The Centre has also been endorsed by major professional bodies in the Oil and Gas sector in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Society of Exploration of Geophysicists (SEG).  Starting from 2017 till date, the Centre has been awarded several professional accolades from from professional bodies including the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) and Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists. Some of these awards include:- the Best Geosciences Training Facility award in the Country; the best M.Sc. Geology thesis award and the best Geophysics Graduating student award.  In 2018, NMGS awarded the best Geology Thesis prize to a graduate of the Centre – Mr Oghenekioja Abele. Mr. Abele recently obtained his PhD in Geology from the University of Alberta, Canada. Further, the best Geophysics M.Sc graduate award for 2019 in the country was awarded to Mr Reasonable Aghimien, a graduate of the Centre.

After a global competition in early 2019, Mr Onome Okobiebi, a 2018 graduate of the CoE, came top in the SIS Global Forum in Monaco, France.  He was invited and fully sponsored to present his winning research results at the Global Forum in September 7-19, 2019.  Similarly, two other graduates – Malik and Abele were invited to make poster presentations at the same conference.  These feats present the highly global competitiveness of our programmes. Other top-rated Universities including Stanford have won this prize in earlier competitions. The three students did their internship in Shell Petroleum Development Company, Port Harcourt. 

Fast-forwarding to 2021, the Centre was awarded the Best Exhibiting University award by the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in 2021. In 2022, nine (9) academic papers were accepted for presentation at the 2022 NAPE Conference and Exhibition, Lagos, comprising six (6) oral and three (3) poster presentations. In all these presentations, the students were given accolades. Notably, Mr. Okiemute Enaughe, a 2022/2023 Geophysics student of the Centre in won the prize for the NAPE 2022 Best Poster presentation. A number of the students had won various prizes for coming top at quiz competitions organized by major companies, with prizes ranging from giant-ze microwave oven to toasters and other prizes. And in April 2023, Mr. Destiny Okolocha won the 1st prize in the SPE Port Harcourt 2023 Young Professionals Symposium Energy Challenge Contest. The Centre sustains excellence by constantly pushing to be in the fore front of learning by adjusting the programmes and curricula to follow the best and current global knowledge trends in module delivery and learning.

In general, the programme design and delivery framework of academic activities at the Centre aim to combine knowledge fundamentals and the core concepts, awareness and competences of key technologies and data, as well as first hand experiences from visits to workplaces to appreciate the implementation of workable solutions to a range of subsurface problems.  Integration of disciplines, skills sets, and team working is always our main target from the onset and throughout the program.  Seminars, conferences and workshops, presentation techniques and project implementation by the constituted integrated teams from the three disciplines are pursued.  Our goals, therefore are to partner for support to ensure we develop and grow a strong resource base for the industry with the right knowledge and skills.

The Centre is already developing a doctoral programme which should take off immediately after its approval by the University of Benin Senate.  The programme will take cognisance of the emerging trends and will incorporate Energy Studies to expand the activities of the Centre.  Interestingly, SPDC and her JV partners are already constructing a legacy building for the Centre.  This facility will house adequate physical infrastructure for the Centre, made up of lecture halls, seminar rooms, auditorium, laboratories and office spaces that will accommodate students, staff and subject matter experts needed for all the activities of the Centre.

As we continue to grow, the Centre is inviting close association with the oil and gas industry and other Energy practitioners in Nigeria and beyond. This association will be a symbiotic one to enable us meet our objectives in facilitating the local content objectives of the government and meeting the appropriate manpower needs of both the industry and the academia.  We must all continue to support the Centre to enable her continue to grow and meet the set objectives.

Prof. Difference O. Ogagarue

Director

April, 2022