STUDENT CHAPTER & IBA - coordinated by David Contreras
Interview with Nick Lagrilliere
David Contreras
What is the importance of the Imperial Barrel Award for students?
By bringing together students from all over the European Region, we hope to be providing them with the opportunity to build an international network, to exchange ideas and to learn more about the AAPG and a career in the oil and gas industry. With students from 24 universities represented at the Student Chapter meeting and 13 universities participating in the Imperial Barrel Award competition, this is a great events that allow students to meet their peers from accross the continent. The IBA competition offers students a chance to experience what it is like to work as an exploration geoscientist in an oil and gas company.
What would be the future of the Imperial Barrel Award competition in Europe?
It is safe to say that the IBA has seen tremendous growth over the last few years, both in the European Region and globally. We can only hope that the programme will continue to grow, allowing us to reach out to more students and universities accross the Region. On the other hand, we need to be aware that we are reaching the limits of what is workable in the current set-up. The logistics behind the competition are really challenging and evaluating the current number of presentations is already hard work for the judges.
What does the AAPG get out of the Imperial Barrel Award?
The IBA is a great opportunity for us to introduce the organisation to universities accross Europe that offer geoscience programmes. It is also no secret that the oil and gas industry is facing a demographic challenge and that we need to grow the pipeline of geoscientists and engineers graduating from universities. We hope that the IBA allows students to get a feel for the industry, as well as giving a chance to universities to see whether the curriculum that they offer is in line with the expectations the industry has of recent graduates.
Final comments.
I really hope that we can continue to reach out to students and prove that a job as a geoscientist in the oil and gas industry is a challenging, rewarding and exiting career choice. In a time where more than 85% of global energy demand is being covered by fossil fuels and with global demand skyrocketing, there is a bright future in the industry for graduates and young professionals. We are still providing the energy that our society depends on, and we need to find it in ever more challenging environments. I don’t think there has ever been a more exiting time to join us!
Nick Lagrilliere
Students & Young Professionals
European Region Lead
Nick Lagrilliere is currently working as a geologist with Maersk Oil at their head office in Copenhagen, Denmark.
He joined the independent in 2008 and has since worked in exploration in the UK and in field development in Denmark. A graduate from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, he holds an an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience. He also holds a BSc in Geology from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, which he started after having been converted from engineering.
Nick participated in the second edition of the Imperial Barrel Award in San Antonio, Texas, and was the president of the University of Aberdeen's AAPG Student Chapter. He then moved on to chair the AAPG European Region's Students and Young Professionals Committee.
His greatest passion is travel, having explored South America for a few months after graduation and having previously travelled around Europe, North Africa and North America.