The University of Houston’s Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) student team has earned a coveted spot in the 2025 International PetroBowl Championship following a standout performance at the North American Regional PetroBowl Qualifier, held during the 2025 SPE North America Student Symposium.
The competition took place in February at the University of Southern California and brought together 22 teams from the United States, Canada and Mexico. The UH team advanced through four highly competitive rounds and took first place in the second bracket tournament, qualifying to compete on the global stage at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in Houston this October.
Team members Abdulrahman Abdulwarith, Christina Castillo, Ahmed Kareb, Son Nguyen and Talha Khan represented UH with determination, technical expertise, and strong collaboration throughout the event.
“This was such a rewarding experience,” Castillo said. “We spent weeks preparing, and it was incredible to see our teamwork and effort pay off. I’m thrilled to continue this journey at the international level.”
Khan emphasized the importance of strategy and perseverance.
“The questions were challenging, but staying calm under pressure and trusting each other’s strengths helped us push through,” she said. “I’m really proud of what we accomplished together.”
Nguyen reflected on the team dynamic, adding, “We all brought different skills and perspectives, which made us stronger as a unit. The support from our peers and faculty played a big role in our success.”
Kareb said, “Participating in the SPE PetroBowl competition has been an enriching experience. As the team leader, my main tasks involved selecting the team members and compiling relevant questions for our training sessions. These sessions fostered strong teamwork, mutual support, and open communication, helping us build confidence and effective collaboration. Qualifying for the regional stage was rewarding and reflected the dedication and collective effort of our entire team”.
Abdulwarith added, “This achievement is a reflection of the team’s dedication and the exceptional guidance we've received from our faculty and peers. We’re honored to represent UH and show the strength of our petroleum engineering program.”
The PetroBowl is a buzzer-based quiz competition that challenges students with technical and nontechnical questions relevant to the petroleum industry. It offers a high-stakes platform for showcasing academic excellence and teamwork.
The UH team will compete next at the global PetroBowl Championship, hosted at ATCE 2025 in Houston, facing top teams from around the world.
The UH SPE team credits its success to rigorous preparation, a strong academic foundation, and support from the UH Department of Petroleum Engineering, the Cullen College of Engineering, and the SPE Student Chapter Faculty Advisor and Distinguished Professor Ganesh Thakur.
With the championship now on the horizon, the Cougars are focused, motivated, and ready to represent.
Press release courtesy UH SPE.