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Tag: Saint-Petersburg Mining University

Mining University to develop unique solutions for increasing oil extraction efficiency

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Saint Petersburg Mining University has a long history of cooperating with Gazprom, a Russian multinational energy corporation. A new agreement has just been made – university scientists will be working on a unique solution for increasing oil extraction efficiency. The results of their work will be applied at the Kovykta gas condensate field in Eastern Siberia.

High-salinity water may hamper the drilling operation, which is a common situation throughout the world. Therefore, reagents for constructing wells in the presence of polysalt and other aggressive components enjoy high demand. Their primary function is to prevent the fluid from a formation from entering the wellbore since starting production is otherwise impossible.

Abnormal pressures and temperatures, along with several other problems, however, pose significant risks. Solutions may turn into non-pumpable gel too early or, to the contrary, fail to reach the required consistency. This often happens in fields with specific reservoir properties (porosity, etc.) – the Kovykta field amongst them.

“The water shut-off technologies in use do not make allowance for the specificity of Russian deposits and their uniqueness. Hence, our task is not just to develop a solution that will maximise the production potential of one of the world’s largest natural gas fields. We also aim to provide a composition that would help increase the extraction efficiency of fossil fuels on a national scale,” says Andrey Kunshin, a Mining University researcher.
The university’s research team is currently looking into modern types of cement slurry and analysing their drawbacks. It is important because choosing the wrong one could complicate the drilling process and negatively affect production growth.
Building a test facility for dealing with energy challenges is next on the agenda. This project has yet to be patented, but the facility itself will supposedly be second to none in the world – at least, for now.
The site will be used for modelling processes taking place at the bottom of the well, including, in particular, contact with formation fluids or creating additional pressure. Thereby the scientists will learn how the new, improved composition reacts to entering an aggressive environment.

“Pilot testing at the Kovykta field will be the final stage of our work. The tests will be done together with our colleagues from Gazprom VNIIGAZ.

We expect to accomplish this science and technology objective Gazprom has commissioned us for during 12 months. The end product will speed up the time needed for constructing new wells. It will also lower reagent consumption and ensure the industrial and environmental safety of works carried out”, notes Dmitry Sidorov, Andrey’s colleague.

Oilman from Shiraz to promote cooperation between Russia and Iran

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Hamed Jafarpour, who, after graduating from Saint Petersburg Mining University, returned to his home country, shares his story. Hamed is a postdoctoral research fellow at Shiraz University. In 2021, he headed the Iranian-Russian Centre for Academic Cooperation.

An expert in the field of petroleum engineering, as Hamed calls himself, was born in the city of Shiraz. His father was a reservoir engineer; he would often talk to his son about how and where oil and gas form, how they are extracted and processed.

“I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Islamic Azad University of Omidiyeh, where I studied petroleum engineering,” he says.

“In my last year, a professor at the university – one of Iran’s most renowned academics – suggested I consider continuing my studies in Russia. He used to cooperate with Russian scientists, underwent his internships there. He was also convinced that if there is a place in the world to possess the most advanced technology, it must be Russia. After all, it produces about 10.5 million barrels of oil every day,” he adds.

“So I browsed through the list of Russian mining-engineering universities, carefully studied the programmes they were offering, and chose St. Petersburg Mining University. Soon I left for Russia to proceed with PhD studies.”

Hamed spent in Russia 6 years in total. He says the most notable difference between Russian and Iranian educational systems lies in the immediate consolidation of theoretical skills in practice.

“That is, at Mining University, with the end of a lecture, students immediately head off to laboratories to learn how to apply what they have just learnt to the real world. And at the end of each study year, they do one-month-long – or longer-lasting – internships at industry-specific organisations or in the field.”

“We don’t have so many practical classes and workshops in Iran, whilst the main focus in our universities is on theory — mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology. It is only at PhD level that lab research becomes a mandatory part of the learning process. The Russian approach is more effective as I see it — you study first and then do it yourself. Thus students can feel what it’s like to be an oil engineer, and if they are not happy with their choice, change their field of study accordingly,” Hamed adds.

When the fresh graduate returned to his home country in 2019, he decided to dedicate his career to passing on the knowledge and skills he had gained in Russia to Iranian students.

