Training Centre for ‘Explorationists’ Opens at University

A training facility for petroleum explorers was officially opened in October at the University of Aberdeen. Steve Garrett, Manager of Chevron's European Technology Centre in Aberdeen and University Principal, Professor Ian Diamond conducted the opening ceremony of exploHUB, which is a partnership between industry and academia. Steve is also President of the Petroleum Exploration Society Great Britain (PESGB), which is now a strategic partner with exploHUB, funding IT infrastructure and sponsoring a traineeship for 2012. Welcoming the arrival of the new training centre, Steve said: “The objective of the PESGB is to promote, for the public benefit, education in the scientific and technical aspects of petroleum exploration.

“PESGB is delighted to support exploHUB’s start-up in 2011, and look forward to selecting and welcoming our PESGB exploHUB trainee in 2012. PESGB also values the continuing partnership with exploHUB’s Director and Board in helping to steer this exciting new venture.”

exploHUB’s Director is Dr Stuart Archer, an exploration and production geologist with many years experience in the Atlantic Margin and Gulf of Mexico and in challenging reservoirs in the North Sea. Dr Archer said: “As a community we need to do something different to access the more complex reservoirs. We need a new generation of ‘explorationists’, equipped with the inquisitiveness, skills and creativity required to successfully discover what Earth may still be hiding from us. This is exactly what exploHUB is all about.” Dr Archer and his team are interested in hearing from the ‘old hand’ resource of experienced geologists who are keen to get involved in passing on their exploration experience to the next generation of explorers.