A team from the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad has achieved a remarkable feat by securing the second position at the Imperial Barrel Award (IBA) 2026 Asia Pacific Regional Competition. This competition is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious contests for geoscience students across the globe.
Competition Highlights
The IBA 2026 Asia Pacific Regional Competition witnessed participation from leading academic institutions across the region. The first place was claimed by Indonesia’s Institut Teknologi Bandung, while the third position went to IIT Bombay. The IIT (ISM) Dhanbad team impressed the judges with their comprehensive study on deepwater hydrocarbon systems in the Gulf of America.
Project Details
The team’s project involved advanced interpretation of 3D seismic data, along with prospect generation, analog benchmarking, and volumetric risk assessment. This work highlighted their strong technical and analytical capabilities, earning praise from the evaluation panel.
Team Composition
The winning team comprised Pareekshit Hegde, Padmini Pujapanda, Karthik H S, Gokul K, and Sachin Dhakad, all from the departments of Applied Geophysics and Petroleum Engineering. They were guided by Saurabh Datta Gupta from the Department of Applied Geophysics.
About the Imperial Barrel Award
Organized by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Imperial Barrel Award is considered a premier global competition that tests students on real-world petroleum exploration challenges. It provides a platform for students to apply their knowledge and skills in solving complex geological problems, preparing them for careers in the energy industry.
