The Irani Center for Energy Solutions is the next step in energy education
At our Center on the University of Oklahoma campus, we provide best-in-class practical educational opportunities to students studying petroleum engineering, geology, geophysics, as well as students across campus in areas like energy management, entrepreneurship, economics, accounting and finance.
This unique program brings real-world, real-time projects from energy companies to the Center’s hub on the 14th-floor of Sarkeys Energy Center on OU’s Norman campus.
Students dissect existing oil and gas plays, prepare industry-styled type-curve and reserve reports, work on projects such as evaluating undeveloped zones for drilling/recompletion opportunities, evaluate re-stimulation, artificial lift and compression configurations for optimizing production, and evaluate petrophysical and geological characteristics of resource plays, etc.
Interdisciplinary teams of students are overseen by top faculty and seasoned industry professionals who provide expertise, insights and technical guidance. Non-disclosure agreements protect a company’s valuable and confidential information, and all findings and proposed solutions are professionally presented back to the company.
Industry partners can submit projects for consideration to Prue Smith, the Executive Director of the Irani Center. Our multi-disciplinary leadership team reviews projects on a first-come, first-served basis.
Any project that advances energy companies or energy resources will be considered, such as:
Once an industry partner is accepted, they will work with their assigned student team as long as both parties deem the relationship beneficial. Industry partners will be expected to meet with their student team at least twice during the semester to discuss the project scope and expectations and provide timely feedback.
At the conclusion of the project, the student team will provide their final report and recommendations at the Ronnie K. Irani Center for Energy Solutions hub at OU’s Norman campus. Company representatives will be expected to give their impressions, guidance and practical industry-related feedback. Long-term projects with smaller goals split between cohorts of student teams are both possible and practical.
Non-disclosure agreements protect companies’ valuable and confidential information. Companies retain intellectual property developed by the Irani Center.
Email Executive Director Prue Smith Prue.Smith@ou.edu
Participating in a project with the Irani Center for Energy Solutions means you will have the opportunity to work with a company on a real-world, real-time project. You and your team will provide the company with actionable results. Faculty oversight is in place, making the Irani Center the perfect bridge from classroom to career.
You will be differentiated and distinguished from your peers, both at OU and at other energy-focused universities. Skills learned are multi-disciplinary and practical.
"Being an entrepreneur, in my mind, is not necessarily starting your own company. It’s how you approach a project or a problem." - Ronnie K. Irani
It is the vision of Ronnie Irani to advance students' careers by merging entrepreneurial problem solving skills with technical expertise in energy-related fields.
Alumni of ICES will think and act like people who run energy enterprises. They will not just find jobs - they will help create jobs.
The newly renovated Irani Center for Energy Solutions headquarters is on the 14th floor of Sarkeys Energy Center. It was designed to look and feel like an office space. Student teams have a dedicated space, access to industry-standard equipment like plotter printers and use of the Center's conference room.
Student teams have analyzed more than 400 wells in Oklahoma and surrounding states and their work has garnered attention from The Norman Transcript and The Oklahoman.
Learn more about joining a student team!
Email Executive Director Prue Smith Prue.Smith@ou.edu
My experience in the Irani Center for Energy Solutions was a really unique opportunity where my team was given space to develop skills and find solutions to real problems that the company trusted to us. This is a program where you have the chance to prove your work ethic and engineering prowess to the industry.
Andrew Oakes
Irani Center Alumnus
2019 Graduate
