The Open Air™ Series takes training programmes to outdoor locations, combining classroom teaching with outdoor sessions on rock outcrops which serve as analogues for oil and gas reservoirs.
The Open Air™ Series is based on the idea that effective learning need not be classroom-based, and that courses with aspects of rock outcrop fieldwork should not be limited to geologists.
The Open Air courses are pitched at multi-disciplinary audiences as well as traditional geoscience groups, and most courses from the other Series can be offered in this format. Geoscience, petrophysics, reservoir engineering and well-based training have all been delivered this way, sometimes in combination.
Typical Open Air courses are based at locations with conference facilities which are close to the analogue rock outcrops. The schedules are a blend of classroom- and outdoor-based teaching, the balance of which depends on the location, content and weather.
Open Air courses have ranged from short three-day programmes to two-week courses covering a range of discipline areas, and can be themed according to client needs. Previous course themes include basin analysis, field development planning and reservoir modelling, all of which have been run for multi-discipline groups.
Existing locations
Most Open Air Series courses have been based in the UK to date, but can be staged at any location with appropriate analogue rock outcrops and local access to suitable conference facilities and international air transport connections.
Programmes to date have been run at the following locations:
The TRACS tutor pool also has existing oil industry-based field experience to be able to run similar programmes in Norway, Australia, Trinidad, the Spanish Pyrenees, Southern Germany, the Italian Dolomites, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Oman.
PhD
30+ years - geoscience
Mark develops and runs courses in the Open Air, Reservoir, E&P, Uncertainty & Risk and Energy Transition series for TRACS. He has a career background at Shell, AGR, TRACS and Langdale Geoscience. He has served as a distinguished lecturer for SPE and EAGE, acted as Training Director for TRACS and is an Associate Professor Heriot-Watt University. He is also co-author of the textbook ‘Reservoir Model Design’.
Energy transition and renewables
Early development
E&P overview
Reservoir
Wells
Business
Open air
Uncertainty and Risk
e-Products
