Empowering the Next Generation on Energy Awareness with SPE ITS SC's Energy4me

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) ITS SC held an educational program called Energy4me for more than 20 science club members at Gloria Christian Junior High School. The program aimed to raise awareness about the importance of energy in life, increase understanding of energy and its implementation, and foster enthusiasm in the oil and gas industry.

The PIC of the event Asri Dewayanti said Energy4me is an educational program that educates the public about energy and promotes energy consciousness. This program was developed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers to help students understand the science behind the industry and the career opportunities available. "We believe that energy is the most crucial and hot issue right now. Therefore, to increase the potential of the nation's resources, it is our responsibility as a youth to take the initiative to accommodate the discussion forum for sharing knowledge,” added Asri. 

The program that was held on March 15th included several experiments. One of the experiments was exploring oil seeps. Oil and gas seeps are natural springs where liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons leak out of the ground. These seeps are fed by natural underground accumulations of oil and natural gas. The activity modeled the formation and process of oil seeps. “The students learned how the density of oil and Earth's materials contribute to the process and any modifications that could be made to the model,” continued Asri.

Another experiment was Pump it Up, where the students learned how oil and natural gas are pumped from the earth. There are two methods that can be used: primary recovery and secondary recovery. Primary recovery is when oil comes out due to its own pressure, while secondary recovery is when oil is pumped out by injecting natural gas or water into the formation. “In primary recovery, the students learned how to drill for oil with the help of a chemical reaction between bicarbonate and acetic acid,” explained Asri.

The third experiment was Perforated Well Casing. Perforation refers to a hole punched in the casing, or liner, of an oil well to connect it to a reservoir of oil or gas. These holes in the good casing allow oil and gas to flow easily into the wellbore, increasing the production of a reservoir. The students learned about the differences in the production of a perforated and non-perforated well casing. “They also discussed the model limitations and ways to improve the experiment,” added Asri.

Furthermore, Asri explained, the final experiment was Water Injection, where the students learned about oil drilling using the secondary recovery method of extracting oil by pushing it up with the help of water. The experiment showed how pumping water into a formation can push oil upwards. It demonstrated that more oil can be extracted when water is pumped in the same system or a different pipeline.

Asri Dewayanti also emphasized the importance of energy literacy and the need to educate the public about energy. "Education is an effort to prepare future generations who are better, agile, and skilled. It fits perfectly with the need to develop people who have energy literacy and are interested in the oil and gas industry," said Asri.

The event was also a part of SPE ITS SC's actualization of social responsibility with the community around and to achieve SDGs 4 Quality Education and 7 Affordable and Clean Energy. Through this collaboration, SPE ITS SC hopes to contribute to building an energy-conscious and educated society. “It was a great honor that we could collaborate with one of the Junior High schools around us in addressing this matter. We feel such events are crucial to maintaining an energy community for a better future,” ended Asri. 

By: Tyara Novia Andhin