A team of petroleum engineering students from Suriname has earned international recognition by claiming an impressive third-place finish at the 2026 SPE Latin America and Caribbean Regional PetroBowl Championship, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The competition, which took place on May 15 as a flagship feature of the regional Latin America and Caribbean Student Symposium, brought together 21 top university teams from across the region to test their expertise in the oil and gas sector.
Organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the PetroBowl is a globally recognized academic quiz competition that centers on petroleum technology, emerging industry trends, and modern developments across the oil and gas space. This year’s event drew talented student competitors from eight regional nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela, and Suriname, all vying for the top podium spot in a fast-paced, intense series of knowledge challenges.
The Surinamese delegation, representing the SPE Student Chapter Suriname at Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS), was made up of team captain Rishano Hapdoel and members Altaaf Sultan, Latusca Reboe, and Ariantxa Djojodikromo. The team was coached and mentored by academic advisors Manisha Ori and Shaïza Simons, with participation made possible through financial and logistical support from SPE Suriname and multiple industry partners.
Against a stacked field of elite regional competitors, the young Surinamese team outperformed most expectations to secure a spot in the top three, finishing behind first-place winners Universidad de Buenos Aires and second-place holders Instituto Tecnológica de Buenos Aires. This result marks another major milestone for the AdeKUS student chapter, building on its historic 2024 regional championship win that first put Surinamese energy talent on the international map.
Beyond the podium finish, the result underscores Suriname’s rapidly growing standing in the regional oil and gas sector, as the nation continues to expand its domestic energy industry and develop a new generation of skilled petroleum professionals. For the students, the competition delivered far more than an award: it provided a valuable opportunity to test their academic knowledge in a global arena, gain hands-on international experience, and build professional connections with peers and industry leaders across the region. As a long-standing initiative of SPE, the PetroBowl remains dedicated to nurturing academic growth and preparing the next generation of experts to lead the evolving global energy sector.