ITB Students Won Asia Pacific Imperial Barrel Award 2019

March 20, 2019 - ( update : 26-03-2019 )

By Adi Permana

Editor Adi Permana

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Postgraduate students of Institut Teknologi Bandung won 1st prize in Imperial Barrel Award 2019 organized by American Association of Petroleum Geologist (AAPG) on Asia Pacific level. The competition was held for two months before its peak event on 5th March 2019. ITB team are consisted of 4 students of Master’s Program in Geology named Wisnu Wijaya Jati, Bintang Rajasa, Clarissa Crysta Chandra, Alfathony Krisnabudhi along with one student of Master’s Program in Geophysics named Lucky Krisky Muhtar.

“This is basically a competition to determine the most appropriate method from all participants in evaluating the prospect of an area (basin) for hydrocarbon content,” said the team leader, Wisnu Wijaya Jati. What he means by hydrocarbon is fuel compound, both oil and gas. This method is important for exploration to increase fuel sources.

He said that at first participants were given a batch of data. From that data, teams are expected to evaluate the position of oil and gas, including the volume and its risk analysis. The team from ITB chose to apply the concept with introduction of 5 prospect intervals from extraction of multi attributes and geophysics. They combined geophysics elements in analyzing and evaluating the basins, and interpreted them into geological language. This will produce results which are rich on information, but is still understandable universally. “Our advantage is (the use of) geophysics method supported with geological concept. The integration of both is the key to this success,” Wisnu explained.

Several methods used are sweetness, inversion, RGB, and so on. These methods are not new. “The method has long been used in many publications. It is not seldom for people in exploration to use the concept,” said Wisnu regarding the idea.

But, a competition that emphasizes on concept and participant’s interpretation would not object the concept. “Our success in understanding geophysical concept and explained it logically using geological language must have been the reason we won,” he said.

Besides the competition, Wisnu said there is a chance for these conceptual ideas to work in reality in the future. “This competition is on Asia-Pacific scale, there will be a competition for participants who represent specific regions in San Antonio, USA. If attending investors are interested, it is possible to have it applied on drill system in the future,” said Wisnu. He hopes that Indonesia through this team from ITB can bring accomplishment home from San Antonio.

Reporter: Ferio Brahmana (Engineering Physics 2017)