VII International Intellectual Game "The Oil Owl"
From October 21 to 22, 2025, the Youth Council of the Oil and Gas Industry under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and Gubkin University, with the support of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and PJSC Gazprom, held the 7th International Intellectual Game "The Oil Owl" for young people in the oil and gas industry.
In 2025, 137 teams from oil and gas companies, universities from Russia, and neighboring countries (Belarus and Kazakhstan) participated in the intellectual game, organized and supported by Gubkin University. The game was traditionally hosted by Boris Belozerov, winner of the Crystal Owl award from the TV game show "What? Where? When?" and member of the Youth Council of the Oil and Gas Industry under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
According to the results of the 7th International Intellectual Game "The Oil Owl" for young people in the oil and gas industry, the team of young specialists "INCognito" (Irkutsk Oil Company, LLC) won the competition. Second place went to the team "Gentlemen of Fortune" (JSC NK Neftisa), and third place went to the team "Barrel of Youth" (JSC Transneft - Far East).
"This was the first time the team of young specialists from JSC NK Neftisa participated in the international intellectual game "The Oil Owl." I believe we achieved a good result for our first time. The intellectual game was organized at a high level. "It's great that thanks to the Oil Owl, young professionals from all over Russia and neighboring countries have the opportunity to feel like part of a unified professional community, meet colleagues, and learn more about the operations of other companies in the oil and gas industry," said Igor Izmailov, team captain and Deputy Head of the Production Process Optimization Department at JSC NK Neftisa.
PJSC Gazprom served as the tournament's general partner. Media partners included the Russian Gas Society, Gubkin Publishing House, ZAO Neftyanoye Khozyaystvo Publishing House, OOO Energetika i Promyshlennost Publishing House, the online energy magazine Energia+, and JSC NK Neftisa.
The results of the 7th International Intellectual Game "Oil Owl" for young people in the oil and gas industry, along with final photos and videos, will be posted on the tournament's official website, sova.gubkin.ru.
The Organizing Committee of the 7th International Intellectual Game "The Oil Owl" for young people in the oil and gas industry expressed special gratitude to the jury members.
The jury for the first semi-final included:
– Yegor Zadeba, Associate Professor at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Senior Researcher at the NEVOD Experimental Complex, and Member of the Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in Science and Education of the Presidential Council for Science and Education of the Russian Federation;
– Andrey Kotelnikov, Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Assistant Director of the Joint Institute for High Temperatures of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
– Sergey Petrov, Project Manager of the Federal Directorate of the All-Russian Environmental Public Movement "Ecosystem";
– Anton Salnikov, Deputy Head of the Department of Scientometric Research and Publication Support at Gubkin University;
– Valeria Stepanova, Deputy General Director for Oil and Gas Exploration at the Karpinsky Institute;
– Varvara Chuykova, CEO of the V.P. Chichkanov "Height" Charitable Foundation for the Support of Young Scientists.
The jury for the second semi-final included:
– Ivan Vanchugov, Head of the Department for the Organization of Youth Science and Scientific Events, Department of Scientometric Research and Publication Support, Gubkin University, member of the Youth Council of the Oil and Gas Industry under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation;
– Alexander Garkushin, Head of the Pipeline Gas and LNG Transportation Department, Department of Gas Industry Development, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation;
– Alina Pavlova, Head of Department, Federal State Budgetary Institution "Directorate of Scientific and Technical Programs," member of the Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in Science and Education, Presidential Council for Science and Education of the Russian Federation;
– Yan Senokop, Head of the Decade of Science and Technology Support Department, Department of State Policy in Scientific and Technological Development, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation;
– Sofia Sosnitskaya, Deputy Head of the Decade of Science and Technology Support Department of the Department of State Policy in Scientific and Technological Development of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation;
– Dina Filippova, Research Fellow, Chair of the Council of Young Scientists at the Institute of Oil and Gas Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and member of the Youth Council of the Oil and Gas Industry at the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
The final game jury included:
– Ali Asadov, Deputy Director of State Policy in Scientific and Technological Development at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation;
– Igor Drobot, Head of the Personnel Assessment and Development Department at LUKOIL-Technologies LLC;
– Alexander Komkov, Head of the Scientometric Research and Publication Support Department at Gubkin University;
– Mikhail Konstantinov, First Executive Vice President of Gazprombank (Joint-Stock Company), General Director of GPB Electronic Trading Platform LLC;
– Yuri Ognev, General Director of the Gennady Komissarov Foundation for the Support of Young Scientists;
– Artem Sarkisyan, Advisor to the Zabeida & Partners Law Firm and Member of the Moscow Bar Association.
The event was organized and held with the active participation of the Gubkin University Student Scientific Society.
