Schlumberger donates $58 million oil and gas industry software to SFU

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering faculty members, Dr. Wang Guochang (front) and Dr. Alireza Shahkarami, demonstrate the new industry software package that is being incorporated into the curriculum.

Students in the new Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering program at Saint Francis University are using a well-known industry software package thanks to a generous donation from Schlumberger, the world’s leading supplier of technology solutions in the oil and gas industry.

The donation includes a three-year use and maintenance contract totaling more than $58 million in value for 15 licenses of the entire suite of software. Lead faculty member, Dr. Alireza Shahkarami applied for the Schlumberger software donation after having used the suite in his own research. He realized that integrating the software into his courses would give Saint Francis students additional expertise to secure better internships and ultimately full time industry positions.

“This is a significant gift and we are proud to have the merits of our curriculum affirmed and enhanced by an industry leader such as Schlumberger. This is a tremendous opportunity for our students,” Dr. Shahkarami shared.

He plans to use the ECLIPSE* industry-reference reservoir simulator to guide students in the concepts and applications of reservoir simulation and modeling while the Petrel* E&P software platform will be used to build geological models.

Saint Francis launched the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering program in the fall of 2014 to support the growing Marcellus Shale industry in Pennsylvania, and its need for engineers with a background in environmental stewardship to help guide the growth.

“Our goal with this program is to create the next generation of qualified engineers who can combine analytical skills with a Franciscan approach in order to find safer and better ways to supply our planet's energy needs,” said Dr. John Harris, department chair who helped develop the new degree option.

The program complements the university’s successful Environmental Engineering program which received ABET accreditation in 2013.

To learn more about engineering options at Saint Francis, visit; www.francis.edu/engineering.

 Schlumberger is the world’s leading supplier of technology, integrated project management and information solutions to customers working in the oil and gas industry worldwide. Employing approximately 120,000 people representing over 140 nationalities and working in more than 85 countries, Schlumberger provides the industry’s widest range of products and services from exploration through production.