Prestigious accolade for University of Aberdeen academic
An academic from the University of Aberdeen has been awarded a prestigious honour from the leading European-based international organisation of geoscientists and engineers.
Andrew Hurst, Professor of Production Science, from the School of Geosciences, has been presented with the European Association of Geosciences and Engineers' Wegener Award 2004, the top accolade for a European Petroleum Geologist/Engineer.
The Wegener Award 2004 is presented to Professor Hurst for his valuable and prolific contributions in the fields of sedimentology and petroleum geology. His work has involved developing new concepts, software and instrumentation that contribute to increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons from reservoirs. He has worked closely with most major oil companies, UK-based and internationally, on a range of research that is directed towards creative science that can be applied to industry needs. Professor Hurst's research is grounded in the need for the accurate description of rocks, which in turn forms a foundation for quantitative and predictive models of the occurrence and distribution of hydrocarbons.
The Alfred Wegener Award is presented to a member of the Association who has made an outstanding contribution over a period of time to the scientific and technical advancement of one or more of the disciplines in the Association, particularly petroleum geoscience and engineering.
Professor Hurst has worked at the University for 12 years, following a similar period in the international oil industry, and is honoured to be this year's recipient. Award nominations are made annually and no more than one individual receives the award each year, and in some years no award is made. He said: "I am thrilled at being this year's recipient of the Alfred Wegener Award. It was a wonderful surprise to receive such a distinguished award and a wonderful experience to have had so many people congratulating me since I received this honour. This further demonstrates the value of research that is being undertaken in the field of petroleum geoscience within the School of Geosciences."
Professor Albert Rodger, Head of the College of Physical Sciences, is delighted at the accolade awarded to Professor Hurst. He said: "This is a well deserved award for Professor Hurst and one which reflects his significant contribution to geosciences.
"We are particularly proud that his internationally renowned work in this field has been recognised by such a prestigious association as the European Association of Geosciences Engineers."
The Wegener Award consists of a medal and a certificate.