“A lot of recent research in the oil & gas industry focuses on enhancing oil recovery. Many of our fields have been developed for more than 40 years. Hence, they are gradually depleting and require rehabilitation. Therefore the topic of my PhD thesis – oil production technology involving acid treatment of carbonate reservoirs – assumes particular importance. Any field starts to produce less raw material over time, so it is crucial to study how to prevent and remove mineral deposits in the borehole equipment. By getting rid of them, we can prolong a field lifecycle and intensify the oil flow,” Hamed says.

“In Iran, I could only learn the theory of how to extract oil using acid compounds. It was different at Mining University. Thanks to the support of highly qualified scientific staff, and essential equipment and reagents on hand, I became engaged in research work. It yielded credible results, so I began writing scientific papers and publishing them in international journals.  Besides, I took part in conferences in Russia and France, and even won some prizes,” he adds.

Hamed is now working in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Shiraz University. In addition to teaching students and pursuing his own research, he is also heading the Iranian-Russian Centre for Academic Cooperation. The Mining University’s graduate aims to intensify scientific and educational cooperation between the two universities.

“Iran-Russia relations are good actually; numerous joint projects are being implemented, especially in energy, transportation, and industrial cooperation. And yet, we know very little about each other. To be honest, Iranians are often afraid of Russia. So I, for my part, inform local students and high-school graduates about the benefits of studying in Russian universities. I tell them what life in Russia is really like,” Hamed says.

“With the active development of trade, economic and political cooperation between our countries, my knowledge of Russian has become a huge advantage. It is not easy to get a job at Shiraz University. However, when the rector found out that I had studied in Russia and spoke Russian, they literally started persuading me to accept a job offer,” he adds.

Shiraz University is one of the oldest and most prestigious higher educational institutions in Iran. It has been working closely with St. Petersburg Mining University for some years now. The two universities’ teaching staff are writing joint research articles. Iranian students have on repeated occasions participated in the events organised by the first higher technical university in Russia.

A draft agreement between Shiraz and Mining universities is currently under discussion. It includes articles on student exchange programmes in Russia, visiting professorships, joint research projects, and online courses in Russian for undergraduate applicants. The agreement is expected to come into force at the start of the next academic year; then, its implementation will begin.

Mongolia-Born Mining University graduate shares his career journey

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Gantulga Ganbayar, a Mining University graduate, is the vice president of one of the country’s largest mining companies, MAK (Mongolyn Alt).

“MAK was established in 1993 as a gold-mining company. But in the early 90s, a decision to diversify the business and expand into coal mining was made by the conglomerate’s executives.

“We have several mining-engineering universities in my country, yet there is a particular need for qualified generalists. Russian education is still of high value here, so the company announced a competition, the winners of which could leave to study at Saint Petersburg Mining University. The choice of a university is hardly coincidental. Both Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, the first president of Mongolia, and Nyamtaishir Byambaa, founder of MAK, graduated from Mining University,” recalls Gantulga Ganbayar.

His uncle also studied at Mining University and suggested that he participate in the contest, Gantulga notes. Since he got a high score on the tests, he was admitted to the university’s programme in mine surveying.

“I am fortunate to have been a student of this programme where I learnt a lot beyond the basics. In addition to field-specific disciplines, we were also taught economics, as well as numerous other subjects.

“Mining University’s students have excellent technical competencies. Accordingly, they quickly move up the career ladder, either advancing to managerial positions or becoming in-demand field experts. MAK chooses the most talented high-school graduates every year and sponsors their education at Mining University. Due to the nature of my job, I often meet foreign partners and take part in various international events. But I have always felt that my professional skills are up to global standards,” admits Gantulga Ganbayar.

After graduating, Gantulga returned to his home country and took a job as a surveyor in the technical-engineering department of MAK. He was responsible for performing surveying activities at all of the company’s mines. Two years from then, his main line of work was to take care of coal mines. Afterwards, he was promoted first to mining engineer with 150 subordinates, then chief engineer managing 600 employees, deputy director and director of the department, before finally becoming vice president.

“Mining is one of the dominant industries in Mongolia. Coal makes up about 40% of our exports, plus we have copper and molybdenum. Coal also accounts for 90% of Mongolia’s total domestic energy consumption, with wind and solar power accounting for the remaining 10%. This explains why all mining-related specialities are of high prestige here. Of course, we understand the direction the world is headed in. Still, we are sure that the consumption of fossil fuels will last for at least several decades more,” says Mining University’s graduate.

