PTI TAT PRESS: Petroleum Training Institute, (PTI) and the Federal University of petroleum Resources (FUPRE) both in Effurun city co-hosted the 9th NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM EXPLORATIONISTS (NAPE) AND NIGERIAN MINING AND GEOSCIENCES SOCIETY (NMGS) mini-conference for tertiary institutions.

"The era of transferring lecture note from one generation of lecturers to the other is over as things are evolving on a daily basis and also the days of ‘handouts and keypoints’ should pave the way for digital research as well as creative and critical reasoning." Dr E. Andrew Ejayeriese (FNAPE, FNMGS) president of the NAPE told the lecturers as he also encouraged the students to explore with their minds generating, testing and validating hypothesis, during the conference that gatherred high profile personnels from Oil and Gas sector.

The conference kicked off on Wednesday 6th of June, 2018 with all the student leaders from across the country arriving and the pre mini-conference leadership submit workshop held at Petroleum Training Institute conference centre.

On Thursday 7th of June, 2018 the leadership submit continued and all the students' chapter across the nation arrived and short courses on Petroleum system (History, definition, types and application), Seismic data acquisition and processing, Operation and wellsite geology and Clastic reservoir geology overview were taught by Dr Joe Ejedawe (FNAPE), Mr Phillip Ajaebili, Mr Ebenezer Bamigboye and Mr Jude Omuije respectively to the student.

The following day which was on the 8th of June, 2018 was the opening ceremony which was attended by the governor of Delta state His excellency Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented by the commissioner of higher education Engr Jude Sinebe who welcomed the students to Delta state and encouraged them to be of best conduct throughout the conference and also told them to visit some interesting places in Delta state if time permits them. The principal/CE of Petroleum Training Institute in the person of Prof. Sunny Iyuke (Ceng, PrEng, FSAAE, MIChem, SAIChE, AMNSChe, COREN) who in his welcome address stated that the theme of the mini-conference: EMERGING ENERGY CHALLENGE: A PARADIGM SHIFT IN GEOSCIENCES EDUCATION, is timely and very significant to the sustainability of the training in the oil and gas sector as well as in mining and geosciences sector with emphasis in the development of the next generation of leaders who today constitute the middle level and future players in the industry and also the Vice-chancellor of Federal University of Petroleum Resources in person of Prof. Akaehomen Akii Ibhadode (FAS) who in his welcome address stated that the theme for the mini-conference captured the deep narrative of our passion in bringing innovation to bear in the mission to make our university global centre of excellence. The Nigerian Mining and geosciences society (NMGS) also indicated in his presidential address that the theme of the mini-conference is very apt especially in the current dispensation of price vagaries in the oil sector and he asked a question if we have the requisite skilled personnel needed for the unearthing of these potentials for the benefit of the nation? Are our students been properly groomed to take over from the aging legends in the industry? Also the University Assistance Programme (UAP) Chairman the person of Dr Adeola Adesida (CPG) also indicated in his address that the theme of the mini-conference was carefully chosen to ignite our passion and prepare every geoscience student to handle the evolving energy needs of our country disruptive technologies/ artificial intelligence/ machine learning, virtual reality, energy transition, environmental footprint, decreasing reserves replacement ratio due to lack of recent major oil and gas discovery and dwindling exploration budget are some of our current realities.

After the welcome address the keynote speaker Prof. S.S Dada did justice to the topic EMERGING TRENDS IN MINERAL EXPLORATION IN NIGERIA. Then the exhibition was declared open by the president NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM EXPLORATIONIST (NAPE) where PTI, FUPRE and other exhibitors displayed some of their works. Then the inter university quiz commenced immediately after the exhibition and different university was represented by their representatives and at the end of the quiz competition SHAIB DQUID representing the Federal university of Petroleum Resources emerged the winner and RIDWAN AMURE representing Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) came out second and DAVID CHIBUZOR representing Ebonyi state University came out third.

In the evening the student were not left out as a get together/ variety night was organized for the where MC Erickado anchored the event and artists from different universities like CYP (who dedicated a song to NAPE), ARMSON SLAM both from PTI, ILLUMINIOUS from FUPRE and a female rapper artist CRYSTAL all the way from University of Nsukka, Nigeria (UNN) thrilled the audience.

Then on Saturday 9th of June, 2018 which was the last day of the mini-conference was package with different student representing their universities participating in oral and poster presentation and at the end IDONGESIT M. AKWAOWOH and OLUGBENGA A. EHINOLA from University of Ibadan emerged the winner of the oral presentation who will be sponsored to AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST conference which will be held in South Africa. Then the students were taken on an excursion to PTI demonstration ground where they were shown the functional drilling rig, flow station with wellhead.

The conference ended with an award night where awards were given to all those who sponsored the mini-conference and cash prizes were given to the winners of NAPE UAP grant-in-aid for both undergraduate and post graduate student to support their research work. NAPE PTI student chapter won the award of the BEST STUDENT CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE. The event ended with the LOC chairman person of Prof. Ebo Gabriel Imeokparia giving the closing remark wishing all those who attended the mini-conference from across the nation safe trip back to their various destinations.

How can geosciences education continue to develop in Nigeria with relevance to the emerging energy challenges? This question was answered at the 9th NAPE-NMGS mini-conference for tertiary institutions which was held at Petroleum Training Institution (PTI) and the Federal University of petroleum resources (FUPRE) Effurun, Delta state, Nigeria.