Gubkin University hosted the 70th Anniversary International Youth Scientific Conference "Oil and gas"

April 18 to 20, 2016 Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas (National Research University) hosted the 70th Anniversary International Youth Scientific Conference "Oil and gas – 2016" timed to the 3d National Oil and Gas Forum. In 2016 the conference was attended by more than 1500 students, graduate students, young scientists, specialists, secondary school students from 213 educational institutions and industry organizations from Russia and abroad.

The conference was held with support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Russian Gas Society.

"First of all, the oil and gas industry is facing lack of qualified personnel capable to create these (modern, competitive – author's note) technologies. Currently, investment in human capital moves to the forefront" – noted the Head of Department of the Public Joint Stock Company "Gazprom" Pavel Krylov, who highlighted in his speech the main areas of research aimed to address the priorities of PJSC "Gazprom".

Being one of the largest events in the area of oil and gas education, the conference "Oil and Gas – 2016" was chosen as a platform for the announcement of results of the competition «Best in the profession» initiated by the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation among employees from sectoral universities. The awards were handed out by the Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak to:

• Vice-Rector for scientific work of Gubkin University professor Alexander Muradov in the category "Vice-rector of the oil and gas university";
• Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Gubkin University professor Aleksander Prygaev in the category "Dean of the faculty of the oil and gas profile";
• Professor of Ukhta State Technical University Igor Bykov in the category "University staff member in the field of machinery and equipment development for the fuel and energy complex";
• Professor of National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University Emilia Ivanchina in the category "Oil and gas chemist";
• Head of Department of Tyumen Industrial University Vera Plenkina in the category "University staff member in the field of economics and finance of the fuel and energy complex";
• Head of Department of Ufa State Petroleum Technological University Alexander Veryovkin in the category "Specialist in automation of technological processes of the fuel and energy complex";
• Professor of Kazan National Research Technological University Raisa Akhmedyanova in the category "Head of scientific and research works of the fuel and energy complex";
• Director of the Oil and Gas Institute of Siberian Federal University professor Nikolai Dovzhenko in the category "Researcher of new materials for the fuel and energy complex";
• Head of Laboratory of Gubkin University Yury Dubinov in the category "Staff member of the fuel and energy complex laboratory";
• Head of Department of Ufa State Petroleum Technological University Yury Zeygman in the category "Professor of the oil and gas profile disciplines";
• Leading engineer of Gubkin University Ruslan Fatkhutdinov in the category "Designer of the fuel and energy complex sites".

In accord with the program the work of the conference continued in 13 major breakout sessions. In total during two days more than 800 scientific papers on 23 subject areas were presented at the conference. The expert committees for each subject area marked greater interest among young people in conducting research activity and increased level of elaboration of the presented projects as a whole.

The award ceremony of the conference and competition winners took place on April 20 at the 3rd National Oil and Gas Forum in the Central Exhibition Complex "Expocentre". The conference participants, who took second and third winning places, were awarded by the Director of Department of the Russian Ministry of Energy Vladimir Smirnov and the Rector of Gubkin University Viktor Martynov. Halliburton Company established special awards for the best youth scientific works in the priority areas of the company. The winner of the most significant award from the company – of the cash grant – became the student of Gubkin University Olga Rodicheva. The winners of the conference were awarded with the first degree diplomas and valuable prizes, subscriptions to publications and souvenirs from the publishing houses "Nedra" and «Kommersant», and the team of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University for the best student scientific association of the oil and gas industry of Russia – with the challenge cup and memorable diplomas presented by the Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak and the Rector of Gubkin University Viktor Martynov. The gifts for the conference prize winners were provided by the strategic sponsor – Schlumberger Company in Russia and Central Asia.

The conference was finished with the informal meeting between the Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak and the conference participants, where the Minister answered the questions and told about the most important developments in the fuel and energy complex of the country, the possibility of oil price forecasting as well as about the outcomes of meetings with the heads of major oil and gas sectors of the oil-producing countries.

At the end of the meeting with the Minister, the issue of the establishment of the coordination youth council of the Russian oil and gas industry was positively resolved. The council will consist of representatives from 45 universities and 4 oil and gas companies.