The 14 Ghanaian- graduate engineers, geologists and geophysists, sponsored early this year by Tullow Ghana Limited to pursue further studies overseas in various disciplines in oil exploration and production, have successfully completed the first phase of the programme.
The graduates, who are on a two-week vacation in Ghana, after six months of studies in the UK, are about to begin intensive training at world acclaimed universities in the host country.
The first phase of the year-long programme comprised six months of tutorship and mentoring in specialised on-the-job schedules, including the dynamics of seismic surveying, drilling and production.
This phase of the programme exposed the students to training in Tullow Plc's global work culture and value systems, designed to imbibe in them the company's operational modules and practices in exploration, development and production of petroleum and gas.
Tullow Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Tullow Oil Plc and lead operator in the development of Ghana's Jubilee Fields, has stressed its readiness to support the building of a strong local technical capacity for the country's emerging upstream oil industry.
The company set its capacity building plans in motion in March, when it put together a one-year intensive post-graduate training programme for the young engineers from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), regulator of the upstream oil industry and a key player in on-going development of the Jubilee Fields.
The engineers in the group look forward to studying at Herriot Watts Institute in Edinburgh while the geologists and geophysists will train at either London's Imperial College, the University of Aberdeen or at the University of Leeds.
"I am proud to inform you that, the feedback we (Tullow and GNPC) received from overseas on your performance during these past six months is most encouraging. You have all earned your places in the second and final phase of training in which you will be privileged to study in some of the world's most respected institutions in the oil and gas industry," Mr. Dai Jones, Country Director of Tullow Ghana Limited, told the engineers at a farewell lunch held in Accra in their honour.
Mr. Kofi Esson, Government and External Affairs Manager, Tullow Ghana Limited, reiterated his company's determination to support GNPC as the industry regulator and partner in development to enrich and expand its human resource capacity.
Mr. Andrew Badoo, Director of Administration at GNPC described Tullow Ghana's initiative as a very significant input into the development of technical capacity for Ghana's young oil and gas industry.
"We (GNPC) consider it most unique and re-assuring that you (graduate engineers) are acquiring all these know-how and skills and return to work for GNPC to help us deliver on our institutional mandate. Since you are all so young, we expect that over the next 11 to 15 years, you would. mentor others who, like yourselves, will become involved and active in our industry," Mr. Badoo said.
Mr. Mark Prempeh, a geologist and spokesperson for the graduates pledged the group's commitment to study diligently and return home to support the growth of Ghana's oil industry and make their employers, GNPC and their sponsors, Tullow Ghana, proud.