Olena Martus, a PhD student of Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology Department of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, won the second place in the PhD Category at the Europe Student Paper Contest 2025, organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers International (SPE) in Vienna, Austria.
The contest brought together the best young scientists from the world’s leading universities. Olena presented the results of her dissertation work on the topic:
“Unlocking Maximum Oil Recovery: Integrating Fractional Flow Analysis with Lithological Heterogeneity and Gravitational Effects”.
“I could never have imagined that my scientific work would be on a par with the research of the world’s leading universities. It is inspiring and obliging at the same time,” the PhD student shares her impressions.
Especially symbolic was the fact that Olena’s supervisor, Professor Branimir Cvetkovic (Croatia), personally came to Vienna to support his student. His help, professional advice, and support played an important role in preparing for the presentation and answering the jury’s difficult questions.
Olena expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the organizers of the event – Olivier Houze (SPE 2025 President), Simon Seaton (SPE CEO), Edna Michelle Bisso Bi Mba (SPE Germany Section Chair), as well as Sirine Trichili and Ola Davies, who accompanied the participants throughout the program.
Olena also sincerely thanks SPE Central Ukraine Section, especially Yurii Moroz and Viacheslav Filatov, and SPE Poltava Section for their trust in representing Ukraine at the international level.
An equally important part of the scientific program was an excursion to the construction site of the first deep geothermal field in Vienna, organized by Sirine Trichili especially for the conference participants.
Key facts about the geothermal project:
- The geothermal field is being developed as Austria’s response to the need to reduce its dependence on Russian gas imports as part of its strategy to switch to local and sustainable energy sources.
- The project is being implemented as part of a joint venture between OMV and Wien Energie under the brand name “deeep”.
- Water from the Aderklaa Conglomerate reservoir, located at a depth of about 3,000 meters, is about 108°C.
- The rock is highly permeable, allowing for efficient extraction of hot water for heating.
- In the future, this system will provide environmentally friendly heat to around 20,000 households in Vienna.
- It is the largest deep geothermal energy project in Austria and will become part of the capital’s district heating network.
Olena Martus emphasizes that participation in the tour was extremely valuable, as she was able to see the application of oil and gas technologies in the field of sustainable development and the latest energy solutions.
“This is a great example of how knowledge from the oil and gas industry can be used to create sustainable energy – not only in the future, but today,” she says.
The PhD Student expresses her sincere gratitude to National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, where she got her first public speaking skills, laid the foundations of scientific thinking and believed for the first time that her research could be important for the world.
“I am proud to carry on the scientific tradition of our university and I am grateful to all the teachers who inspired and supported me along the way,” she says.
Olena also shared her impressions of Vienna, because despite the intense academic program, she had one evening to explore the city. She walked through the ancient streets of Vienna and visited one of the most famous museums in Europe, the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, where she had the opportunity to see paintings by Paul Rubens and other Baroque masters.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
