Collaboration Models for University and Petroleum Industry Partners with Focus on MENA

Abstract

Abstract This paper has been prepared in response to an invitation to make a keynote presentation at this MEOS Conference, and to set the stage for the other several presentations to follow during the same Session. With the Session titled "People Development", naturally this paper and the others address current issues and topics related to human resources, human capital, talent management, diversity in the workforce, university partnerships in collaboration with other significant stakeholders, and education and training. There are many ways to tell a good story, and I hope the "way" presented herein is a good choice. There is no doubt about the "story" being good; the only uncertainty is in the telling. As the title above indicates, the intent of this paper is to present models and examples of collaborations among international universities and petroleum industry partners, with emphasis on the MENA region. For purposes of this paper, this Middle East and North Africa MENA region is considered to cover the area approximately from Oman to Turkey, and from Tehran to Timbuktu and Tunisia, plus or minus a little more or less, and most points in between. Hopefully, this paper will be useful to many within and outside this geographical area. The MENA region has a long and wonderful history of education, research, discovery, inventions, writing, laws, and other university-related functions provided by the "House of Wisdom". The members of the intended particular audience targeted by this paper are the leaders and decision makers representing the partners in the actual and potential collaborations which are addressed herein, including all of the following: University faculty members, Department Heads, Vice Presidents, Presidents, Deans, Boards of Directors, Advisory Groups.Leadership personnel of NOCs, IOCs, Ministries of Oil and Higher Education; and any other stakeholders with power, influence, control, resources, advice, or wisdom to share. This paper is based on 35 years of global experiences, including many current engagements with countries in the MENA region, addressing models for innovative collaborations among universities and the petroleum industry. The focus of this paper is on Petroleum Engineering (PE) education, research, and training provided by universities, and the critical needs for better engagements with National Oil Companies (NOCs), International Oil Companies (IOCs), International Service Companies, and Ministries of Oil and Higher Education. The experiences, observations, and recommendations presented herein are based primarily on PE, and readily incorporate the other upstream oil and gas industry disciplines of Geology (GE) and Geophysics (GP). In addition, much of the petroleum industry downstream personnel and efforts relate to this paper equally well.