Tuesday October 7th 20 high school teachers from all around Denmark were visiting DTU Chemical Engineering to learn about OilSim.
OilSim is an online simulation game where teams compete on finding oil and gas in a fictive country.
The team that finds most oil and gas and don´t spend a fortune on getting it wins. Before earning any money on the oil and gas the teams need to do geological surveys of the underground, make bids for licenses, join in shared licenses with other teams, make test drilling and hire proper service companies. If successful in these disciplines the teams are likely to have a profitable business running.
The course was facilitated by a coworker of Simprentis, a company situated at the Faroe Islands and organized by DTU Ph.D students Lars Jensen and Sara Bülow Sandersen.
The day started out with breakfast for all participants in the lounge. Erling Stenby introduced DTU Chemical Engineering and explained the importance of both discovery and recovery of oil and gas, and the role of the science in that context.
Hereafter the facilitator day continued in the data bar. After a brief introduction to the OilSim the high school teachers were divided into small teams. The morning was spent on geological surveys aiming for locating the basin centers. The results of these studies were used for the first license round, where each team placed their bids on the areas they found promising for oil production. Licenses were awarded to the teams giving the highest bid. After lunch the teams has to form partnership with the each others. This is to reduce the risk, both in connection to establishment of production facilities and expenditure for companies providing services.
Partnerships are normally formed by emailing other teams offering them money for a percentage of the license. However, since all teams were in the same room they were running back and forth between each other negotiating to get good agreements. After forming partnerships drill testing was performed. This is to test the oil in place in the located basins. If the testing reveals presence oil or gas, then depending on the amount present, this will be converted into earnings. The teams with the highest return compared to the investment wins. The winning team achieved around 3000% return of investment.
November this year the teachers students will compete against each other in OilSim 2008. After participating in the facilitator day the teachers will be able to assist the students in making the right decisions and hopefully be successful in discovering oil and gas. About 600 students will be attending OilSim 2008.
Download seminar (video) low quality
OilSim Exploration (powerpoint)
Intro Oilsim vejlederkursus oktober 2008 (powerpoint)