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Polish students want to study in Saint-Petersburg despite the global Russophobia

летние школы
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

It has been a second year in a row for students of the AGH University of Science and Technology (Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica w Krakowie) at the Mining University. For the second time as well, they have chosen the two week-long international summer school programme "Modern Technologies of Drilling Wells, Transport and Storage of Oil & Gas."

According to Inna Chudinova, Summer School Monitor, ”Russia is one of the leading mining countries - we are in possession of advanced technologies for exploration and development of deposits under various conditions. Students of the Summer School have the opportunity to learn about these technologies and get acquainted with actual methods that are used when working with modern equipment - both here, in the Mining University, and during field trips to local mineral companies”.

The participants of the Summer School were given a chance to try themselves as drillers by using a specifically designed well-drilling simulator, which allows imitating the processes of drilling and completion of the well, both in normal and unusual situations. The students also got experience of a construction of transport systems of oil and gas, worked with equipment which can improve the efficiency of transport systems, made themselves acquainted with technologies in the field of oil and gas transportation.

летние школы
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

Patrick Lesniak, one of the students, shared his impressions, "The summer school is a unique opportunity to get an idea of education system in the oldest Russian technical university. The focus of the programme is mainly on practical activities, which is really useful for us, students. I am more than happy that we were provided with an opportunity to use the well-drilling simulator, for there is not such a high-class lab equipment in our university”.

Some of the practical training took place at the training and research site of the Mining University - "Neftyanik" (English: Oilman). It is equipped with up-to-date drilling, oilfield and research equipment: automated geophysical, hydrodynamic complexes and also simulation rooms to imitate well operation and development. In addition to innovative equipment, there are also samples dating back to the middle of the last century. Therefore, students are provided with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with both recent and now-obsolete technologies and see for themselves how the industry developed over time. During the trip to the facility, summer school participants learnt more about the equipment items on display and their technical features. Under the guidance of an instructor, they also drilled a well with the help of GM200GL drilling installation.

As noted by Bogumiła Winid, professor at the AGH University of Science and Technology, also a head of the students group”As a teacher myself, I can confirm that Saint-Petersburg Mining University has unique facilities for practical education. At the training ground ”Neftyanik", students can apply the knowledge they gained through the lectures. It would have been great if we had this kind of training facility in our university as well".

летние школы
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

The program includes the course of master classes and workshops. By visiting leading companies of St. Petersburg, international students get to know how Russian enterprises operate. One of the field visits was done to the "Drilling Technologies Factory”, whose key activity is manufacturing of drilling equipment and related tools. In particular, the company focuses on exploratory drilling, engineering and construction surveying, water-supply well and hydrogeological well drilling. The program participants got acquainted with the full cycle of manufacturing of drill fittings and assembling of drilling rigs, learnt the characteristics of the equipment, specifically drilling capacity.

Another visit was paid to the production site of OOO ”Berkom”, which is a local dealer for Geomachine Oy, a Finnish drilling rig and equipment company. The workshop was conducted by Petri Koikkalainen, Managing Director of the company. He told the students about the main advantages of their drilling rigs which are mobile small-size models with high permeability, and also demonstrated how they work.

летние школы
© Форпост Северо-Запад / Павел Долганов

At the site of the "Mining group ”EZTAB", students were told about the technology of manufacturing diamond drilling tools.

One of the most vivid impressions though was the visit to the production site of ”Metrostroy" - a currently constructed Krasnoselsko-Kalininskaya line of the St. Petersburg metro. The chief engineer and mine surveyor provided students with information on how underground tunnelling excavation is done. The future engineering graduates could see with their own eyes the work of tunnelling machine.

Another student, Oleksii Kim underlined, ”It was an incredible experience for us to go 60 meters underground and see with our own eyes how they build metro. We liked St. Petersburg as well – it is a great city. It is amazing that in addition to practical training we had the opportunity to get to know more about the Russian culture".

For more information on summer school programmes, such as requirements, duration, fees etc., please follow the link.