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EXXONMOBIL has given IQD1.2b ($1m) to the University of Basrah, Iraq, to fund the setting up of petroleum engineering laboratories.

The grant will enable Basrah’s College of Engineering to fully equip the laboratories, develop the curriculum and fund the faculty. A department of petroleum engineering was set up in the college in 2008 in a bid to meet the growing demand for qualified engineers in Iraq, particularly in the south where there are substantial oil and gas fields. Over the next 20 years, 46,000 students are expected to enrol in the department.

“With funding from ExxonMobil Iraq, the university will be able to improve significantly the petroleum engineering department’s educational capacity, while supporting the broader objectives of the college of engineering,” said Basrah’s Chancellor, Saleh Al-Qernawi.

James Adams, ExxonMobil Iraq vice president, added: “A highly skilled technical workforce is crucial to the country’s future success. In parallel, the ability of the university to further develop its faculty for a growing student body is the key to preparing the next generation of innovators.”