PROVIDING A RESOURCE
Students are not the only ones benefitting from the Irani Center for Energy Solutions. Companies themselves are benefitting from the additional resources provided by the I-CES student participants.
“For the small producer, it’s a win because many may not have this kind of expertise, technology or software,” said former OEEF Executive Director Mike Terry. “Many may not even have engineers or geologists on their staff, particularly since the oil downturn. If a student could help a producer in a way that turns out to be fruitful, what a learning experience for the student and the producer.”
The I-CES Center is currently invested in studying four Oklahoma formations, including the analysis of approximately 400 wells. Each of the companies that participated in the program during summer 2018 continued or added to their projects with I-CES when the program officially kicked off in the fall. Many still will continue into the 2019-2010 academic year. Additional industry projects are evaluated by college faculty and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Nichole Buckner, a geologist with Kirkpatrick Oil, said even professionals like herself have something to learn from the students.
“We were highly impressed by the intelligence and diligence shown by the members of the team assigned to us,” she said. “Beyond the project, we gained a couple of new tips and tricks from these young engineers on how to more efficiently analyze our raw data.”