AAPG’s Imperial Barrel Award Program (IBA) is an annual subsurface basin evaluation program for geoscience students from universities around the world. University teams compete to win scholarship funds for their geoscience department and the international recognition that comes from competing in or winning the competition. The program is rigorous and contributes to AAPG’s mission of promoting petroleum geoscience training and advancing the careers of geoscience students.

 

In this global educational program university teams analyze a dataset (geology, geophysics, land, production infrastructure, and other relevant materials) in the ten weeks prior to their respective Region competition. There are three disciplines to choose from: petroleum, geothermal, and carbon capture and sequestration. Each team delivers their results in a 25-minute presentation to a panel of industry experts. Students have the chance to use state-of-the-art technology on a real dataset, receive feedback from an industry panel of judges, and win cash awards for their school. technical quality, clarity and originality of the presentation.

 

The IBA is a hands-on opportunity for students to experience the creative process and the high-tech science that is the foundation of the energy industry today.

The Imperial Barrel Award was founded in 1976 by the Imperial College in the UK. The first “Barrel Award” was held as an MSc Petroleum Geoscience course in 1976, where students interpreted seismic from the North Sea using color pencils.

 

This program continued at Imperial College until 2007 when AAPG adopted the program concept. The AAPG program took the Imperial Barrel concept and expanded it to incorporate new technology, new datasets, and include students from every AAPG Region and Section. Almost every country in the world has been represented in the IBA.

 

The AAPG Imperial Barrel Award program provides a hands-on opportunity for students to experience the creative process and high-tech science that is the foundation of the energy industry today. University teams compete to win scholarship funds for their geoscience department, learn marketable skills, and gain international recognition for participation in the program.

 

Key learning elements of the program remain true to the original concepts pioneered by Imperial College. IBA teams must demonstrate:

  • Evidence of rigorous and creative technical evaluations.
  • The ability to work to a strict deadline.
  • The ability to work effectively within a team.
  • The ability to make decisions based on incomplete or inadequate data.
  • The ability to give lucid oral presentations to a panel of senior industry experts.