SPE Pittsburgh Petroleum Section Participating in Engineers Week at Carnegie Science Center

Author: Guest Author; Published: Feb 10, 2011; Category: Education outreach, Energy, Energy Education, Engineering Careers, Environment, Geology, Math, Renewable energy, Science, SPE members, Technology, Uncategorized, Volunteering; Tags: Careers, Children, Education, Energy, Energy Conservation, Engineering, Engineering Careers, eWeek, Geology, Geothermal, Math, natural gas, oil, Petroleum, School, SPE, Student, Technology, Volunteer; Comments: Be the first

Guest Author – By Donna Marcotte, SPE Pittsburgh Petroleum Section, Board Member

Student and professional members from the Pittsburgh Petroleum Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) will present demonstrations, exhibits, and hands-on activities at the Carnegie Science Center Engineers Week event on February 18 and 19.

SPE Pittsburgh has been participating in this event for more than 10 years and is a contributing sponsor this year.

The SPE booth will feature petroleum engineering students from Pennsylvania State University (PSU), the SPE student chapter affiliate of the Pittsburgh professional section. The PSU SPE members will engage Pittsburgh area students in various activities and exhibits, developed by the students and contributed by various SPE Pittsburgh members and companies.

Booth activities will include various materials, samples, experiments and games—with lots of prizes and give-ways. Professional SPE members from the greater Pittsburgh area will also be on hand to help students with the materials and answer questions.

Companies contributing to the success of this event include: Baker Hughes, Burnett Oil, Centric Performance, EKT Interactive, EQT, EXCO Resources, Range Resources, Schlumberger, and Superior Well Services.

This year’s co-chairs for the SPE Pittsburgh booth are area residents and SPE members, Melissa Ramirez, a petroleum engineer at EXCO Resources, Inc. and Bill Thomas, a consultant with Centric Performance, LLC and member of the Marcellus Resource Group.

“This industry offers so much opportunity for anyone interested in any kind of engineering or earth science, such as geology,” explains Ramirez, also a PSU graduate. “It’s a chance to contribute daily to solving the world’s energy problems.”

“We want to get the word out to area students, so they can get the right education and take advantage of these exciting career opportunities, which are now right in their own backyards,” states Thomas.

Petroleum Industry Full Circle in Pennsylvania

Many credit Titusville, Pa., just north of Pittsburgh, as the birthplace of the modern oil and gas industry, when in 1859 Edwin Drake drilled the first commercial oil well. Oil production in Pennsylvania peaked in the early 20th century, and oil and gas production has continued over the years without a lot of fanfare. Since 2005, however, the industry has seen resurgence in the area with exploration and development of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale, a vast geological formation that spans six states, including a large portion of Pennsylvania.

New technologies—developed and deployed by engineers from many different disciplines—have made extracting natural gas from shale technologically and economically feasible. Many experts believe that the Marcellus Shale will provide a huge natural gas source for Northeast U.S. markets and a vital boost to the local economy in increased tax revenue, business activity, and good-paying jobs.

About Engineers Week

The Engineers Week event at the Carnegie Science Center celebrates engineering achievements and provides an opportunity to reach out to students K-12th grade and introduce them to exciting careers in engineering.

For more information about the Carnegie Science Center Engineers Week event, visit their website at http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/default.aspx?pageId=363.

For more information about Engineers Week, visit the National Engineers Week Foundation website at www.eweek.org.

About SPE

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is a not-for-profit professional association whose members are engaged in energy resources development and production. SPE serves 88,000-plus members in 118 countries worldwide. SPE is a key resource for technical knowledge related to the oil and gas exploration and production industry and provides services through its publications, conferences, workshops, forums, and website. Learn more about SPE and its energy education program Energy4me.