Gantulga Ganbayar was appointed vice president two years ago. Since then, he has been developing MAK’s new business area — sales of construction products, such as concrete, cement, and others. These goods are mostly made from limestone, which the company extracts itself. Aside from this rock, MAK is involved in mining lignite, hard and coking coal, copper-molybdenum ores, and gold prospecting.

Mining University graduate on how to prevent industrial disasters

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Some say that all industrial disasters are either attributable to the human factor – whether caused by accident, negligence or incompetence – or natural phenomena. Sometimes both happen at a time. Olga Baranova, Saint Petersburg Mining University’s graduate, Chief Engineer for Occupational Safety at Karelsky Okatysh, explains, “Despite all the developments in process safety management and new techniques for monitoring and preventing workplace hazards, most natural phenomena causing incidents are still unpredictable.

“Scientists’ role is to learn how to anticipate these hazards and react in time and accordingly. Besides, a well-managed mechanism of action should be elaborated in case an emergency takes place.”

The company Olga works for introduced a monitoring centre. Its specialists can track the technical status of a facility right on their screens. Cameras and digital sensors, both stationary and mounted onto heavy-duty equipment, transmit data. 

This system helps monitor hazards and other emergencies. It is also suitable for administering weekly large-scale blasts done to open a deposit. Monitoring centres are a brilliant example of how a preventive measure, although a rather expensive and, for now, non-compulsory one, significantly reduces the risks of workers’ deaths. 

“In an ideal situation, specialists in occupational safety and health should exercise an advisory function – assist in mapping out and complying with regulations, striving to lower risk probability at an organisation. But in reality, we are, in a way, supervisors. In addition to proactive measures, we also impose compliance enforcement measures. The company has adopted a set of rules aimed at reducing injury rates. For example, all of our entry control points are equipped with alcohol-screening devices, which cannot be bypassed. Railway crossings intersecting mining and processing sites are mounted with a hardware-software complex. It utilises artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies to search for vehicles in the surveillance zone. It is a common situation and is a human error, but it may have tragic consequences. Therefore such violations should be monitored.”    

The future lies in digitalisation and automation technologies. They will make it less needed to be exposed to hazardous working environments, thereby enhancing industrial safety. Remote-controlled machinery and equipment are some of the newest solutions: autonomous dump trucks, drilling rigs, positioning and movement monitoring systems tailored at mine workers, and laser scanners. Of course, new technologies will not replace humans. Still, they will free us up for working at a new qualification level.

“We are currently testing exoskeletons that we plan to purchase for the company. This innovative device is designed to increase muscle strength and yet relieve muscle tension. Exoskeletons help relieve the stress of a person remaining mostly stationary while at work. It can be, for example, a mechanic who repairs machinery and is forced to keep their hands elevated over time.”

Karelsky Okatysh’s Department of Occupational Health and Safety employs over 20 specialists, with some of them working in the head office and others at production facilities. A majority of them are Mining University’s graduates who studied industrial and labour safety, geomechanics, rock destruction, and mining thermal physics.

St. Petersburg Mining University demonstrates potential of plasma technology for producing ultra-pure corundum

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

A research group from Saint Petersburg Mining University has conducted a series of successful experiments to produce corundum with a purity of over 99.999% using innovative plasma technology. With low-temperature plasma used for melting alumina in the reactor, contamination of the final product by electrode materials can be avoided, thereby ensuring its high quality.

Following the results achieved in this work, Mining University obtained a patent for a plasma furnace with multi-layer refractory lining. The invention helps improve the heat-balance control of the plasma furnace whilst enhancing the chemical purity of the corundum produced. To carry out the experiments, the researchers used a plasma torch of the Institute for Electrophysics and Electric Power of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The development of plasma nanotechnologies and new materials for the minerals sector is one of the promising areas of scientific work at the University. Amongst the most significant completed projects are the plasma technologies of manufacturing aluminium for metallurgy and hydrogen energy and the technologies of producing ultra-pure white corundum and sapphire glass.

