parts of Africa and the whole world. We were the only two students in the NAICE representing not only Uganda but also E. Africa. 2.0 METHODOLOGY Unlike the case of other countries in Africa, Nigeria is by far ahead. There are about 18 Universities in the country offering petroleum related and engineering courses and the country has been producing oil since 1970s. All of the sessions we attended were based on practical interactions which updated the theoretical
Transcript

(i) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

On behalf of SPE members and the team that made it to Lagos Nigeria with me, I acknowledged the great

effort, solidarity, moral and financial support accorded to us by Nkumba University’s Administration in

search for knowledge, skills and development of Petroleum career as course and students as future

expatriates for the Nation. To be audible enough, the University sponsored two round trips or air tickets

amounting to 2.9 million Ugandan shillings. I am proud to mention that I was one of the beneficiaries.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

NAICE, which is the acronym for Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition is organized on

behalf of the SPE Sections in Nigeria by the Nigeria Council. It was that same body’s council which

sponsored and facilitated most of our requirements such transport with in Nigeria, accommodation and

feeding.

Over the years, NAICE has grown to become the largest upstream Oil and Gas event in Africa. It holds

annually in Nigeria and attracts industry practitioners at all levels, as well as key stakeholders. It has

continuously served as one of the industry's opportunity to learn, debate and challenge ideas to chart the

right course towards a sustainable future for the industry.

In 2013, it was held in the ancient city of Calabar and the recent edition held in Lagos. The choice of major

cities and particularly Abuja was primarily aimed at encouraging greater government participation and to

leverage on government and industry leaders' presence to influence the direction of policies something

we must take note of as young nations in the petroleum industry which needs to learn a lot from others

to be able to chart the way forward. Key National Policies Initiated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers

through its NAICE and Annual Workshops include: Nigeria Content Development Policy, Gas flare,

Reduction Policy, National Policy on Reserves Definition, Calculation and Classification and Currently, the

society is collaborating with the Nigerian Society of Engineers to create Local Standards and Codes that

will guide the Petroleum Engineering Practice in Nigeria.

Nkumba University in conjunction with the SPE Nigeria council was able to delegate two students to

participate in the conference and I must say that the University was well represented. Amongst the

students that participated in the NAICE was Agaba Mathew and Kuorwel Ngang Jacob. Whereas Edezu

Godfrey who was meant to be with us went to Da-el-Salam Tanzania to present a paper in the African

Geologists’ Regional Summit, Guild President was not able because of other commitments. All of which

are from SCOS’s Department of Natural Resources (Petroleum and Mineral Technology) a part from the

Guild president of Nkumba University. I am proud to say that Nkumba University has once again been

heard by so many professionals from different parts of Africa and the whole world. We were the only two

students in the NAICE representing not only Uganda but also E. Africa.

2.0 METHODOLOGY

Unlike the case of other countries in Africa, Nigeria is by far ahead. There are about 18 Universities in the

country offering petroleum related and engineering courses and the country has been producing oil since

1970s. All of the sessions we attended were based on practical interactions which updated the theoretical

knowledge we have been getting here at the University. What made it interesting was that, the content

wasn’t new to us, in fact most of the devices we saw were familiar to us although we were seeing them for

first time. Photos speak and records provide evident, you will all agree with me that the journey was a

successful one.

Figure .1

Agaba Mathew stands next to the instructor during the Sclumberge’s launch of the new BHA equipment

(Bottom Hole Assembly Equipment)

Figure 2

Jacob Kuorwel Ngang (SPE president) and Agaba Mathew listened patiently to the instructor during the

exhibition at Eko Suit Hotel Lagos Nigeria.

What happened downhole in the wellbore cannot be seen but it can be diagnosed and detected on the surface

through the use of specialized devices known as “well control sensors” and “Bottom Hole Assembly”

equipment. Calipers, gauges, calibrators, flow valves, gamma rays transmitters are some examples of the

devices that are frequently used to find out what is lurking beneath.

Figure 4

Most of the equipment we have been hearing about were made available to us in order for us to see, touch

and operate at no cost. Among them were pressure to temperature valves or PVTs, drilling bits of various

types and capacities, i.e. Poly-crystalline-Diamond Bits and Roller cone bits which are used for drilling in

hard formations. Drilling strings, pipes and casing were all available.

3.0 Chemicals. Various chemicals that are used as additives in the drilling mud and viscosifiers were also

present. Completion fluids are placed across the chosen pay zone or production zone or reservoir casing

zone after the well has been drilled but prior to putting it on production. The following are examples of

such chemicals;

Work over fluids are used during remedial work in producing wells, usually as an attempt to

Figure 3 shows the newly invented

B.O.P

4.0 Enhance or prolong the economic life of the well.

Control subsurface pressures

Minimize formation damage

Maintain wellbore stability

Control fluid losses to the formation

Transport solids

Maintain stable fluid properties

5.0 Types of Completion and Work over Fluids

Clear and solid free brines are the most common one used

Polymer – viscosified brines with bridging / weighting agents

Figure 5

Figure 6 above and figure 7 below show various types of fluids we look at during the training programme.

Such fluids perform different functions in the process of production.

