The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
(KNUST) has recently received the network licenses of six software – Kingdom
Geoscience Bundle, Harmony Enterprise, Piper, WellTest, SubPump, and PERFORM; a
development which is expected to further bridge the gap between industry and
academia.
These software licenses, estimated to be worth US$1.2
million, were presented by S&P Global, a leading intelligence service
provider, in partnership with Reservoir Management Group (RMG) Limited, a
provider of petroleum geosciences and reservoir engineering services.
The implementation of this cutting-edge engineering and geoscience software will enable researchers and students at KNUST to conduct
more complex analyses and simulations, leading to accurate and groundbreaking
discoveries within the academic setting and better preparing them for the job
market.
To ensure the successful installation and usability of
the software, the management team from RMG, along with their partners from
S&P Global, paid a visit to the university, where they engaged in
discussions with the Provost of the College of Engineering and the
Vice-Chancellor of KNUST.
Nana Akwasi Ankamah, the Managing Director of RMG, emphasised
the significance of these software licenses in the petroleum industry as many
National Oil Companies and International Oil Companies utilises them in their operations.
He expressed the importance of introducing students at KNUST to these software
tools before they enter the industry, thereby closing the gap between industry
and academia.
“One of the things we realised in
our consulting space is the heavy usage of this software in the industry for
real-time decision-making. We felt it was fit for the students to be introduced
to it before they get into the industry to make them ready to fully utilize this software and bring value to any organization they will be attached to”, Mr. Ankamah said.
He also mentioned the possibility of extending this initiative
to other universites and expressed the intention to invite S&P Global for webinars
and training sessions in the future.
Samuel Asiedu Duah, the Business Development Manager for
RMG, highlighted RMG's commitment, along with S&P Global, to advancing
education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM).
He stressed the need to equip the next generation of oil
and gas professionals with the hands-on skills and tools required to navigate
the most advanced industry software.
“In our experience in providing petroleum geosciences and
reservoir engineering services, we see the need to equip the next generation of
oil and gas professionals with hands-on skills and tools in navigating these
most advanced industry tools, he said, adding that the goal is to reduce the
learning curve for students as they enter the industry, ultimately increasing
their market value and employability in the highly skilled oil and gas sector.
Nalin Vatte, Associate Director for S&P Global,
expressed confidence that the software licenses would optimise production and
enhance the capabilities of the students.
Also, Professor George Yaw Obeng, representing the
Provost of the College of Engineering, commended RMG and S&P Global for their
generous contribution, noting that it aligns with KNUST's mission. He
highlighted the importance of modern software tools for training students,
conducting research, and engaging with communities to effectively transfer
knowledge and contribute to national development.
"This is a very good gift
and it is consistent with the mission of KNUST. We require modern tools in
software for training students. Also, for our research and engaging with
communities because the knowledge we generate from the research is the
knowledge we transfer to the community in order to engage the community
effectively and build the nation. So, this software is very key for both
faculty research as well as the students' training,” he noted.
Prof. Emmanuel Donkor, Head of Petroleum Engineering at
KNUST, highlighted the significant impact of the licenses on the academic work
of students, providing them with the necessary skills for the industry. He
explained that the validated licenses would allow for unrestricted usage,
enabling academic work and research to be published without any hindrances.
Highlighting the advantages of using authorised licenses,
which ensure compliance and the ability to openly reference and utilise the
software for academic purposes, he remarked,
“Imagine you use software and because you know it is pirated, you can not
make mention of it in any publication. When you have a validated license
authorised without any restrictions from usage, you can do anything. The only
thing is that because it is free, you cannot commercialise it. But we can use
it anyhow for academic purposes.”