The relevance of the work done comes from the fact that the current technologies of manufacturing corundum have been in use since the mid-20th century. By now, they have reached their maximum capacity, and a further increase in output within the traditional technology would cause a problem of growing energy intensity and power consumption. Yet, it would not ensure the required purity, hardness, and thermal stability of the final product.

The proposed technology involving the innovative plasma furnace to melt alumina opens up good prospects for industrial use. Victoria Kison, a PhD student in the Department of General and Technical Physics, is writing her thesis based on the empirical data from the experiments. Doctor of Physico-Mathematical Sciences Alexander Mustafaev, head of the department, supervises her work.

Synthetic corundum has numerous uses in a variety of industries. For white corundum, these include sandblasting, treating of hardened and tempered steels; it also serves as refractory and abrasives. Transparent corundum – leucosapphire – is used to make substrates for microchips, in optical devices, lasers, and for the manufacture of ultra-thin medical scalpels. The value of corundum is due to its hardness, which is 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale. Diamond has the highest value of hardness. Corundum can also be used as a material for producing aluminium by electrolysis.

Mining University Graduate on how he ended up in Germany

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Maxim Vorona, a graduate of St. Petersburg Mining University, moved to Germany more than ten years ago. Over these years, he has advanced to the Deputy CEO at MIBRAG Consulting International, part of the Germany-based coal producer MIBRAG.  

“I always wanted to build a career in mining. My father was a chief engineer at the expedition that explored diamond deposits in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. They worked at the Lomonosov mine, one of the largest diamond mines in Russia and the world, consisting of, for instance, the V. Grib and Pomorskaya kimberlite pipes. He often let me join him when I was on holidays. And as a teenager, I already knew how a drilling rig works or what the term ‘geological prospecting’ stands for.

In 2002 I entered St. Petersburg Mining University, which even then differed from other Russian universities. It had research labs, agreements with industry-specific companies on internships and work placements. Finally, its graduates had high employability. All these factors combined plus my knowledge and skills earned me the job position I’m in now,” says Maxim.

In his fifth year, the soon-to-be graduate competed for a one-year internship at Freiberg University of Mining and Technology and won. Leaving abroad for internships is a common practice in Russia nowadays, offered by many higher institutions. Back then, the programme, co-funded by the Russian Ministry of Education and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), was gaining momentum. Only one postgraduate student and one undergraduate student were chosen. They went to Saxony, lucky to have been provided with an opportunity to study in Germany and collect data for their theses.

“I indicated that I wanted to study milling machines. Back then, I did not know German and had only English to rely on. I was helped, however. Half a year later, Professor Carsten Drebenstedt, who was lecturing to us, called me in. He is an internationally acclaimed scientist with vast knowledge of open-pit mining, then serving Vice-Rector for Research at Freiberg University of Mining and Technology. He suggested I undertake an internship at Rheinkalk, which I did.

This company is part of the Lhoist Group, the world’s largest producer of lime and dolomite. Lhoist planned to utilise milling machines at one of their deposits because of switching over to an extraction technique not involving blasting. During the next three months, I personally participated in the tests done at the quarry. Upon their completion, I compiled a detailed report, which included data on economic efficiency and technical characteristics, and presented it to the commissioner,” recalls Maxim.

As a result of the Mining University’s student staying in Europe, his studies lasted a year longer than initially expected. This is not unusual in Germany, as well as in many other European countries. Both postgrads and undergrads intentionally look for and readily agree to lengthy internships, typically done abroad. Thereby the future engineers acquire additional competencies and at the same time gather material for research articles.

In contrast to the Russian educational system, the German one favours such an approach. It allows students to be more flexible when deciding which course to take and when to take it. The downside is that many do not complete their master’s degrees until becoming 26-27 years old. 

 

As the internship had come to an end, Maxim returned to St. Petersburg to present his thesis. Shortly after finishing his education at Mining University, he returned to Freiberg – this time, to pursue PhD studies.

Upon graduation, Maxim was approached by several companies. He decided to take his chances on MIBRAG and started as a project manager, gradually moving up the career ladder. By now, he has progressed to the positions of Deputy CEO and Director of Mining.

  

“When I took the job, the corporation needed people with a deep understanding of the market. Aside from being highly qualified engineering specialists, they had to be familiar with trends in the global economy.

