Prof. Ove Tobias Gudmestad Held a Workshop at GSEM UrFU

16:13, November 18, 2019

On November 15, a workshop «Consequences of Changes in the Arctic Climate» was held at our School, chaired by a prominent expert in offshore oil and gas fields development

The seminar took place in the framework of the XIV International Conference «Russian Regions in the Focus of Changes» and gathered more than 120 young researchers and teaching faculty from GSEM, engineering departments of UrFU and partner universities.

Ove Tobias Gudmestad is Professor Emeritus at the University of Stavanger and Visiting Professor of the Cold Climate Technology course at the Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø). He is also Doctor Honoris Causa of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas and Murmansk State Technical University.

Ove Tobias Gudmestad's research interests include the development of oil and gas fields, marine technology and operations, cold climate engineering and offshore wind energy engineering. Professor Ove Tobias received his degrees from the University of Bergen and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was the University of Stavanger Vice-Rector, for many years worked with Statoil company, where he was engaged in the development and exploration of deposits. Professor Gudmestad teaches at many Norwegian and American universities, reads lecture courses for Russian students at Gubkin University, the Murmansk State Technical University and Saint Petersburg Mining University. His books are published in Russian as well.

The workshop coordinator, Head of the Academic Department of Environmental Economics Elena Magaril: 

«Our long-term cooperation and friendship with Prof. Gudmestad started at the international conference Energy Quest -2014 organised by REC INZHEK jointly with Wessex Institute of Technology at Ural Federal University. Professor Ove Tobias was one of the keynote speakers of the conference and a workshop for young researchers. Afterwards we met at many reputable conferences. Besides, both of us are Editors in Chief of the International Journal of Energy Production and Management (joint project of UrFU and our British partners)».

Some of the participants have already attended the February workshop of Prof. Gudmestad when the topic concerned current challenges in oil and gas industry and development management fr oil and gas projects. The workshop «Consequences of Changes in the Arctic Climate» was dedicated to discussing ecological and economic challenges connected with permafrost thaw. Encyclopaedic knowledge and professional experience of our visiting expert Prof. Gudmestad in this particular field gave the participants a unique opportunity to immerse in this relevant issue. 

More than 50 % of the Russian territory lies in the cryoshpere. Permafrost thawing in the Arctic has negative consequences for infrastructure, fresh water supply, food security. It creates threats for oil extracting and gas pipelines. There are also grave ecological consequences of the changes in the Arctic climate that put public health in danger and strangle life of many animal and plant species. Training students that are capable of solving complex interdisciplinary tasks arising from climate change effects, as well as conduct research with the view of remedying these effects is of the utmost importance for universities.

The workshop on changes of the Arctic climate undoubtedly inspired the participants to new ideas that can be used in further research and drive their professional development trajectories.