Student Alice Pease is looking forward to a career in the oil and gas industry after being among 13 new scholars chosen to be supported by through their studies by operator Talisman Energy.
It is the firm’s fifth round of scholarships, a scheme launched in 2006 with £800,000 of investment and extended this year with a further £300,000.
The scheme provides support to students at the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University.
Alice, 20, from Rugby, was awarded a specialist undergraduate scholarship.
She told us about studying for a BSc in Geology-Petroleum Geology at the University of Aberdeen and career prospects:
What do you enjoy most about the degree you are studying?
“There are loads of things I love about my degree at Aberdeen University. For one, the Geology degree here has one of the highest graduate employability records in the country – so hopefully I will be alright when I graduate! I really appreciate the chance we get to focus on petroleum; not all geology degrees study petroleum although it is so relevant in this day and age. The field trips are also a fun way to interact with your classmates. We go on them regularly, the most recent of which being to the Isle of Skye and Helmsdale, and as a result I definitely know my course colleagues better than if I studied a lecture-based degree. I find the Geology degree at Aberdeen so versatile – we really do learn in so many different ways. The field trips are an example but additionally we learn to interpret seismic sections, create detailed maps and draw accurate cross-sections, all of which are useful skills that are preparing us for work in the industry.”
What do you like about the oil and gas industry and why do you want to work in it?
“I particularly like the amount of flexibility that the oil and gas industry offers. There are so many different countries you can work in, different companies to work for whether they are big international firms or small consultancies, and opportunities to work on and offshore. It isn’t just the ‘oil and gas’ industry any more either – all the large companies are changing their descriptions from ‘oil and gas’ companies to ‘energy’ companies. Talisman Energy is a front runner in this responsible transition. Although the North Sea still has a long and prosperous future in oil and gas in which I am keen to get involved, I believe it is imperative to make these changes. I am excited about the challenges the industry faces concerning the development of sustainable renewable energy, and the question ‘what will we use when the oil and gas runs out?’ Unconventional hydrocarbons, such as shale gas and tar sands, are also a particular interest of mine and I am eager to get involved in the exploration of and extraction of them.
What do you want to achieve in your career?
“I aim to have a fulfilling and rewarding career, where I have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects. Ultimately, I would like to become a successful and acknowledged geoscientist who is excited and enthralled by her work, and who has helped solve some of the energy challenges that we all face every day. I would look to become involved in consultancy for the industry at a later stage and/or set up my own business.”
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