My current role is to develop the growth strategy of the business. I also have to ensure that the company will adapt to political or economic changes if they occur. MIBRAG is one of the largest employers in Saxony. And given Germany’s commitment to phasing out the use of coal as an energy source, the level of responsibility is enormous,” notes Maxim.

The Mining University’s graduate rarely visits Russia nowadays. One of the few events he tries to make an exception for is the Russian-German Raw Materials Dialogue, traditionally held in St. Petersburg. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to move it online this year. 

Mining University’s new strategy on postgraduate education shortens innovation cycle

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

The Saint-Petersburg Mining University motivates postgraduate students to take on scientific projects of applied value. In addition, it facilitates their solutions’ development over the entire period – from coming up with an idea to presenting a thesis paper.

As mining companies have a great interest in introducing the newest scientific developments as soon as possible, Mining University elaborated a viable mechanism for the education of postgraduate students.

It encompasses all stages and ends in the thesis project. The research work carried out throughout studies is subject to a rigorous plan with a well-established system of control and motivation, which finally leads to gaining the required competencies.

Postgraduate students are encouraged to start early on research activities. The new guideline on conducting laboratory works serves the purpose. Yet before proceeding to further education, undergraduates have an amount of laboratory work to accomplish. Since there is no pre-defined time for this, they can choose how and when to do it individually.

As a result of Mining University’s comprehensive approach to improving postgraduate training, 80% of its PhD students decide to continue working at the university upon completing their studies.

Some most recent successfully presented theses include works of Angelika Yeremeyeva and Shamil Islamov. Both St. Petersburg Mining University’s PhD students completed their education half a year ahead of schedule. One of them researched the cost reduction of repairing oil wells. The other focused on improving the working conditions of underground staff at coal mines.

Angelika Yeremeyeva offered an alternative technology to reduce the concentration of harmful gases emitted in coal mines whilst operating diesel-hydraulic locomotives. The technology has been already licensed and protected by four patents.

Shamil Islamov’s thesis is devoted to optimising the preparatory process before commencing the underground repair of oil wells.

Scientists develop a new environment-friendly technology

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Hydrocarbon losses along the entire supply chain – from a well to a thermal power plant or petrol station – can reach up to 30%. Most of them do not occur because of leaks, which are rather extraordinary events, but because of mismanagement and unwillingness to implement innovations that would improve energy efficiency.

Analysts from Russian pipeline transport company Transneft did some calculations. According to them, annual losses of petroleum products from evaporation while stored in above-ground metal tanks amount to 0.3% of the total product volume. Moreover, this figure is valid only if the tanks are filled by more than 90%. Otherwise, more damage happens, with the losses through evaporation potentially reaching 10%. This situation results in lost revenues for a subsoil user and each of the intermediate agents. Finally, it also causes air pollution by emitting CO2 and other harmful substances, notably heavy metals.

Vadim Fetisov, assistant professor at the Department of Transport and Storage of Oil and Gas in Saint Petersburg Mining University:

“All units for storing and transporting hydrocarbons – be it gas holders, tankers, reservoirs, rail-tank wagons, or any other means – are equipped with vent valves. They are needed to maintain the required pressure inside the storage vessel and remove excessive gas-air mixtures, the overaccumulation of which can lead to an explosion. Unfortunately, light hydrocarbons, which are the valuable raw material for the oil-refining industry, evaporate through the valves. Their emissions reduce the quality of petroleum products and negatively impact the environment.”

One of the most effective ways to overcome the issue is to install a vapour recovery system, which traps petroleum products vapours and sends them back in. The problem here is that such equipment does not enjoy great demand in Russia, with its high price being the primary reason. Market players find it easier to occasionally pay fines than invest in technology. Even domestic models, highly unpopular and therefore existing as one-offs only, cost between 60 to 150 mln roubles. Foreign counterparts manufactured by Jordan Technology or Carbovac (ALMA Group) cost even more.

“We have developed a vapour recovery unit, capable of trapping light hydrocarbons, and soon will launch it into the market. The unit’s price will be only 20 mln roubles: cost reduction will be ensured by simplifying the design and introducing several innovative solutions. We have already been approached by a few Russian and foreign companies, particularly from South Africa and Norway. After all, the pay-off period is only a year and a half. And then the purchaser will start making profits as a result of minimizing losses of petroleum products.”

