Curtin Sarawak hosts visit by UMW Drilling Academy representatives

Miri – 14 June 2016 – Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently hosted two representatives from UMW Drilling Academy which is keen to enhance ties with the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the university’s Faculty of Engineering and Science.

The academy was represented by UMW Oil & Gas Corporation Berhad General Manager Izulman Idris and Senior Manager of Operations and Sales Norkhairina Jamil.

On hand to receive them were Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science, Associate Professor Ir. Lau Hieng Ho; Head of the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Associate Professor Sharul Sham bin Dol; and senior lecturer of mechanical engineering and Chairperson of the Faculty’s Industrial and External Relations Committee, Dr. Vincent Lee.

Also present were academic staff of the Department of Petroleum Engineering and student members of Curtin Sarawak’s Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Student Chapter.

During the visit, both parties highlighted student internships and course delivery as areas of possible collaboration, among others. The guests were also given a tour of the university’s Petroleum Engineering Drilling Laboratory and Turbulence and Energy Research Laboratory housing a crude oil flow loop research project led by Associate Professor Sharul.

According to Associate Professor Sharul, strong links with UMW Drilling Academy will help build the competencies of academics at Curtin Sarawak, as well as that of its petroleum engineering students through internship placements at the Academy.

UMW Drilling Academy was incorporated in 2013. Together with PETRONAS Technical Training Sdn. Bhd., also known as Institut Teknologi PETRONAS (INSTEP), it established the UMW-INSTEP Drilling Academy (UIDA) in March 2014. The company’s vision is to be the leading drilling training academy with state-of-the-art facilities and providing world class education and learning experience in the oil and gas industry.

Hosts and visitors get together for group photo.

Izulman (2nd left) and Norkhairina being briefed on the Drilling Laboratory at Curtin Sarawak.