OREANDA-NEWS. August 1, 2011. National Company KazMunayGas and KazEnergy Association announced the completion of the second stage of the educational project "Safi Utebayev Scholarships and Grants" for 2010-2011 academic year.

As you know, S. Utebayev is one of the originator’s of oil and gas industry in Kazakhstan. Devoting all his life to the development of the oil and gas industry, he attached paramount importance to training of highly-knowledgeable specialists.

In 2010-2011 academic year 17 teachers from seven vocational schools and 67 students from five field oriented higher education institutions took part in grant and scholarship award competition.

According to voting results of the working group, comprising of KAZENERGY Association, KazMunaiGas Exploration and Production JSC, Intergas Central Asia JSC, KazRosGas LLP, Tengizchevroil LLP, Agip Karachaganak B.V. and other oil companies’ representatives, 20 winners have been identified. Among them were five teachers of field-oriented educational institutions: Gulmira Usmanova (Geological College (Semey)) Kozhantay Orynbaev (Professional College of Beyneu), Alima Kituyeva (Aktobe Polytechnic College), Gregoriy Choi (College of Kazakhstan Modern Academy "Bolashak") and Gulmarzhan Maylibaeva (College of Oil and Gas of Zhanaozen named after O. Turmagambetuliy).

The winners among students of field oriented higher education institutions became: Eric Atashev (KBTU), Indira Shugaypova (Atyrau Institute of Oil and Gas), Zhadyra Kubeseitova (Caspian State University of Technology and Engineering named after Sh. Esenov) Kanat Ungarbaev (Atyrau Institute of Oil and Gas), Asel Zhakenova (KBTU), Asel Moldasheva (KBTU), Aigerim Bukharbaeva (KBTU), Olzhas Asanbaev (KBTU), Elmira Kazhgaliyeva (Almaty Institute of Energy and Communication), Adil Tulebay (Almaty Institute of Energy and Communication), Aslan Kokbaev (KBTU), Felix Yodkovskiy (Kazakh National Technical University named after Satpayev) Ertay Abubakirov (Kazakh National Technical University named after Satpayev), Marat Ibagarov (KBTU) and Shyngys Boribek (Kazakh National Technical University named after Satpayev).

"Being a holder of the educational program named after Safi Utebayev is an honor. Safi Utebayev is one of the founders of oil industry in Kazakhstan, the discoverer of many oil fields in the country. Besides that, this project provides an additional incentive to study. I met students of oil and gas faculties of other universities and found new friends,” said Kanat Ungarbaev, the student of Oil and Gas Engineering Faculty of Atyrau Institute of Oil and Gas.

"This is the first time I participate in the contest and I am very pleased that I was chosen among so many applicants. This indicates the recognition of my teaching activities. I have a lot of methodological developments in the field of oil and gas processing technology, and last year I published a study guide on "Technical analysis and control of petroleum products". Also, it is very important that our supporter is the National Company KazMunayGas,” said Alima Kitueva, the teacher of Aktobe Polytechnic College.

We would like to note that in assessing the activities of teachers such indicators were take into account as availability of scientific papers, participation in development of textbooks, guidelines and methodological textbooks (personally or as a co-author), use in the academic activities of innovative teaching technology, and supervision of research and creative activities of students. The principal criteria for selecting students of HEI’s were the GPA level of not lower that 3.5, membership in professional associations, and participation in republic-wide and international scientific events, as well as availability of publications.

More detailed information on the competition and its winners can be found on the web-sites of KMG NC (www.kmg.kz) and KazEnergy Association (www.kazenergy.com).

Safi Utebayev was born in the township of Karabau of Atyrau oblast in 1909. He started out on a career in Dossor as a fitter’s assistant in 1925. In 1935 he graduated from the M. Azizbekov Azerbaijan Petroleum Institute, becoming the first petroleum engineer among the Kazakhs. For over 40 years he worked in the RoK petroleum industry, holding positions ranging from a basic engineer to the head of the "Kazakhstanneft" association, and chairman of the Atyrau and West-Kazakhstan Councils of National Economy. Spearheaded by Utebayev, a decision on establishment In Atyrau of the first republic’s refinery was made in 1938.

S. Utebayev paid a lot of attention to the young generation, facilitated enrollment of the youth in institutes, assisted in technically equipping petroleum technical schools. Opening of the petroleum faculty of the Kazakh Polytechnic is connected with his name, over many years he closely cooperated with the students and teachers of this institute. Moreover, he won passage of the Government’s resolution, owing to which 100 leavers of Kazakhstan’ secondary schools were annually enrolled in the leading petroleum HEI’s of the Soviet Union on a non-competitive basis for over 20 years.