This new technology is quite simple. Usually, oil vapours via the vent valves enter the atmosphere. In this case, they are let into the discharge pipeline system, pass through the drip pocket, and once become liquid, again sent back into the pipeline. Thereby a looped system emerges, which practically eliminates financial losses and prevents environmental damage.

Such innovations are in particular demand in southern countries, as their climate is characterized by high temperatures. Because of it, the emissions of petroleum vapours exceed those seen in the north by about 1.5 times. However, the pioneer solution would be by no means less useful in the Arctic. The Russian Arctic is advancing by leaps and bounds currently, with no signs of slowing down in the future. Consequently, the task of preserving the Arctic ecosystem becomes even more critical.

Last year, Vadim Fetisov conducted in-depth studies, supported by a grant from Mining University. He and Amir H. Mohammadi, his colleague from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, investigated the recovery of oil and petroleum products vapours to reduce CO2 emissions. Following the completion of their work, an article “Evaluation of Pollutant Emissions into the Atmosphere during the Loading of Hydrocarbons in Marine Oil Tankers in the Arctic Region” was published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, part of MDPI.

PhD student from Vietnam talks about his research career and studying at Mining University

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

Vietnam is one of Russia’s key partners in the Asia-Pacific region, with scientific, technological and educational cooperation between our countries going through intensive development.

Rossotrudnichestvo, an organisation responsible for promoting Russian education services abroad, allocates nearly 1,000 quotas to Vietnamese nationals annually, more than any other non-CIS country gets. Applicants who are granted quotas can commence free studies in a university of their choice. 

Le Thanh Binh works at the Institute of Energy & Mining Mechanical Engineering (IEMM). He recently arrived in St. Petersburg to present his PhD thesis. 

“After completing my master’s at Hanoi University of Science and Technology in 2006, I was offered to work at the materials science laboratory in IEMM. This is a research institute that is part of Vinacomin, Vietnam’s largest mining company; it specialises in manufacturing and repairing mining machinery and spare parts. Five years later, I was appointed the Deputy Director of the Testing Center. This is when I felt the need to upgrade my skills,” says the student.

“The quality of higher education in Vietnam has improved a lot lately. Still, it is incomparable to that of what developed countries offer – G7 and Russia notably.”

“The Assistant Director of the Institute suggested that I choose his alma mater – St. Petersburg Mining University. By the way, many of my colleagues graduated from it. Soon I learnt there was a cooperation programme between the two institutions. Mining University offered education in the field that I was interested in. I also found out about scholarship opportunities. So the decision was made. In 2013, I became a PhD student in the ‘Mining Machines’ programme,” he adds.

Only 3% of international students in Russia are receiving postgraduate education – 10,000 in total. The overall number of students from abroad amounts to 310,000. Le Thanh Binh thinks it is hardly surprising since students expect to start working right after they graduate, aiming for financial independence.

“If you engage yourself in scientific research, the duration of studies rises by three to four years. Few can afford it. PhD stipends in Russia are generally not that high, remaining below the level of an average salary. In that sense, Mining University is an exception,” he says.

“Of course, locals also have it easier than foreigners, who have to pay their living costs and cannot rely on family support. That is why international students usually don’t proceed to further education after getting their bachelors’ or masters’. That said, in Vietnam, we don’t even have that – PhD programmes are fee-based, with a fee per academic year ranging between $15-20 thousand,” stresses out the researcher.

Today’s Vietnam is particularly interested in training engineers. Therefore, the advancement of technical education has become a national priority. Tens of thousands of high-school graduates enrol in universities of applied sciences, and thousands leave the country to explore education opportunities abroad. 

“Our domestic economy greatly depends on the mining of coal, granite, limestone, and the extraction of oil and gas. Hence, the development of mechanical engineering, a supporting industry, positively affects the mineral resources sector on the whole,” explains Le Thanh Binh.

“In Russia, I was able to delve into research areas relevant to my country. I wrote my thesis on improving the durability of impact tools, focusing mainly on the hydraulic hammer. We actively use it in quarries and mines. Guided by my teachers from Mining University, I wrote scientific articles. I visited factories producing hydraulic breakers, tested various models whilst performing mining operations both in Russia and Vietnam,” he continues.

