Over the weekend from 5-7 September 36 teams from companies within or associated with the energy industry of Kazakhstan participated in the two-day-long BG Energy Challenge 2008 – Kazakhstan event and raised over $108,000 for the charity. The funds were transferred to the National Paralympic Committee of the RoK, a non-profit organization dedicated to enabling Kazakhstan Paralympic Athletes to achieve sporting excellence.
The annual event, hosted by natural gas business BG Kazakhstan, attracted around 200 team members from different companies, including Amec, Air Astana, Agip, BI-Group, BG Kazakhstan, Deloitte, InterGas Central Asia, ConocoPhillips, PetroKazakhstan, KazTransGas, Worley Parsons, Pricewaterhousecoppers, KEGOC, Shell, KazMunaiGas, Karachaganak Petroleum Operating, Grata Law firm, Schlumberger, ExxonMobil, Lukoil, MaxPetroleum and joint media representatives, who took part in the series of tough physical, mental and strategic challenges.
The teams faced a range of tasks including nighttime orienteering on the water, called Glow Stick Odyssey, rope bridges, mountain biking up tough hills and orienteering on foot to various checkpoints using GPS unit. The objective of the Challenge was to find, neutralise and dispose of a barrel of chemical waste that is threatening a local water source. The location of the chemical waste (in GPS coordinates) was concealed in a tube. This tube had to be pumped full of water using a water pump that the teams needed to design and construct. This revealed the coordinates. The equipment needed to build the water pump was obtained during the first four stages of the Challenge. During stage 5 the pump was built, the barrel of chemical waste found and neutralised.
The BG Energy Challenge is an exciting mix of challenges drawing on peoples’ leadership, communication and team building skills. From the start teams have to plan their strategies and make the right team decisions in order to be successful. Awards were given in the following eight categories: Overall winner – Karachaganak 1, Best female team – Worley Parsons Economics, Best male team – BG Kazakh Stallions, Best team spirit – COPS Conocophillips, Best mixed team – BG ZAVAL, +200 – Amec LLP Snow Leopards, under 30th Worley Parsons One Way, and the Best team fundraiser - KPO.
The BG Energy Challenge 2008 - Kazakhstan was organised in collaboration with Red Rock International, which provides leadership and team training courses and events around the world. OV Kokshetayminvody, Air Astana, Pension Fund “Respublika”, RESMI, Beeline, BJ services, as well as media information sponsors, Europa Plus Kazakhstan, Expert Kazakhstan, Vechernya Astana, InforTces, Ogonek, KazInform supported the event and the charity.
The BG Energy Challenge series has been running worldwide for the past twelve years. As well as in Kazakhstan, events are held annually in Brazil, Egypt, India, Trinidad & Tobago, Oman, the UK and the US. For full results, images and more information about the BG Energy Challenge Series please visit www.bg-energychallenge.com.