MOU promises more dynamic collaboration

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Total Exploration and Production Thailand (TEPT), Total Professors Associations (TPA) and AIT at the Offshore Technology and Management (OTM) Open House Day held on 20 February 2007 to renew the MoU to strengthen the educational collaboration among three partners. With the MoU, AIT students can benefit from the supports of TEPT through lectures, conferences and short courses by TPA, site visits to TOTAL facilities and students’ participation in international meetings, conferences and symposia.

The MoU renewal marks the cooperation of more active collaboration of the three organizations in dissemination of knowledge and information; skill training and greater opportunity for students studying in oil and gas engineering.

At theceremony, TEPT and TPA were represented by Christian G. La Marre, President and General Manager of TEPT, and Prof. Alphonse Grynko, respectively. Representing AIT was AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust. The ceremony was also attended by TEPT delegates,  Dr. Songpope Polachan, Deputy Director of Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF); Mr. Pipop Pruecksamars, Executive Director of PTIT; Mr. Robert G. Shaw, Executive Vice President of Pearl Oil Thailand Ltd.; Dr. Porpoch Tirasaputra, Senior Drilling Manager on behalf of Mr. Maroot Mrigadat from PTT Exploration and Production Public Co., Ltd.; Mr. Jean Francois Redon, General Manager of Technip Eng. Thailand Ltd.; Dr. Chainarong Na Lamphun, President of Index International Group Co., Ltd.; and other distinguished guests; faculty members; AIT staffs and OTM student representative.

Offshore Technology and Management, a post-graduate program, was launched in August semester 2006 as a breakthrough and brainchild of Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, Dean School of Engineering and Technology (SET) and his team mates:  Dr. Noppadol Phien-wej., Dr. P.H. Giao, Dr. Buy and Prof. L.F. Boswell, together with the input from specialists and industry.

The OTM program was uniquely co-founded by three organizations, namely: Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF) Royal Thai Government; Petroleum Institute of Thailand (PTIT) and AIT. Presently, Dr. Joko Widjaja who joined AIT last year, together with Prof. Worsak, are in charge of OTM daily activities. They are assisted by OTM program officer Mrs. Nualchan Sangthongsttit.

A new field of study, OTM program has embarked on a series of activities such as seminars, field trips, new collaborations with Total and Total Professors Associations; City University, London, UK; and research projects with industry. OTM will continue to look for new collaborations with UWA, Perth, Australia, NTNU, Norway and other oil and gas companies in the Southeast Asian countries.