LC in the News - 2010

Chesapeake Field Trip

Lackawanna College Natural Gas Technology students recently took to the field to experience the workings of the industry firsthand.  On Wednesday, March 3, the Natural Gas Technology class visited two natural gas sites, both operated by Chesapeake Energy.  The purpose of the trip was to give students a look at the daily operations of an exploration and production (E&P) company in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Led by Michael Narcavage, one of Chesapeake’s Local Government Specialists, the twenty student group began at the Soloweij well site in Asylum Township, Bradford County.  There, students were given guided tours of Nomac Rig number 33, which is currently working to drill through 7,000 feet of rock to reach the gas rich Marcellus shale.  Students were shown all of the rig’s equipment, how it operates and adds drill string, as well as the actual drilling process and cuttings removal.

After their tour of the Soloweij site, students were taken to the nearby Evanchick site, a finished and producing well.  The Evanchick was selected for the second half of the tour because of its close proximity to a natural gas gathering station, glycol scrubbing equipment and the Tennessee Gas line.  With all of these parts nearby, students were able to easily observe the multiple steps between gas retrieval and placement into a major “sales” line.

At both sites students were able to ask questions and discuss topics of interest with experts who work in the field every day, adding another dimension to their classroom learning.

“It was great to talk with those guys,” said Joe Carlson, a student in the NGT class, “they deal with this stuff constantly and had tons of knowledge to share.”

Another student, Arlen Greig, added, “I think at first they were a little surprised by how much we had learned already, but once we got on the same page, they were able to add some great detail to what we had studied in the classroom.”

Lackawanna College’s Natural Gas Technology Program is a two year Associate’s degree program, which includes a three month field-based internship.  Students learn about all phases of the natural gas industry, specifically focusing on production equipment and techniques.  For more information, please contact Lackawanna College’s New Milford Center by phone at (570) 465-2344 or by e-mail at newmilford@lackawanna.edu