Participants in the international educational program “Management of Subsoil Use Facilities” at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University completed a one-week off-site internship in the city of Almetyevsk (Republic of Tatarstan).
The year-long course is designed for public-sector specialists and company managers from Africa’s mineral resources complex. Nineteen participants from seven African countries—Burundi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Sierra Leone, and South Africa—were selected by the relevant ministries of the continent’s countries together with the Saint Petersburg University, and are now successfully undergoing professional retraining in Russia.
The program is divided into technological and managerial modules and, in addition to theory, includes internships and practical training in resource companies, government institutions, as well as in the laboratories and training-and-production sites of the university.
The African participants completed drilling practice at the university’s Sablino training site and geophysical practice at the Kuzmolovo facility. In December, they had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with key specialized institutions in Moscow, and in January, they traveled to Almetyevsk.
Why was this particular location chosen for the off-site educational module? An average-sized city by Russian standards, with 170,000 residents, its history dates back to the 18th century.
The choice of location is explained by several interrelated factors. First and foremost, Almetyevsk is home to the headquarters of Tatneft, from which the city receives the majority of its tax revenues. Today, Almetyevsk is a consistent winner of national competitions for the title of “Russia’s Most Well-Developed City.” It is striking for the ergonomics of its urban environment, the cleanliness of its streets, and its high-tech style buildings.
It is no coincidence that the city bears the unofficial title of the “Oil Capital of Tatarstan”: directly beneath it lies the Romashkino oil field, which ranks second in Russia and thirteenth worldwide in terms of reserves.
Finally, the modern and highly functional facilities of Almetyevsk State Technological University – Higher School of Petroleum train personnel for the Republic’s extractive industries.
Thus, African mining professionals were given the opportunity to see firsthand the real synergy between education, science, and industry.
The delegation was first introduced to the educational potential of the region.
The opening working day of the internship began with a meeting between the delegation and the leadership of the Higher School of Petroleum. In his welcoming address, Rector Alexander Dyakonov emphasized the university’s readiness for international cooperation with the African continent, participation in joint educational projects, professional development programs, collaborative research, and academic publishing.
«The Mining University is one of our key partners in the fields of science and education. We are united by a shared understanding of the need to modernize higher engineering education based on the requirements and demands of industry. We also implement a mentorship school, work closely with industrial partners, and strive to educate broadly specialized engineers», - the Rector noted.
For instance, the university has observed an increased demand from enterprises in recent years for specialists capable of working in teams. The challenges posed by the growing share of hard-to-recover oil and the increasing complexity of extraction technologies necessitate the training of interdisciplinary engineering teams. In response to this demand, the Higher School of Petroleum has introduced into its educational process the practice of forming small teams of five to six students from different fields of study, ranging from geologists and reservoir engineers to economists. Even during their studies, these teams jointly work on specific case studies drawn from real facilities, exchange knowledge, and delegate tasks according to their areas of expertise. After graduation, such teams can be integrated into enterprises as complete units—well-coordinated, effective departments with hands-on production experience.
«I was incredibly inspired by what I saw in Saint Petersburg, and now in Almetyevsk as well. Here, industry is very closely intertwined with education. The entire process is geared toward production, which is why even practical sessions at universities can deliver tangible industrial value. In my country, the education system is oriented toward the study of theoretical knowledge, logical principles, and scientific concepts, rather than toward the development of practical skills and competencies. As a result, when we arrive at an enterprise, we are not always able to immediately integrate into the workflow and manage the assigned tasks. By contrast, graduates of the Higher School of Petroleum in Almetyevsk, just like those of Saint Petersburg Mining University, leave their institutions fully prepared for real-world work. I hope that we will be able to implement this experience in our home countries. We are very pleased to have discovered opportunities for partnership and cooperation that can enable us to do so», - shared Mandisa Gaba from South Africa.
During a tour of the university campus facilities, the delegation was shown the academic and laboratory building. In addition, the TatNIPIneft Institute—the research center of Tatneft—operates on the basis of Almetyevsk State Technological University – Higher School of Petroleum. The institute seeks integrated solutions to the technological challenges facing the company. Students undergo practical training here and also have the opportunity to secure employment while still in the process of their studies.
The African participants were shown the Geological Museum, a core storage facility designed to house up to 32,000 meters of core material, laboratories for core analysis, reservoir pressure studies, drilling, hydraulic fracturing and near-wellbore treatment, as well as the geomechanics center, 3D and 4D modeling facilities, and a number of other units. The guests expressed particular interest in the new technologies currently under development at the university, their environmental impact, and their potential applicability on other continents.
