Khaliq Irsyaduddin Musa

Khaliq Irsyaduddin Musa is a current student undergoing a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Petroleum). We spoke to Musa about why he chose to study petroleum engineering at UNSW and how the petroleum industry can reduce the level of carbon in the atmosphere through CO2 sequestration. 

Why did you choose to study Petroleum Engineering? 

I chose Petroleum engineering because I was curious and was pursuing a career opportunity in my home country’s energy sector as oil and gas is our main source of revenue. 

What do you like about your degree and what are your favourite classes? 

Learning the operations and technology used in one of the biggest industries in the world was eye-opening and I had a newfound respect for the engineers and workers working in this industry. My favourite class had to be numerical reservoir simulation taught by Dr. Furqan. Using simulations to produce different models which can be used to design a project feels satisfying and rewarding. Furthermore, in this class, the ins and outs of how the simulation was done was covered which I absolutely enjoyed.  

Do you hold a Scholarship and what has it meant for you to be awarded this Scholarship? 

As a Bruneian Ministry of Education Scholarship holder, I have always felt pressure to perform well. However, these expectations force me to push myself forward to improve myself and learn from my mistakes. 

What are your favourite things to do in or around UNSW and how can students make the most out of the UNSW experience?  

Being a part of the SPE UNSW Student Chapter Committee was also quite an experience. I get to communicate with my other colleagues to plan events and divide up the work between us. Some of the events were helpful in tackling some of the modules I faced during my final term. 

What do you think is the relevance of your degree and why is it important that it exists? 

This degree is still highly pertinent, as even with continuous effort pushing for net zero carbon emission, petroleum products are still heavily relied upon to create a vast array of daily necessities. Furthermore, it is also needed to prepare an infrastructure which allows the transition of petroleum to renewable energies. Therefore, at least before this infrastructure is completed, renewable energies are just not as accessible as petroleum for undeveloped countries.  

What do you want to do after completing your degree? How do you think your studies at UNSW will help in your career aspirations? 

With this degree, I am hoping that I can put my knowledge to use and to be able to work with a team of experts in the industry to plan different types of development projects ranging from conventional fields to deep water. The lecturers in UNSW have prepared me well for this as they have taught us critical skills such as using Petrel and what is to be expected when working in the industry 

Can you share something about the resources & energy industry that might interest someone considering studies and a career in this industry? 

This industry does not only produce oil and gas, but it can reduce the level of CO2 in the atmosphere as well. In some places, a process called CO2 sequestration was done, which is basically injecting CO2 in the atmosphere into a reservoir underground trapping the CO2. As global warming is increasing at an alarming rate, this practice could become common knowledge among reservoir engineers.  

What advice would you give to a new/future student on how to excel at your degree? 

Dabble in programming as early as possible. Coding can help ease some tasks given to you, especially the menial tasks such as cleaning up a dataset to prepare for analysis.