OREANDA-NEWS. BP announced the launch of the 2015 Ultimate Field Trip (UFT) competition, in which teams of undergraduate students solve a real-world global energy challenge. Teams from universities in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Angola are invited to take on the 2015 challenge.

This year's UFT challenge is focused on water, the global supply and availability of which is an increasing issue for businesses and the environment alike.

"This year's challenge is especially pertinent given the potential ramifications of a global water shortage," said Julia Harvie-Liddel, group head of resourcing at BP. "We hope that this will give students a real insight into our industry and show them that a career in oil and gas is a platform from which they can make a real difference."

Now in its sixth year, the UFT competition challenges university students from diverse backgrounds to put their skills to the test in a real-world challenge. The competition will not only give them a window into the issues facing the energy sector but also allow them to learn what a career in the oil and gas industry involves.

This year, the winning teams from the U.S., U.K., Canada and Angola will take part in a two-week field trip to visit BP's natural gas operations in Trinidad and Tobago. The trip will give them the opportunity to experience a snapshot of life in the oil and gas industry, and to learn from each other as well as from interns and graduates already working at BP.

Students from U.S. universities are asked to register a team of three at www.bp.com/uft/us and are required to complete a short technical quiz by Oct. 10.

A short list of teams will be selected and asked to send in their competition entry to address this year's challenge. The successful teams will progress to a campus final in November and December 2014. The U.S. National Final, where teams will go head-to-head, will take place on April 9-10, 2015, at BP's U.S. headquarters in Houston.