With more than 700 professional and student members throughout Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Petroleum Section is one of the many affiliated sections and chapters of SPE International, which is headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

One of the primary roles of SPE and the local section is to raise and award scholarships for college students. This year, SPE Pittsburgh will award $15,000 in scholarships to area students. For more information about SPE Pittsburgh, visit http://spepgh.weebly.com/.

Why would students want to become an engineer?

Author: Guest Author; Published: Nov 19, 2010; Category: Energy, Energy Education, Engineering Careers, Environment, Geology, Math, Renewable energy, Science, Technology, Uncategorized; Tags: Careers, Earth science, Education, Energy, energy challenges, Energy Conservation, Engineering, Geology, Geothermal, Math, Petroleum, School, science, Student, Technology; Comments: Be the first

Guest Author – Marva Morrow, Energy Education Consultant

As students are moving from the classroom to the real world, the biggest question is, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”  Becoming an engineer might be the right career for you if you want to have a career that’s exciting, flexible, and where you can really make a difference!

Did you know that engineering is one of the few fields where you can earn a good salary after only four years of college? In the US, engineers’ starting salary can range from USD 52,048 – USD 83,121 a year depending on which type of engineering field you pursue, according to the National Association of College and Employers (NACE) Engineering salaries have been higher than average salaries for the last 40 years and according to the US Department of Labor, engineers starting salaries are among the highest of all college graduates.

Top-Paid Majors for 2009-10 Bachelor’s Degree Graduates (Source: NACE)

Major	Average Salary Offer
Petroleum Engineer	USD 77,278
Chemical Engineer	USD 64,889
Mining and Mineral Engineer	USD 63,207
Computer Science	USD 60,473
Computer Engineering	USD 60,396

Engineers are well-paid globally, though salaries will vary depending on the country. For example, typical starting salaries for petroleum engineers in the UK range from £29,000 – £36,500, according to salary data collected August 2009 (USD 36,000-USD 49,000). The Society of Petroleum Engineers has just published its 2010 salary survey that shows salaries based on years of experience in different parts of the world.

Besides earning a great salary, engineers can choose to work in the field or in the office. In certain industries, some engineers travel around the world working from one site to another. Since science and technology are constantly advancing, there will always be new problems to solve making a career as an engineer always exciting! Engineers are constantly challenged to “think outside of the box” and to explore new possibilities, making our lives better.

Science and technology are the gateway to tomorrow and someone will be engineering it. WHY NOT YOU!

Learn more about engineering careers.

A Career in Geology Rocks!

Author: Darci Ramirez; Published: Oct 20, 2010; Category: Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Environment, Geology, Renewable energy, Science; Tags: Careers, Earth, Earth science, Education, Energy, energy challenges, Energy Conservation, Environment, Geology, Renewable, School, science, Student, sustainability, Teacher; Comments: Be the first

The numbers of jobs in the geosciences are predicted to grow by 22% in the next 10 years!

Geoscientists work to solve some of our planet’s greatest challenges. Climate change. The environment. Energy. Water resources. Population growth. Our changing global environment is putting geoscientists in great demand.

Many students have never considered a career in geology. They may think that geology is only about rocks but geoscientists study the Earth, its minerals, rocks, fossils, atmosphere and more! There are many disciplines within geology. Geology, geophysics, hydrology, oceanography, marine science, atmospheric science, planetary science, meteorology, environmental science, and soil science are all considered to be the main geosciences disciplines by the National Science Foundation.

Geoscientists perform many different roles. Explorers, writers, environmental consultants, and teachers are just some of the many roles they play. When working they are never board and stuck in a cubicle. The often divide their time between the laboratory, the field and the office. Geoscientists work in many different places to learn about the Earth’s environment and resources.

They have many questions about the Earth, the solar system, the environment, life on Earth and other planets! They also observe the environment and how current situations affect one another. By increasing their knowledge and understanding of the geosciences and how they relate to one another, geoscientists improve the quality of our lives.