Figure 7

Figure 5

One could physically see and read a pressure gauge showing both air pressure and water pressures. The

program was so interactive that whoever was present left the place with adequate knowledge, satisfied and

well informed. When drilling a well, the most important thing we need to be vigilant with is pressure

change. Any increase or decrease in pressure means a lot to a reservoir engineer and if not addressed, it will

constitute a disaster. You can only be on safe side if your pore pressures, formation pressures and drilling

fluid pressures are well balanced, otherwise, a blowout can occur (which is the violent or uncontrolled flow

out of oil and gas through the annulus and the wellbore) which is always catastrophic in nature can occur.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 6 and figure 7 show a calibrator system used for online valve testing and data analysis. It has an

alarm, button, remotely sensed data button and well monitoring data button. It has software, and has highly

sophisticated system which can compare different systems and contrast their performance in the well.

Figure 8

Group of experts from Abuja University demonstrated their practical knowledge to students on oil flow,

well testing and reservoir performance during the water, gas and chemical injection. What forced oil to the

surface is always natural by lack that is through buoyance forces but human aid in relation to petroleum

technology is highly needed for the well to flow. The figure above shows students sucking water using

straws of various kinds, an illustration of how buoyance force helps oil move up to the surface for the case

of naturally flowing wells.

6.0 Well perforation:

Below is the high shot density perforating Gun (TCP type not WCP) or tubing conveyed perforation not

wireline conveyed perforation. Perforation fractures the formation and creates permeable inlets for oil to

flow into the well. In other words, perforation and fracturing allow the wellbore to communicate with the

formation in which the well was bored.

Figure 9

Figure 9 above shows different stages of perforation and its effects on the formation around the well

reservoir.

7.0 Friendship and networking.

Figure 10

We also had very good time with friends across Nigeria.

One can see the heart which the Nigeria students had for us and understand the kind of life we enjoyed

while in Lagos.

8.0 CONCLUSION

Learning is gradually a process and that is the best definition of education according to Nelson

Mandala. Experience is the best teacher and excursion is the source of experience and rediscovery.

While in Nigeria, we saw what we used to hear, we touch what we used to talk about and got exposed

to things that are not within our reach here.

9.0 CHALLENGES

The most challenging thing we faced was getting air tickets and visas when the money was not paid

to Ethiopian airline. We could be told to come very early in morning and ended up being told to come

back another day.

Inadequate books and petroleum related software was one of the challenges we faced as we did not

flowing and inter-linked information in relation to petroleum industry. We could see something we

are familiar with and things we have never of before.

10.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

10.1 There is a serious problem around petroleum course in Nkumba University which need special

attention;

Course restructuring is changing the meaning of the course for example important course

units are being replaced with course units that cannot be heard anywhere in the world.

There is nothing called “Computer modelling” as an independent course unit but there is

something called “Reservoir characterization and modeling”

Remote sensing and GIS have been separated to form two separate course units which

blocked the most important course units like;

Solid and Fluids mechanics: which is important during drilling and mud circulation

processes.

Acoustics wave propagation which is used in seismic exploration. The last stage of exploration

process that confirms the presence or absence of hydrocarbons in an area has been scrubbed

off.

Formation evaluation:

Completion and decommissioning:

The argument that the course is a management course and should not be structured with

technical course units does not hold weight since Nkumba University is not an Island in the

world and is supposed to fit itself in the worlds’ system not the world to fit itself in Nkumba’s

system. Give students theoretical knowledge and the petroleum companies will know where

to begin from. There is 18 months training program for graduates which different petroleum

companies carry out in order to make new graduates fit in the industry or it aims at bridging

the gap between theoretical knowledge from the university and practical knowledge at the

field.

It is sad to mention that petroleum students are writing dissertations like those in school of

social sciences and SBA instead of projects. The first question if anyone is to have and

interview with Schlumbeger Company is whether you have ever carried out a project as a

group or as an individual. Should you say no, automatically you do not qualify for the next

interview.

The University should make use of Mr. Isaiah Tumwekirize because he has experience in the

ministry of energy and in petroleum industry. One must confess that most of his prior ideas

are practical and beneficial and can be witnessed on the ground in different parts of the

world.

I also request the University to bring closer and maintain close relationship with petroleum

companies because they have a role to play and many are willing to cooperate but need proper

procedures to be follow.

I would suggest that a committee comprising of staffs from the Bursa’s office, Academic

Registrar, school of sciences plus student representatives from the petroleum course be

formed to review and re-structure the tuition fees that encompasses all the activities the

students are required to undertake while studying. We must understand that there is no any

University that can own a drilling rig or an oil refinery for its students but the University can

afford sending students out for field excursions. Otherwise, producing inefficient students

that are going to compete at the world level will be a risky venture to the University in the

long run.

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

BACHELOR OF SCIENCES IN PETROLEUM AND

MINERAL MANAGEMENT/TECHNOLOGY

NAME: 1- KUORWEL NGANG JACOB

(SPE PRESENT)

2-AGABA MATHEW

3-EDEZU GODFREY

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 2013/AUG/BPMM/B11865/DAY

LAGOS AND DAR-EL-SALAM TRIPS

REPORT

THIS REPORT WAS PRODUCED BY THE STUDENTS WHO WENT TO NIGERIA TO

ATTEND THE NACIE CONFERENCE AND THE GROUP WHO WENT TO DAR- -EL-

SALAM TANZANIA TO PARTICIPATE IN AFRICAN GEOLOGISTS REGIONAL

SUMMIT.

References:

Conference card

Visa receipt, air ticket and air ticket receipt


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