GRADUATE students on the University of Oklahoma’s new MBA Energy programme may aspire to designer suits and trading energy-futures contracts, but first they have to get their hands dirty – on the drill floor – while on the course. It is an initiative that UK universities such as Aberdeen, Robert Gordon, Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt will find hard to emulate because of the nature of the North Sea industry. But perhaps it is something to consider, bearing in mind the Weatherford test, training and accreditation facility in Aberdeen.

Fast-track programmes for smart graduates are fairly commonplace in the upstream side of the oil&gas industry, both within the supply chain and among the operators. Indeed, such programmes are a necessity as, despite its image, this sector acts like a magnet to high-calibre engineers, geologists and other relevant disciplines.

IT IS some time since Energy flagged up a degree programme overseas. However, a new Batchelor’s programme at the University of Houston caught our eye. It starts in the autumn and is said to complement UH’s other energy-related degree courses.