A workforce from the Workplace of Djiboutian Geothermal Power Improvement (ODDEG) has at present, June nineteenth, 2024, commenced a two-week drilling simulator training at the Menengai Geothermal Project, with the opening ceremony held at Polo Centre, Nakuru. The training is geared at providing participants with hands-on experience in operating drilling equipment and learning different operational techniques used during the drilling process.
The training is being implemented under the auspices of the Interim Project Coordination Unit -Africa Geothermal Centre of Excellence (IPCU -AGCE) under UNEP with funding from the United States Energy Association (USEA). This cohort brings to four the number of trainings carried out by GDC for teams from ODDEG.
A long-standing partnership
The GDC Managing Director and CEO Mr. Paul Ngugi, in a speech read on his behalf by the Ag. Manager Geothermal Centre of Excellence, Dr. Robert Ogutu, appreciated the partnership between GDC, ODDEG, and the Djibouti Government. GDC and Djibouti have worked together since 2009 under short geothermal courses facilitated by GDC, KenGen, and GRO-GTP from Iceland. Mr. Ngugi expressed hope that the partnership will in the future go beyond capacity building to geothermal resource development.
In remarks read on her behalf by Ag. Manager Corporate Planning and Strategy, Eng. Joseph Kitilit, Ag. General Manager Strategy, Research and Innovation, Eng. Martha Mburu noted that having the team from ODDEG at GDC is a testament to the good relationship between the two entities. “We remain committed to delivering an experience that will support Djibouti’s geothermal drilling plans.”
Ag. Drilling Operations Manager, Eng. Stephen Kangogo under whose docket the drilling simulator falls, noted that the training will be an elaborate one with its scope including well control, drilling, emergency response among others. With the backdrop of the upcoming International Day of Women in Engineering that will be marked next week, he also applauded having ladies in the drilling simulator training signaling the fact that more ladies are undertaking STEM courses and pursuing careers in Engineering.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow trainees, ODDEG Drilling Engineer Ahmed-Nour Hassan Ahmed noted that the team is looking forward to an engaging training having learned a lot from the previous sessions held.
ODDEG’s choice of GDC as their training partner further illustrates the GDC’s thought leadership in the geothermal industry across the region with a vast range of expertise and facilities to tap from.
