MSc Student Best Paper Competition 2018

Branch event

20th November 2018

18:00 - 21:00 UK Time

Total E&P UK Limited, Tarland Road, Westhill, AB32 6JZ 

The Aberdeen, Highlands & Islands branch of the EI, with the generous sponsorship of Total E&P UK Limited, is once again organising the annual 'Best MSc Student Paper' competition between the top three nominated MSc students at University of Aberdeen (UoA) and Robert Gordon University (RGU) as pre-selected by their respective academic staff from over 400 students.


Each of the chosen six students will give a ten-minute presentation on their thesis and will then be quizzed and scored by a senior industry panel of judges specially chosen by the EI. The format is similar to the TV programme ‘Dragons Den’.

Representing UoA are shortlisted students:

• Gopnauth Bobby Gossai - MSc (Econ) Petroleum, Energy Economics & Finance (with Commendation)
• Carlos Andres Castaneda Lopez - MSc Oil & Gas Engineering (with Distinction)
• Imad Youssef - MSc Petroleum Engineering (with Distinction)

Presenting from RGU are shortlisted students: 

• Elena Virlezeanu - MSc Petroleum Production Engineering
• Ibukun Okunmadewa - MSc Petroleum Production Engineering (with Distinction)
• Simon Leiper - MSc Drilling & Well Engineering (with Distinction)

Once again, the Energy Institute has attracted a very high-profile panel of judges spanning various aspects of the upstream sector who have kindly given up their time to assess the students. Our panel for 2018 includes: 

• Pierre Cuisnier - Central Graben Area Asset Director, Total E&P UK Ltd
• Donald Taylor - Managing Director Europe, TAQA Bratani Ltd
• Paul Williams – UK Business Unit Manager Premier Oil
• Chris Bird – Chief Operating Officer, Goodwyn Energy
• Iain Hutchison - Managing Director, Merlin ERD Ltd
• Martin White – Europe Area Vice President, Halliburton
• Bronson Larkins – Managing Director, Wellvene

This event is open to EI members, industry colleagues and the general public. Come and listen to some of the brightest young minds destined to enter our industry. We would be delighted to see some industry colleagues supporting the event and the students in these challenging times. It is free to attend with food and soft drinks kindly laid on by Total E&P UK Limited.

Student members of the EI at RGU, UoA and Dundee University wishing to attend should book via their Course Co-ordinator. A quota of places has been allocated per University on a 'first come first serve basis'. Students bookings via the EI website will not be accepted.

Our hosts Total E&P UK Limited have kindly arranged for buses to transport students to and from the RGU and UoA campuses.

Contact details

Nigel Bradburn: nbradburn@energyinst.org