By 2018, the Vietnamese scientist had completed most of his studies, with only a thesis paper left unfinished. He returned to Hanoi to work at IEMM and proceeded to write his thesis. Soon he was promoted to Deputy Head of the R&D department, and now he is responsible for governing research on optimisation of mining machinery and manufacture of new products.

“Academic degree is what I need to advance my career further. By the end of this month, I should be a Candidate of Sciences (analogous to a Doctor of Philosophy). Then I’ll be able to apply for the position of head of R&D.

Vinacomin takes Russian education seriously. So far, 15 employees of our Institute pursued PhD studies at Mining University. Two more have been sent to study by me personally. In the future, I plan to facilitate the educational and scientific cooperation between the corporation I work for and the University. Hopefully, it will result in new opportunities for joint research, sharing experiences, and engineering and scientific training. I suppose it will be by no means less worthy contribution to international relations had I stayed in Russia,” sums up the soon-to-be graduate.

Experts to work on setting up site for testing energy technologies in Russia

Posted on by St. Petersburg Mining University

A site for testing energy technologies may be constructed in Sablino, Russia. It would be used to approve well-drilling equipment and equipment utilised in the development of hydrocarbon deposits. 

Russian energy corporations were among the most affected by the sanctions imposed by Western nations in 2014. Then, America and the EU banned supplying Russia with software for modelling hydraulic fracturing. It was also prohibited to provide all kinds of machinery for extraction activities on the Arctic shelf, various installations, units and machine parts for the oil & gas industry, even pump sets.

The process of import substitution shortly followed. In fact, it is still going on, but not as fast as subsoil users would expect. Moreover, Russian analogues are not always up to the standard. There have been many cases when equipment breaks down right after getting started.

“Unfortunately, the system of evaluation and approval of intelligent technologies used for prospecting, extracting and processing hydrocarbons is underdeveloped in Russia. To change the situation, we need to build test sites. Experts working there will assess the maintainability of batch-produced and prototype samples. They will also check if they are usable in permafrost areas and at ultra-low temperatures. Finally, they will issue certificates of product conformity to manufacturers. Testing done at such sites will help minimise the risks resulting from equipment failure during an expected lifetime,” says Mikhail Dvoinikov, Head of the Arctic Competence Centre at St. Petersburg Mining University.

The first test facility in Sablino may be opened before 2023. Therein scientists will work on technologies of oil & gas recovery enhancement and test industry-specific equipment. Three wells simulating the conditions of actual fields are planned to be drilled particularly for this purpose. Two of which – vertical and inclined – will be from 350 metres to 3 kilometres in length, depending on business needs.

Six well models with built-in cryogenic units will be designed as well. They will simulate climatic conditions of Antarctica to help improve technologies of permafrost drilling. The latter is needed to ensure that samples of water and body sediments from the unique Lake Vostok are pollutant-free. It is a subglacial lake located at a depth of over 3700 metres. The field in Sablino will also house laboratories for scientific research in hydrogen production, transportation and storage.

The location was not chosen accidentally: Mining University’s scientific and training centre has been operating there for years, with students of such programmes as ‘Oil and Gas Engineering’, ‘Geological Exploration Technology’, and several others coming to it to acquire practical skills. The centre’s infrastructure is impressive: drilling rigs, equipment for well operation, a station for in-process monitoring, lots of field-specific machinery, administrative premises and living accommodations.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation supports the idea of enlarging the centre and transforming it into a field site. They say the project will be operationally effective.

“More than 30 oil & gas, service and industrial companies took part in a survey. Based on its results, a list with 7 technological areas of import substitution was compiled – these must be tested at a facility imitating a natural field. By building it, we will facilitate the development of over 60 new types of domestically produced equipment. It will also stimulate the creation of a market with a potential capacity of over 100 billion rubles and ensure about 10 billion roubles of additional tax revenue to the country’s budget. The expected annual demand is tests of 30-35 pieces of equipment,” notes Vasily Osmakov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.

Under a preliminary plan, technical specifications should be elaborated by mid-year. Then the first phase of construction-and-assembling operations starts. It will include drilling test wells and is supposed to be completed by the end of 2022. Provided everything goes according to the plan, the first tests at the field will take place already in 2023.