A Georgia Tech team is a U.S. finalist in an international student competition run by BP.  The Ultimate Field Trip, aimed at science and engineering undergraduate and graduate students, challenges participants to solve a real-world energy issue.

The teams answer a challenge posed by BP to win a two-week field trip to the company's North Sea oil and gas exploration and production hubs in Norway and the Shetland Islands north of Scotland.

Team South led by Georgia Tech's Patrick Wallin, Clay Williams and Daniel Domanico will compete with teams from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California at Berkley, and University of Illinois, at the the U.S. finals competition in Houston on April 25.

The challenge for the teams in this year's competition is to develop a technical innovation to significantly reduce the cost of miles per gallon (MPG) per capita in your country by 2030.

Energy demand is growing. By 2030 the world will require 50 percent more energy than we use today. At the same time the cost of miles per gallon (MPG) will increase.

As the world’s population continues to grow and becomes wealthier, travel is likely to increase, thus increasing the cost of MPG. The innovation can focus on one mode of passenger transportation from road, rail, water or air, or a combination of each.

The winning U.S. team will join winning teams from the UK and Trinidad & Tobago in July to take part in a unique international two- week field trip at BP operational hubs for North Sea oil & gas exploration and production in Norway and the Shetland Islands north of Scotland. This allows the opportunity for students to work in diverse teams with the winners from each of the national competitions.