The Cambodian Institute of Technology (ITC), locally known as “Techno” got a major boost in the capital city - Phnom Penh on 7 July 2015 when another donation of text books was finalized by the AAPG Publications Pipeline Committee.

In a simple ceremony, Dr. Om Romny, Director of the Institute, expressed his recognition of and thanks to AAPG for the donation of 1,000 kilograms of text books when he handed over a Certificate of Appreciation to AAPG’s Asia Pacific Delegate-at-Large, Mick McWalter, and former adviser to the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority for the Asian Development Bank.

Dr Romny said he was very happy to receive the books and emphasized his firm and continued support for the newly-established AAPG Student Chapter at the ITC. The teaching of geosciences has only been re-established in recent years at the ITC after decades of neglect since civil war and the ultra-Maoist regime of the Khmer Rouge devastated the nation, but the Department of Geo-Resources and Geotechnical Engineering is going strong and has more than 60 students enthusiastically learning geosciences and getting ready to contribute to Cambodia’s rapidly growing economy.

Mick McWalter, AAPG Asia Pacific Region Council Member gave a talk about AAPG and how the Association could help geoscientists throughout their careers, and how the Student Chapters, such as that at ITC, were the first step on that path. He reminded the students that were to graduate this year, to continue learning as they practice their profession and to take their turn in mentoring their younger colleagues in due course. He also reminded the students of the need for personal and professional integrity in their careers, and that our job was to serve society in providing energy resources economically and with minimal social and environmental impact.

The transportation of the books from Houston to Phnom Penh was made possible by Kris Energy Ltd, a regional exploration and production company, based in Singapore, which is operator of the oil discoveries of Cambodia’s offshore Block A, which covers much of the Khmer Trough in the Gulf of Thailand, and for which they have filed for development with the Government.  Representing Kris Energy were Ms. Malin Ros, General Manager, Kris Energy (Apsara) Ltd., and Ms Simran Bandal, Geoscientist, Kris Energy, who gave a splendid illustrated talk about the company’s oil discoveries, the geology of the Khmer Trough, and Kris Energy’s plans to become Cambodia’s first oil producer.

Following the donation ceremony, a tour was made by the visitors to ITC’s geoscience facilities, including their petrology laboratory and their newly-acquired core and XRD laboratories, sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. This led us to the library of books formed by AAPG’s donation – all neatly racked on shelves and ready to read, and a real treasure trove of textbooks comprised of classical texts on geology and petroleum geoscience. In parting, Mick McWalter thanked the ITC for its hospitality and reminded the Departmental staff to make sure that the students have ready access to the books.