Petroleum executive is new head of uni school

Monday, 30 July 2001

Peter Behrenbruch has been appointed Professor and Head of Adelaide University's new School of Petroleum Engineering & Management. Professor Behrenbruch takes up his appointment from August 1. Formerly Chief Reservoir Engineer with BHP Billiton, he has extensive experience in the international petroleum business and brings to the position expertise in the areas of petroleum engineering, technology, and the management of reservoirs in geological basins throughout the world.

Santos, an Australian energy company, has committed $25 million to assist the University establish this school. The school, which will open in March next year, aims to produce petroleum engineering graduates of world-class standing for the benefit of the entire Australian and South-East Asian petroleum industry.

Professor Behrenbruch has a keen interest in education and research. Born in West Germany, he moved to Canada at the age of 15. After completing his secondary education there, he studied at the University of British Columbia and Stanford University in the US.

His working life has been spent in Canada, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Australia. Before joining BHP in 1986, he worked with Hudson's Bay Oil and Gas, Scientific Software Corporation, Shell International Petroleum, and Woodside Offshore Petroleum. He has been a guest lecturer at universities in Australia, the Netherlands, Vietnam and the US, as well as major industry training organisations.

Adelaide University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mary O'Kane, welcomed Professor Behrenbruch's appointment. She said the University was pleased to have secured the services of someone of his calibre.

"To have attracted Peter Behrenbruch to the position of head of the school gives us an enormous amount of confidence," Professor O'Kane said.

"Our intention to offer programs with a strong management emphasis as well as traditional professional petroleum engineering courses has been well accepted both in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Professor Behrenbruch has demonstrated skills in all of these areas, and his experience will be invaluable as he takes on his new role."

Mr Keith Hunter, President of Petroleum Project Development and Operations with BHP Billiton, said: "We are pleased that Professor Behrenbruch has taken up his position at Adelaide, although we are obviously disappointed to lose such a prominent industry figure.

"We very much look forward to seeing the first crop of new petroleum engineering graduates from Adelaide, and to working with Professor Behrenbruch on a number of critical research topics."

The Managing Director of Santos, Mr John Ellice-Flint, also welcomed Professor Behrenbruch as the first head of the new school.

"I would like to congratulate Peter on his appointment. This school will benefit the entire oil and gas industry and we are very pleased to have attracted a person with such outstanding credentials to the school. Peter has an exciting challenge ahead of him and we look forward to working with him to ensure that the school is ready for the first intake of students in 2002."

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