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Welcome to The Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering
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OU Researchers Receive Department of Energy Grant to Pioneer Demonstration and Repurposing of Retired Oil Wells into Geothermal Wells
University of Oklahoma associate professor Saeed Salehi is leading a team of researchers from the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy to turn abandoned/retired oil and gas wells into geothermal wells that they hope to eventually heat two Tuttle, Oklahoma, schools.
The OU team will be one of the pioneers in the world to put theory into practice and demonstrate the efficacy of this model.
“Researchers from around the world are doing simulations, doing calculations to show that this concept may work, but this is the first time somebody is going to go and do it,” said Salehi.
The wells for this project were strategically chosen because of their proximity to two Tuttle schools. The scope of this project does not include the next step of heating the schools with geothermal energy, but rather ensuring that it is possible. Salehi and his team hope that once their current project is completed, they can apply for new grants and state matching funds to make heating the schools with geothermal energy a possibility.
If that happens, the Tuttle elementary and middle schools would be the first buildings in the world to be heated by geothermal energy from repurposed deep oil wells.
While researchers around the world will be following the project with interest, it is the students at the Tuttle schools who will get up-close opportunities to interact with the OU research team. This includes OU students and faculty visiting the schools with updates about the project and guest lectures about geothermal energy.
The project comes at an exciting time for the Mewbourne School, which plans to launch a new geothermal-focused undergraduate degree, GeoEnergy Engineering, in fall 2022.
OU Students Attend 2022 SPE International North American Student Symposium
OU MPGE had 16 representatives attend the 2022 Society of Petroleum Engineers International North American Student Symposium. There were over 100 students from nearly 20 schools across the country in attendance and were joined by a great lineup of speakers, moderators, and industry representatives. This event is organized by students, for students, and would not have been possible without the hard work and year-long efforts our the planning committee from OU, OSU and Tulsa, who lead the way with programming, marketing, and industry engagement.
Students had a welcome remark from the 2022 SPE President Kamel Bennaceur as a video greeting and got to network with the 2023 SPE President as well as other industry professionals and students present.
Opening remarks were made by Clay Gasper, COO of Devon Energy, a panel session regarding graduate degrees and the required skill set for the industry moderated by Devon CTO Trey Lowe and Murphy Oil Corporation SVP Tom Mireles, as well as a young professional panel on alternative careers for a petroleum engineer from Baker Hughes representatives Maki Ikeda and Alireza Shahkarami and former SPE Regional Director and current MassMutual rep Chris Jenkins.
The session was concluded with remarks from the SPE CEO Mark Rubin.
SPE/SPWLA Student Paper Contest Winners
Results of the 2022 SPE/SPWLA student paper contest winners have been announced and are as follows:
| Ph.D. | M.S. | |
| SPWLA | Sidi Mamadou | Judah Odiachi |
| Felipe Cruz | Heehwan Yang | |
| SPE | Sidi Mamadou | Karan Shah |
| Cameron Devers | Judah Odiachi | |
| Felipe Cruz | Heehwan Yang |
Students were required to write a 400-word abstract and deliver a 10-minute presentation. The competition was done in three categories: undergraduate, M.S., and Ph.D. Cash prizes were given to students placing in first through fifth place. Winners of the OU SPE Student Paper Contest are in contention to go on to present at the SPE Mid Continent Paper Competition on May 14. The winners of the OU SPWLA Student Paper Contest will have the opportunity to present at the SPWLA International Student Paper Contest on June 12. Winners from both events move on to present at the SPWLA 63rd Annual Symposium held June 11-15 in Stavanger, Norway.
Carbon Utilization Storage Partnership of the Western United States.
In September 2019, the Department of Energy initiated the formation of the Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership (CUSP) in the Western United States. CUSP was created to advance existing carbon capture utilization, storage research and development by addressing key challenges through cross disciplinary partnerships with other institutions. Oklahoma is one of the few regions in the country with existing pipeline infrastructure to transport captured CO2, has significant experience in using CO2 for enhanced oil recovery and a wealth of different types of geological storage. Through this partnership, the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering is helping advance the future of carbon capture here in the state of Oklahoma and across the country.
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MPGE Study Abroad
As a MPGE student (undergrad or grad), you will receive an automatic $500 Study Abroad Scholarship when you study abroad.
- Engineers in France (Summer 2022)
- Italy S.T.E.A.M. (Fall 2022)
Schedule a MPGE Tour
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