A contest for best non-technical article written by a YP was held as a part of 2016 GEO Young Professionals and Students program of activities. We would like to take this opportunity and recognize the efforts of the YPS Support Committee, who reviewed and scored each item received. Hereunder we are happy to share with you the winning post.

I took admission in the Department of Geological Sciences of Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh back in 2005, without knowing much about Geology and its applications. In a developing country like Bangladesh, where much of the affiliated sciences are not that recognized and popular among student, I also did not have any clue on the Petroleum industry and its link with Geology.

In 2006 one of my Professors introduced us with the AAPG association and then I became a member of AAPG Student Chapter. Under the umbrella of AAPG, I started attending different seminars and conferences held in the country where I came to know about Petroleum Industry in detail. I was always fascinated to participate and interact with some of the heavily experienced persons in this Oil and Gas industry through these meetings. The free coupon bulletins and magazines I got from AAPG as a student member were also helping me to keep myself updated on the global Petroleum industries and the latest technologies. I started dreaming about to become an Oil & Gas professional in my future career.

Meanwhile I became the President of AAPG student Chapter of my University in 2009. I had a unique chance to arrange a seminar in my university where the speaker was Dr. Joseph Lambiase, who was the then President of AAPG, Asia Pacific Region. I also came to know some officials from different IOCs working for Bangladesh. Specially Dr. A.H.M Shamsuddin (Shams), Chief Exploration Geologist of Chevron Bangladesh and Sponsor-Bangladesh AAPG Student Chapters.

Through the contact of Dr. Lambiase I came to know about a scholarship of Petroleum Geosciences in Thailand. After completing my MS in Geophysics and securing the highest CGPA in both Bachelor and Masters from my department, I applied for that scholarship program. I got the scholarship in Chulalongkorn University and started my class there from August 2011. Later when I was planning to do my thesis work, I was contacted by Dr. Shams and got a proposal to do my research work patronized by Chevron Bangladesh.

After successfully completing the research work, I got a Job offer from Chevron and joined there as an Earth Scientist In October, 2012. I have already successfully completed three job assignments in Chevron Bangladesh. Those were- Planning development wells, Operation geology job where we drilled overpressure zone and the latest was generating 3D Earth Model, which was the first in country. Absorbed on the job, still I have a good communication with the AAPG society. In 2014 I became the country representative for the Young Professional group of AAPG.

Looking back my education and professional career, I found- having a close relationship with a big association like AAPG was very helpful. It helped me to drive myself into the right direction to become a professional in the Petroleum industry and now helping me to build a professional network which will certainly help to grow my future career too.

GEO 2016
12th Middle East Geosciences Conference & Exhibition