Dozens of budding young scientists have engineered their way to success at an annual competition.
Pupils from schools across the north-east took part in the Tech Fest Stem in the Pipeline contest.
They were set a series of challenges based on a fictional oil field, where they had to utilise their science and maths skills.
And youngsters from Oldmachar Academy, who had called themselves Sedimentary, my dear Watson, took the top prize, with St Margaret’s School for Girls finishing second.
Wildcat Explorations from Robert Gordon’s College took third place.
An additional prize for innovation was awarded to Elite Solutions from Aboyne Academy for the use of 3D printing.
The event was held yesterday at BP’s North Sea headquarters in Dyce. Each team was asked to submit a report to Tech Fest and give a presentation to a panel of assessors, who also provided written feedback on the individual projects.
The Oldmachar team was made up of six final-year pupils, Likhit Macharla, Kieran Mann, James Low, Joseph Brown, Chloe Gibb and Steven Simpson.
They were praised by judges for a “very well written report, great presentation and fabulous stand”.
This year was the first time the school had taken part in the competition.
Likhit, the project manager, said: “We are chuffed for the whole team, we didn’t know where we would be placed so we’re really pleased to have won and we all really enjoyed it.
“Taking part in Stem in the Pipeline has improved our communication skills, although we were friends before we started the project, and although we had a good idea of what working in the oil and gas industry involved, we were surprised by the level of technology that exists in the sector.”
The team of S6 pupils was made up of Kieran Mann, James Low, Joseph Brown, Chloe Gibb, Likhit Macharla and Steven Simpson.
The contest, now in its 10th year, is sponsored by BP, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain, the Energy Institute and Aberdeen University.
