By Вen Li
Several dozen academics, geoscience professionals and CEOs of Calgary-based petroleum companies celebrated the opening of a new training facility at the University of Calgary last week.
The Geoscience Professional Development Centre incorporates the existing Tom Oliver Core Laboratory, the Gallagher Library of Geology and a new teaching lab equipped with industry-scale software and data to offer post-degree training.
"For the industry, we provide computer-intensive training," said GPDC Director Dr. Rudi Meyer. "When you have computers like this, you can design courses around software packages used for interpretation to find oil and gas. Some of them are very high-end packages used in industry."
Support for the GPDC–which emphasizes course material applicable to industry–came from the Department of Geology and Geophysics and a variety of professional organizations who will benefit most from the facility.
"Calgary has one of the largest populations of geoscientists in the world," said Paul English, Secretary of the Canada Region of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. "The market has a need for these courses and professional development. That’s something we’re keen to facilitate."
The GPDC has already attracted the attention of officials from several Calgary-based petroleum exploration companies including Douglas Minken, President of Maryanne Petroleums Limited and U of C graduate.
"I think it has good potential," said Minken. "You always have to upgrade your knowledge level and by doing these training courses here, you get advice from experts in the [geoscience] field."
Minken notes access to geoscience researchers and professionals in the department and research facilities both on site and in the research park north of the university could benefit the GPDC.
However, Students’ Union Vice-President Academic Rosie Nagra had concerns about the GPDC.
"Should this program not be run at a cost recovery basis so as not to take away from the undergrads?" she asked. "It’s benefiting [professional geoscientists] so they should provide more financial resources to ensure this program exists."
Nagra notes the establishment of the GPDC fits in with the university’s academic plans and may draw international post-degree students.
"In terms of bringing industry professionals at the U of C, this may support undergraduates who want to get into geology," she said.
Meyer, who is also a professor in the department said the new facility will allow him to teach a senior-level petroleum geology course more effectively as it increases the number of computer workstations with data-analysis software.
The GPDC is one of six such facilities in the world, the others located in the United States and England. Funding for the GPDC was initially provided by several industry groups including the AAPG which contributed $50,000 (U.S.) to bootstrap the project; the Society of Exploration Geophysicists which donated $20,000 (U.S.); and continuing funding from the Association of Professional Geologists, Geophysicists and Engineers of Alberta and the Canadian Society of Exploration of Geophysicists which each contributed $10,000 to the GPDC’s operations.