The University of Aberdeen officially launched its new Masters programme in Petroleum Data Management at a special event yesterday at the Sir Duncan Rice Library (Tuesday, November 7).
The MSc programme has been set up through an agreement between the University and Common Data Access Limited (CDA), which provides data management services to the UK oil and gas industry. The course will address the sector’s growing demand for people skilled in effective management of data, which is critical to increasing understanding of the subsurface and geology of the UK Continental Shelf and contributing to efforts to maximise economic recovery from the basin. It will be sponsored by leading multinational companies including Shell, Total and Chevron.
Representatives from the University and from CDA were on hand at the launch event to tell guests, including industry leaders as well as potential students, about ongoing initiatives in professionalising data management, and opportunities to increase business value through effective stewardship of data. There was also a presentation on the new programme.
The aims of the programme are to provide education and training at postgraduate level for data managers currently working in the petroleum sector and for those aspiring to this career path. The content reflects the overview of all key data management activities of relevance to petroleum data managers working in or managing multi-disciplinary teams.
The course will begin in September 2018, and CDA will be announcing partial scholarships. Further information will be made available on the programme website.
Programme Director, Dr Colin North said: “Petroleum Data Management is crucial to the oil and gas industry and there is an increasing demand for individuals with an expertise in this area.
“I am delighted that the University has teamed up with CDA, and our sponsors, in order to create this programme. Developing it alongside industry partners ensures that the course will be tailored to the needs of the industry and I look forward to welcoming students onto the course.”
Malcolm Fleming, Chief Executive, CDA, added: “As an industry we are aware that the true value of data lies not in acquiring it but in using it effectively, across technical disciplines. It is therefore crucial that businesses are equipped with the skills and competencies to ensure these valuable data resources are professionally stewarded, accessible to users, and that they meet increasingly complex business needs and opportunities.
“CDA and its 58 member companies consider this Masters programme to be a significant element within initiatives to improve and increase the contribution of data management to business value, and are delighted to be offering two partial scholarships in 2018 to support individuals in attaining this qualification.”