The 73rd International Youth Scientific Conference "Oil and Gas-2019"

From April 22 to April 25, 2019, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas held the 73rd International Youth Scientific Conference "Oil and Gas - 2019" pursuant to the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. In 2019, more than 2,100 students, postgraduate students, young scientists, specialists, and schoolchildren from more than 410 educational institutions and industry organizations of Russia and foreign countries took part in the conference. The media partners of the Conference were Accreditation in Education Company and Higher Education Discovery.

The event started with a panel session "Oil and Gas of the Future: Youth, Leadership, Innovations," which was attended by Viktor Martynov, Rector of the Gubkin University; Pavel Sorokin, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation; Artem Karapetov, Vice President of Schlumberger Russia and Central Asia; Cederic Cremers, Chairman of Shell Concern in Russia; Yuri Pikhtovnikov, Head of Organizational Development and Career Management of PJSC LUKOIL; Pavel Revel-Muroz, Vice President of Transneft; Rustem Khairetdinov, Vice President of GK InfoWatch, and Anna Tsivileva, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kolmar Group LLC.

The session participants discussed the issues of digital transformation and artificial intelligence in the oil and gas industry, the possibility of social elevators for young people. “I would like the results of our common efforts to bring in the future discoveries for the development of oil and gas provinces in Russia,” said Pavel Sorokin, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Energy of Russia. At the end of the panel discussion, the speakers answered the young people's questions.

One of the key events on the first day of the conference was the on-site stage of the IV All-Russian competition for the best student scientific association in the oil and gas industry of Russia where the correspondence stage winners, eight best youth university teams in Russia, presented their projects. In 2019, the projects of student associations' teams were devoted to the prospects for the development of the LNG industry (large, medium and low-tonnage).

According to the decision of the competitive commission that included representatives of relevant departments and oil and gas companies, the team of Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas was recognized as the best team. In addition to the challenge cup for the best student scientific association, it won a certificate for an educational trip to the production facilities of Yamal LNG LLC. The diploma for the 2nd place and the certificate for an educational trip to the production facilities of the Sakhalin Energy company were awarded to the team of Kazan National Research Technological University.

The participants also took part in thematic interactive workshops, seminars and panel discussions devoted to the issues of geology, development and drilling of hydrocarbon deposits, transportation and processing of hydrocarbons, digitalization, protection of intellectual property and career opportunities of young people engaged in the oil and gas industry.

According to the program, the conference was continued in 24 thematic breakout sessions. In total, over 700 scientific papers, that had passed a preliminary competitive selection, were presented at the conference within two days. In 2019, more than 170 representatives of more than 70 oil and gas industry organizations were members of the expert committee.

In 2019, as part of the conference, at the initiative of the Youth Council of the Oil and Gas Industry under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, the III All-Russian intellectual game among the youth of the oil and gas industry “Oil Owl” was held with the participation of 106 teams from organizations and universities of Russia and abroad, which was a record. The host of the intellectual game was Boris Belozerov, the young captain of the elite club and the owner of the Crystal Owl. In a close-fought battle, the team of young specialists from Irkutsk Oil Company LLC won the Crystal Oil Owl of 2019. The teams of Gazprom Export and Giprovostokneft took the second and the third places, respectively.

The conference traditionally included a shirt-sleeve meeting where the participants had the opportunity to ask any question to the heads of relevant departments and oil and gas companies. The meeting was moderated by Alexander Muradov, Vice-Rector for Research at Gubkin University, and the questions from young people were answered by Michael Collins, CEO at Salym Petroleum Development NV; Elena Akoltseva, BHGE financial director for the Russia Caspian region; Olga Bogatyreva, BHGE HR director for the Russia Caspian region; Vladimir Dibrov, Director for Strategic Projects in Oil Production of Emerson LLC; Alexey Fadeev, Director of Programs for the Promotion of Shelf Projects of Gazpromneft-Sakhalin LLC.

During the meeting the questions were raised about commercialization of young people’s research projects, career development, essential competencies for oil and gas industry specialists taking into account digitalization, the role of student science in shaping the innovative science and technology facilities of industry enterprises, internships, work placements and employment at leading oil and gas companies.

The conference was concluded with a solemn ceremony of awarding the winners and prize winners of the conference, competition and intellectual game.