Zhen Zhang and Evgeny Ugolkov win prizes at distinguished SPWLA Saudi Arabia student chapter contest

09 March, 2023

On March 8, 2023, the first-of-its-kind student paper contest sponsored by the SPWLA Saudi Arabia student chapter was held, followed by a splendid YP event, "Success Your Way, " on March 9.

With judges drawn from various industry-leading companies, the contest evaluated research projects that address industry challenges in petrophysics and training evaluation. The contest was open to Bachelor's level through Master's and Ph.D. programs for students from the three sub-chapters at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and King Saud University.

Ph.D. Students Zhen Zhang and Evgeny Ugolkov (both from the ARMS group led by Professor Hussein Hoteit) were two of the four winners of the contest. They presented exceptional cutting-edge research and won in the two categories they entered (Master Level – Zhen Zhang) and (Ph.D. Level – Evgeny Ugolkov).

The contest winners were announced at the second SPWLA Saudi Arabia Chapter youth professional event, "Success Your Way." This extraordinary event brought together around 100 students from seven universities across the kingdom, including King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), King Saud University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), King Faisal University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, and Al-Asala University.

The "Success Your Way" event started with an exciting panel discussion on people development and the future of the industry with Mr. Richard Palmer, Dr. Wael Abdallah, and Dr. Theis Sølling of ARAMCO, SLB, and KFUPM, respectively. Next was an incredible presentation by Nader Ajlan, who guided students on how to excel in their careers.

"Ask the Expert" was another unique activity that involved hosting stations with experts from diverse fields such as academia, business, technology, and human resources. Students were eager to meet and consult with professionals on a one-on-one basis.

In the end, students visited the technical and operational labs at SLB, Baker Hughes, and Halliburton facilities in the Dhahran Techno Valley.

Congratulations to the winners for the exceptional work done!