The internship program also included a series of three full-scale lectures delivered in English. In a sense, they provided answers to the questions raised by the foreign participants the previous day. Specialists from the Higher School of Petroleum spoke about modern digital solutions and the future of petroleum engineering, as well as unique geological modeling techniques being developed at the university to optimize exploration and field development processes.
A two-hour drive (110 km) from Almetyevsk, in the city of Nizhnekamsk, is TANEKO JSC (Tatarstan Oil Refining Complex), part of the Tatneft Group of Companies. The visit to the facility demonstrated how the two preceding levels—education and science—are ultimately embodied in industrial production.
TANEKO produces around 20 types of products, including automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, and base oils. The complex comprises two primary processing units, deep conversion facilities, and production units for base oils, fuels, and petrochemical feedstocks (raw materials).
«Given that the refinery is considered a strategically important and, at the same time, hazardous industrial facility due to its technological processes, the properties of the substances involved, and potential risks, access for unauthorized persons is subject to the strictest control. Photography is, of course, prohibited. The students were able to trace the entire path of oil refining—from the primary processing of raw materials to the final product. This made an enormous impression on us» - said Alexander Kuznetsov, a postgraduate student of the Department of Historical and Dynamic Geology at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, who accompanied the African delegation.
In the control room, from which the entire complex is managed, employees prepared an installation that schematically explained the key technological chains for raw material processing utilized at the enterprise.
The African participants also visited the urban-type settlement of Aktyubinsky, founded in 1956 and located 40 km from Almetyevsk. This is not merely a typical settlement on the map, but an eco-settlement that serves as a testing ground for biotechnologies and scientific and technological initiatives in the field of “green” energy.
The project was created by Tatneft on the basis of the Higher School of Petroleum. Here, students, researchers, and industrial enterprises are able to pilot and test the “green” technologies currently under development.
A range of energy-efficient solutions has been integrated into a single, closed-loop system. Several multi-apartment residential buildings are equipped with solar panels; solar collectors and heat pumps have been installed to provide hot water. The settlement’s heat supply is fully ensured by a solid-fuel boiler plant operating on wood chips. A biogas unit operates at the local farm, generating both electrical and thermal energy from cattle waste. More than half of the electricity produced is fed into the power grid, while the remainder is used to meet the farm’s own energy needs.
Within Aktyubinsky stands a house constructed entirely from components printed on a 3D printer. This achievement has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, as confirmed by a plaque displayed inside the building.
Another engaging experiment that drew strong interest from the delegation was observed at the local kindergarten, where children practice hydroponics. They grow plants without soil, using nutrient solutions. The seedlings are later transplanted, allowing the children to observe the tangible results of their efforts.
Applied biotechnologies operating at the intersection of science and industry—biomaterials, bioprocesses, and digital and AI-based solutions for managing complex industrial systems—were enthusiastically examined by the mining professionals at a dedicated exhibition stand.
«I am absolutely delighted by everything we have managed to learn and see since the start of the program in September 2025. I would like to thank the Mining University for organizing this management internship, which allowed us to see a vivid example of the results that can be achieved through competent subsoil use. This time, Almetyevsk made a particularly strong impression. Its developed infrastructure, educational programs, and sports facilities are remarkable. When we see this, we think: you educate people, conduct scientific research, and at the same time produce so much. I would not say that I am envious—unless in the best possible sense—but I very much want to convey your experience to the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources of Sierra Leone, where I work, and eventually apply it in my own country», - noted Kadiata Bangura.
The internship concluded with a formal ceremony at which Alexander Dyakonov, Rector of Almetyevsk State Technological University – Higher School of Petroleum, presented the participants with certificates confirming completion of the educational module conducted at the university.
«Undoubtedly, the program of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University is primarily aimed at improving the qualifications of representatives of Africa’s engineering and economic fields. However, the goal of the project is not only to provide knowledge, but also to strengthen ties between our states. For this reason, it includes familiarization with the culture of our vast country. The substantive component of the internship in Almetyevsk was complemented by a visit to a mosque, a city sightseeing tour, and even a concert by student ensembles of the Higher School of Petroleum, which together provided a comprehensive insight into the Republic of Tatarstan, a constituent entity of the Russian Federation», - noted the program coordinator from the Mining University, Head of the Department of Historical and Dynamic Geology, Doctor of Science Irina Talovina.
Ahead for the participants of the international program lies the continuation of theoretical training, internships at enterprises in the Northwestern Federal District (NWFD), and the writing of their graduation theses.