Students who think they might want to pursue a career in geology should focus their studies on biology, science, chemistry, physics, math, and computer science. Communication and writing skills are also important, because geologists must be able to write reports and effectively communicate their scientific findings. Most university students pursue a masters or doctoral degrees while gaining experience in the field.

Students who like sciences should consider geology as a career – they might find out it really rocks! Learn more about geology careers.

Energy4me is joining in the celebration of Earth Science Week!

Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Oct 15, 2010; Category: Education outreach, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Environment, Geology, Renewable energy, Science, Technology; Tags: Children, Earth, Earth science, Earth Science Week, Education, Energy, energy challenges, Energy Conservation, Environment, eWeek, Geology, Geothermal, Renewable, School, science, Student, Technology; Comments: Be the first

The theme of Earth Science week this year is “Exploring Energy” and is happening October 10-16. This event focuses on learning about energy sources and the impact they have on our lives.

Energy4me, an energy education program sponsored by the Society of Petroleum Engineers is joining in the fun! Energy4me provided an exciting learning activity called “Products from Petroleum” for the month of December in AIG’s “Energizing Education” calendar.

Energ4me’s activity “Products from Petroleum” is a great interactive lesson on products we use every day made from petroleum. The lesson demonstrates what some products are made from and the processes it goes through to create different products. After the demonstration, each student creates a list of their 10 most important products made from petroleum separating them by necessities and luxuries.

The lists are discussed with the rest of the class and the reasoning behind each choice. The lesson is followed up by discussion on what the 10 most important products should be and how life would change without those products made from petroleum. 

Energy4me provides many more interactive and fun classroom activities for all grade levels. The Energy4me kit and lesson plans are also free to download. The Energy4me kit includes hands-on experiments, ready-to-go classroom presentations, teaching aids, and speaker resources. All of these exciting classroom resources correspond with our “Oil and Natural Gas” book.

Energy4me’s educational materials all work together to make learning about energy memorable! Learn more about Energy4me!

Earth Science Week was started in 1998 and is hosted by the American Geological Institute (AGI) to create a public awareness program for the Earth Sciences. AIG encourages people everywhere to explore their natural environment and learn about the geosciences. Earth Science Week educates the public through information, activities, and resources. This event reaches more than 40 million people each year. Learn more about Earth Science Week!

Tiny and Mighty Origins of Oil

Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Aug 9, 2010; Category: Energy, Energy sources, Geology, Science; Tags: Energy, Geology, natural gas, oil, Petroleum, science; Comments: Comments Off

Did you know that what lived over a million years ago provides most of the energy we use today? We don’t mean dinosaurs!  These little critters were as tiny as the head of a pin.

It’s popular belief that oil comes from dinosaur fossils. Even beloved children’s author, Dr. Seuss, featured a peculiar dragon that resembled a dinosaur throughout a 15 year advertising campaign for Standard Oil in the late 1920s and 1930s perpetuating this belief.

Today, scientists are consistently finding that oil largely comes from one of the tiniest organism of life. While any kind of organic material can contribute in the making of oil, most of it was formed around millions of years ago in the Carboniferous period before the dinosaur era.

Millions of years ago, these one-celled microorganisms lived and thrived in warm ancient waters. They were so small that more than a million could be found in a single drop of seawater. Over time, they died and decomposed making what is called “black mud” that rested at the bottom of the sea bed.  Heavy sediments quickly settled over the black mud burying the organisms and preserving the organic richness.  Layer upon layer of sedimentary rock pressed them down deeper toward the core of the earth.  Through millions of years of increasing pressure, hot temperatures, and multiple chemical changes, the organisms transformed from black mud to inanimate crude or oil.

Today’s geologists use several indicators to locate were these ancient organisms might exist today. Understanding of ancient seas, sea beds where black mud laid, and the catalogue of ancient organisms commonly found in pockets of deep oil are all used as indicators in the search for oil. See the recent New York Times article “Tracing Oil Reserves to Their Tiny Origins” to learn more.