Eight female students from the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi visited Germany, from Friday, 14th to Saturday, 21st of August, as part of a study trip. It was the fourth year that Wintershall, the largest crude oil and natural gas producer in Germany, has supported this extracurricular activity. The focus of this trip was technology "made in Germany", with a particular emphasis on traditional exploration and production methods used to recover natural resources.

"It was a pleasure for Wintershall to welcome the students from the Petroleum Institute in Germany", says Uwe Salge, General Manager of Wintershall Middle East. "The trip has contributed to their knowledge about the exploration and production of natural resources and will hopefully be added value to their regular coursework at the Petroleum Institute. The transfer of technological expertise to younger generations is particularly important to us. The industry needs qualified petroleum engineers in the future."

During the eight days, the young Emirati nationals visited various locations in Germany. At Wintershall's headquarters in Kassel, they gained an insight into the company's 80 years of experience in the exploration and production of oil and gas. In Barnstorf, a small German rural municipality, they visited Wintershall's operational centre and discovered how the company explores and produces natural resources. The students also travelled to Ludwigshafen in Southern Germany and got to know Wintershall's parent company – the world's largest chemical producer BASF – which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Thanks to its scientific cooperation with its parent company, BASF, Wintershall is a pioneer when it comes to technological expertise "made in Germany" for the oil and gas sector. On their tour, the students also learned about renewable energies at Klimahaus Bremerhaven and about space technology with a visit of the European company Airbus Defence and Space.

The cooperation between Wintershall and the Petroleum Institute emphasises the importance of the Middle East region for Wintershall, which was the first German exploration and production company to open a representative office in Abu Dhabi in 2010. By sharing its knowledge and expertise with locals, Wintershall engages beyond the traditional oil and gas sector and actively contributes to the development of excellent research and innovation centres such as the Petroleum Institute.

In addition to fostering the exchange of scientific knowledge, this trip also has strengthened the cultural ties between the UAE and Germany. "It was my first visit to Germany," says 21-year-old participant Shamma Mahmoud Al Qaissieh. "It was a great learning experience for my studies and I also enjoyed discovering Germany and visiting its cities. Especially our last stop in Frankfurt appealed to me. I've heard a lot about this city during my German class at the Petroleum Institute."
Source: WAM