Pupils from Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen have won top prize in the 2015 STEM In The Pipeline challenge, which sees senior students solving a difficult oilfield problem.
The challenge, set by TechFest, began in August, when 16 teams of senior pupils testing their skills in physics, maths, chemistry and geology.
Teams were tasked to work together and take part in a series of challenges to produce a Field Development Plan for the fictional STEM oilfield.
The tasks covered subsurface work, production profiling, separator design, safety and the calculation of CO2 emissions, all designed to engage the young people in science, technology, engineering and maths work.
The teams submitted a report to TechFest and at the final event at BP’s headquarters in Dyce each group gave a presentation to a panel of assessors. They were then awarded prizes and given certificates.
The winning Robert Gordon’s College team was made up of Callum Angus, Roshanay Hussain, Adam Kemshell, Yash Nirmal, Alastair Sutherland and Chloe Trail.
They were commended for their “clean and professional approach” and how they “looked at the report in a wider industry context, looking at all options from multiple perspectives” by Chris Hill, BP Geophysicist, who has been involved with STEM in the Pipeline for 10 years.
Runners-up were from Westhill Academy and in third place went to Banchory Academy.
Kemnay Academy scooped the prize for innovation.
STEM in the Pipeline helps address projected skills shortages in the global energy industry and the initiative is supported by BP, Chevron, E.ON Exploration & Production, ConocoPhillips and LR Senergy.
Each company provided volunteer mentors who made themselves available for the pupils to contact for guidance and support throughout the project.
Molly Imrie, TechFest STEM Coordinator, said: “Along with the support of mentors and academics, the students have been working very hard over the last four months and have each put in more than 40 extra-curricular hours which culminated with them presenting all their findings to the industry professionals, who have kindly given their time to help with the project.
All of the pupils who took part in STEM in the Pipeline also gained the Silver CREST Award, Britain’s national award scheme for work in the STEM subjects.
Each year, TechFest runs the highly popular TechFest Science Festival which attracts tens of thousands of children and adults to a series of STEM-based events in and around Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, as well as a year-round programme of educational events for schools and young people.