Energy Drives Canada, Energy BOT Squad

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Mar 14, 2013; Category: Energy Education, Energy sources; Tags: energy education, SPE, STEM; Comments: Comments Off

Canada is home to many oil and gas resources and an abundance of energy education enthusiasts. Energy4me held teacher workshops in Canada in 2012 and have plans to hold similar type events in 2013! 

We came across a pretty cool resource we wanted to share with you: The Energy BOT Squad! Powered by the Centre for Energy, The Energy BOT Squad is 10 BOTS, one for every major energy source in the country. With these members of Canada’s Energy BOT Squad, you can discover how they power your home, your car, your city and your life! 

PICK A BOT and learn details about solar, oil, gas, coal, geothermal and more!

 

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EnergySavers- Tips on Saving Money and Energy at Home

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Jul 26, 2012; Category: Energy Education, Energy sources; Tags: Energy Conservation, energy education, STEM; Comments: Comments Off

Saving money, do-it-yourself tips, and energy information are things always on people’s minds. The U.S. Department of Energy has compiled a user-friendly guide to being energy efficient and in turn, allowing you to reap the monetary and lifestyle benefits in the process.

Right in your own home, you have the power to save money and energy – good for your wallet and for the environment. This guide shows you how easy it is to cut your energy use at home and also on the road. The easy, practical solutions for saving energy include tips you can use today—from the roof and landscaping to appliances and lights.

Whether it’s home energy and money savings tips on things such as insulation, weatherization, heating, cooling, water heating, energy efficient windows, landscaping, lighting, and energy efficient appliances, they’re all here assembled for your use.

Take a look, put it in action, get the family involved, take these tips to the classroom, and let us know which tips worked the best for you!

Download EnergySavers – Tips on Saving Money and Energy at Home: http://www.energysavers.gov/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf and find even more information about saving money and energy at home by visiting www.energysavers.gov.

Join the conversation and discuss with us on Facebook — www.Facebook.com/Energy4me. You can also connect with us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Energy4me.

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University Make Discovery!

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: May 24, 2012; Category: Energy, Energy Education, Energy sources; Tags: energy education, Environment, students; Comments: Comments Off

By Marva Morrow, Educational Consultant

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University were looking for ways to store hydrogen for use in hydrogen-powered cars when they discovered a new class of materials that efficiently trap and remove carbon dioxide from a mixture of gases. Their work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

An article recently published in Energy Wire states this new way to capture carbon dioxide in a technology holds promise both for carbon dioxide capture and storage and for the natural gas processing industry. “From the well to the pipe to the end-user, you need to significantly remove CO2 and other sulfur-containing materials,” said Hani El-Kaderi, who invented the material with his colleague Mohammad Rabbani. This is done in gas purification plants, so when the gas reaches consumers, it contains about 2 percent CO2.

The new material can remove even that 2 percent CO2 impurity, which would result in a purer gas that burns hotter than the unprocessed fuel. And the 2 percent of volume occupied by CO2 would also be saved, which could make a big difference in the fuel tank when compressed natural gas (CNG) is used to power vehicles.

The new nano-engineered material is called BILP (benzimidazole-linked polymers). A 1-gram chunk, about the weight of a size to the cap of a pen, contains within it the surface area of 11 tennis courts. The material is covered in pores, so that when natural gas is passed over the material, the CO2 impurity gets trapped in the cavities. It is more efficient than MEA at trapping CO2, according to research by the scientists published in the journal Chemical Communications.

The greatest advantage would be to the natural gas purification industry. Lowering the pressure in the chamber allows CO2 to escape the cavities, and the material can then be reused. The material can be synthesized cost-effectively on a mass scale, since industry already makes similar chemicals for other applications, said El-Kaderi.

In the Barnett Shale in Texas, where hydraulic fracturing was first employed with great success, the region has gone from zero processing capacity in 1999 to being able to process more than 4 billion cubic feet of gas per day. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that shale gas production will increase from 5 trillion cubic feet in 2010 to as much as 13.6 trillion cubic feet in 2035.

What are your thoughts on this subject?  

Join the conversation and discuss  with us on Facebook— www.Facebook.com/Energy4me. You can also connect with us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Energy4me.

SPE’s Ghana Section is committed to energy education!

Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Dec 22, 2011; Category: Classroom materials, Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Education, Energy sources, Engineering Careers, Environment, SPE members; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Energy, Energy4me, natural gas, oil, Petroleum, School, SPE, Student, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Ghana section, is growing and gaining momentum! With a growing membership and an enthusiastic board, they have made the commitment to make a difference in the oil and gas industry while doing something good for their community. The Ghana section will be supporting 10 schools in Accra and 10 schools in Takoradi with energy education materials including energy4me books and kits as well as classroom presentations.

SPE encourages all its members and sections to educate the public about energy and put a face on the industry. Energy is a critical issue worldwide, and SPE believes face-to-face contact is the ideal way to spread the word about energy conservation, the future of the oil and gas industry, and its impact on the planet.

The energy4me books and kits donated to the Ghana section were sponsored by energy4me, SPE’s energy education outreach program, and Colin Black, SPE EIC member and Director, Optima Solutions UK Ltd.

SPE and energy4me would like to thank the Ghana section in their energy outreach initiatives. Together, we can make a difference by sharing the facts about energy with the public and putting a face on the industry.

Keep up the good work!

Learn more about energy and energy careers.

The picture to the right shows the SPE Ghana board members and British High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Jones.

SPE Dallas Section Hosts Science Teacher Barnett Shale Field Trip!

Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Nov 19, 2011; Category: Classroom materials, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Engineering Careers, Environment, Geology, Science, SPE members, Technology, Volunteering; Tags: Careers, Education, Energy, Energy4me, Engineering, Engineering Careers, Geology, natural gas, science, SPE, Teacher, Technology, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Dallas section took local science teachers on a Barnett Shale field trip Thursday, November 18, 2011.

The tour started off at the Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute (EMGI) where Dallas section members Toni Lott, Brad Robinson, Deborah Hempel-Medina, Brian Chacka, and Patrick Crawford made a presentation covering the history of Oil and Natural Gas, Geology and the History of Barnett Shale, Drilling a well, and Hydraulic Fracturing. Teachers were engaged in the presentations and asked the presenters a lot of questions to get a better understanding of the industry and how they could relay the information to their students in the classroom.

After the overview, everyone was styling in their safety gear as they prepared to go out into the field. Each participant wore steeled toed boots, fire retardant overalls, safety glasses, ear plugs, and hard hats. The teachers were able to visit three sites where they learned firsthand about safety, advance technologies, and rules and regulations all involved in operating each site. The sites teachers visited are listed as follows.

• Williams Company Drilling Site
• Devon Energy Hydraulic Fracturing Site
• Chesapeake Learning Center

After a full day of touring, teachers headed back to the Dallas Convention Center full of knowledge about the industry, their hard hat as a souvenir, and information to take back to their classrooms that included an “Oil and Natural Gas” book.

This workshop was made possible by the Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute, Society of Petroleum Engineers-Dallas Section, Halliburton Energy Services, Williams Company, Devon Energy Company, Baker-Hughes Oilfield Services and Chesapeake Energy.

Energy4me and the Society of Petroleum Engineers want to thank everyone involved.

Learn more about careers in the industry.