Petroleum Technology

Oil and Gas Tech Certificate (.pdf)

Target Jobs

The oil and gas industry has historically been a cyclic industry, experiencing periods of steady growth with periodic sharp downturns. The rebound after a downturn shows rapid increase in business after a few months and a conrresponding strong need for additional personnel to fill positions throughout all levels of the industry.

Competition for qualified workers continues to increase, especially in the rural areas throughout the State of Texas, where natural gas is booming. Graduates have found employment in all production regions within the State of Texas, including Limestone, Freestone, and Leon. Companies such as XTO Energy, Chevron, EnCana, Marathon, and Anadarko are interested in employing graduates from the Petroleum Technology program. A combination of an A.A.S. in Petroleum Technology and Automation Certificate allows great flexibility for employment throughout the industry.

PTRT 1301 Overview of Petroleum Industry

An overview of the entire petroleum industry. Purposes and proper procedures in a variety of different petroleum technologies: exploration, drilling, production, transportation, marketing, and refining.

PTRT 1307 Recovery and Production Methods

An introduction to the two different methods associated with petroleum production: natural flow and artificial lift. The student will also develop skills and competency in lease-layout and specific recovery methods, such as water flooding, chemical flooding, thermal processes and CO2 injections.

PTRT 1309 Corrosion Basics

Principles of corrosion such as basic electrochemistry processes. Addresses the deterioration of materials, devices, or pieces of oil field (or other) machinery/equipment. Emphasis on terminology associated with metallic and nonmetallic corrosion.

PTRT 1312 Petroleum Regulations

Regulatory requirements and structures associated with the petroleum industry.

PTRT 1313 Industrial Safety

An overview for petroleum and manufacturing workers of state/federal regulations and guidelines, which require industrial safety training. Topics include the 29 C.F.R. 1910, 1926 standards, such as confined space entry, emergency action, lock out/tag out, and other work-related subjects.

PTRT 1317 Natural Gas Processing

An overview of natural gas processing operations. Fundamentals of gas processing, the nature of heat and how it implements the process, gas plant processing equipment, and procedures from raw material to the refined product.

PTRT 1321 Oil Field Hydraulics

Presents hydraulics applicable to drilling, completion and production. Includes calculating and evaluating the characteristics of the flowing and static fluids in various tubular and annular systems.

PTRT 1391 Natural Gas Processing II

Career-related activities encountered in the student’s area of specialization offered through an individualized agreement among the college, employer and student. Under the supervision of the college and the employer, the student combines classroom learning with work experience. Includes a lecture component.

PTRT 2280 Cooperative Education

Career-related activities encountered in the student’s area of specialization offered through an individualized agreement among the college, employer and student. Under the supervision of the college and the employer, the student combines classroom learning with work experience. Includes a lecture component.

PTRT 2323 Natural Gas Production

An overview of the aspects of natural gas production including gas well testing, field handling of gas, well casing head gas, separation, metering, and dehydration equipment, and gas compression/transportation systems.

PTRT 2332 Artificial Lift

Practical aspects of artificial lift in conventional production systems. Designed for students who have completed production methods PTRT 1307.

PTRT 2359 Petroleum Computer Applications

Computer applications used in the petroleum industry. Includes the automation of open and closed loop systems.

RBTC 1309 Pneumatics

A study of principles of pneumatics including formulas, functions, and circuits with hands-on experience in these industrial automated systems.