At TOP Energy Training, we want to make it easier for high school and university students to gain a solid foundation of industry fundamentals and distinguish their future college and/or employment applications – allowing them to rise to the top. Students who go the extra mile to gain an understanding of the field level technology that operates the oil and gas business will hold the key to a successful career in the energy field. 

Our goal is for students to develop their professional identity based on the facts that they know, not on facts that they act like they know. This can only be achieved when high school and college students are taught through state-of-the art curricula that provide a better understanding of geology, drilling and production technology, emerging technical issues, and environmental advancements.

High-Quality Oil & Gas Industry Courses Created by Top Educators for High School & College Students

TOP Energy Training is an educational consortium of top-ranked schools: Colorado School of Mines, Penn State University, and The University of Texas at Austin. Rooted in the education field, we use our combined resources, experience, and expertise to design and create the highest quality online training courses that teach the fundamental technology, science, and engineering of oil and gas operations. In other words, we understand how students learn and create courses that not only benefit aspiring oil and gas professionals but that they enjoy as well.

Trusted by The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin uses TOP Energy Training content in three of its academic departments, The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, the McCombs School of Business, and the School of Law.  Entry-level petroleum engineering students use the content to stay abreast of the latest oil field technologies necessary in their subsequent classes.  At the business school, students in energy management classes are learning the history and terminology of the petroleum industry to knowledgeably engage with technical experts upon graduation. Finally, at the law school, the TOP Energy Training curriculum is being used to educate oil and gas law students to understand the technology behind the legal issues when they advise clients upon entering the workforce.

Colorado Mesa University Uses TOP Energy Training

At Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO, the petroleum engineering department is using TOP Energy Training to supplement their existing curriculum.  During the summer of 2021, it is being used in the independent studies program to teach evolving technologies in drilling and environmental management.

TOP Energy Training courses help high school teachers go beyond the classroom

High school students aren’t often given the opportunity for hands-on training in the oil and gas industry. This leaves teachers with the challenge to find engaging ways to broaden the expertise their students are exposed to beyond standard lesson plans. TOP Energy Training’s online courses are so in-depth, students get a sense of what it would be like to actually be in the field! They are given a unique opportunity to explore a vast number of energy topics and further develop career interests that they would like to continue to pursue.

TOP Energy Training’s online courses can serve as textbooks or supplemental instructional material for advanced level high school educational programs in petroleum-related topics (e.g., earth sciences, petroleum technology, or environmental science). Subject matter experts — from both industry and university settings — deliver the STEM driven curriculum in an unbiased, science-based manner that gives high school students a better understanding of all facets of the oil and gas industry and career opportunities that exist after college.

Petroleum Science & Technology Institute Helps High School STEM Teachers

An example of how this training content is presently being used is through the Petroleum Science and Technology Institute (PSTI) sponsored by the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Each summer, the PSTI hosts high school STEM teachers to participate in a week-long workshop to learn the latest technologies being applied in the oil and gas industry.  Taught by the university’s technology and science experts, these teachers get hands-on and practical exposure to the lessons using the TOP Energy Training content as a basis for the learning. Upon completion of the program, these teachers return to their high schools and share their knowledge with students and other teachers retaining access to the online material as a teaching aid.

TOP Energy Training’s professional development courses help prepare college students for their future

There is no better time to join the oil and natural gas industry! Energy companies are hiring and the jobs pay well, come in a variety of shapes and sizes and locations, and are interesting. With a hot industry comes competition. Students should leave college already possessing knowledge of the latest technological advancements and be prepared to demonstrate their critical thinking skills with future employers. It’s the step that will help them get ahead of the competition and, ultimately, become a better employee. 

College students are welcome to take extra online courses on their own time. However, as students enter upper grade levels, their time becomes even more scarce. College professors should consider using online course content to augment a course textbook or as supplemental curriculum materials as a way to help their students gain the energy literacy needed to get a leg up in the job market. When choosing an online course, professors should make sure it does not advocate any public policy position and provides an unbiased source of instruction.

Entering a technical field can be daunting for an employee just starting their career. Augmenting college course work with a high-level online training program will provide the validation needed to be taken seriously as a new employee. Starting day one, a young employee will have all of the knowledge needed to smartly converse with upper-level scientists and engineers without feeling intimidated.

Considering a non-technical position within the oil and gas industry? That’s great, too. There are many job opportunities available and having an understanding of the basic terminologies and technologies will make you a more valuable prospect.

Either way, a well-educated oil and gas professional produces better stewardship of our natural energy resources, our environment, and public health throughout the world. TOP Energy is here to help! 

Would you like to bring TOP Energy Training into your classroom?

Whether you are a high school teacher, college professor, or are a college student considering a potential career within the petroleum industry, TOP Energy Training has courses to meet your educational needs. We are confident that you will emerge from our courses more knowledgeable and better prepared to achieve your career aspirations within the ever-changing oil and gas industry. For more information on our courses, webinars and symposiums, contact us today or sign up for a training course!

The post How TOP Energy Can Be Used In The Classroom For Energy Education appeared first on Top Energy Training.

The RFP for the lease of Permanent School Fund land in Jefferson County, Texas includes the establishment and operation of a geologic carbon dioxide storage repository under submerged land in a Miocene formation, including the construction of necessary transportation and storage infrastructure. In other words, the State waters off Jefferson County, which include major Texas cities such as Beaumont and Port Arthur, are ‘open for business’ for carbon storage projects.

This news is exciting for all scientists and engineers who have been working to bring carbon storage technology to state offshore lands. Many people, including scientists and engineers at the Bureau of Economic Geology in Texas, with funding from federal agencies and private industry, have been leading the charge to enable carbon storage projects in state waters.

What should you know to better understand this opportunity and what it means for corporate entities who are interested in carbon emissions and storage projects?

Federal vs. state rights as related to offshore property

In 1953, Congress passed the Submerged Lands Act, which gave coastal states title to natural resources within three nautical miles from their coastline. Because of historical reasons, some litigation ensued and Texas’ seaward boundary was eventually affirmed at 9 nautical miles (10.35 miles) by the United States Supreme Court. This means Texas has title to natural resources in its submerged offshore lands within the established boundary. 

Texas has a huge opportunity in carbon capture and carbon storage

The geology of Texas’ offshore waters provides a tremendous resource for storing manmade carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a means for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Recent infrastructure developments (onshore CO₂ pipelines) suggest this region could become a CO₂ hub capable of receiving pipeline CO₂ from other parts of the country, and indications are that the geologic storage resource could be viable for decades of utilization.

Currently, Europe is leading the way in offshore carbon storage with the soon-to-be-completed Northern Lights CO₂ hub project in Norway, which features an ‘open storage’ facility concept. One entity builds and operates the storage facility, and many other customers can store their CO₂ at the hub via pipeline or shipping transport. Northern Lights has a goal of serving as a hub-catalyst to seed the rollout of carbon capture and storage in Europe.

Could Texas serve in a similar capacity by creating a potential hub for CO2 storage in the Gulf of Mexico?

Our TOP notch Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Technology training course helps your team level-up

The new CCUS developments in Texas only further illustrate that energy production is an ever-changing and evolving field. Success in this market is dependent upon your ability to stay on top of emerging trends.

Many oil companies are aligning their emissions target to match the goal that governments set under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. Although the most obvious way to reduce CO₂ emissions is to reduce the consumption of CO₂-producing energy sources, we have a long way to go to reach sustainable levels. In the interim, we must develop additional methods to curtail CO2 in the atmosphere. One solution is carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology.

The initial step is to capture CO₂ and prevent it from entering the atmosphere. Next, we can use the CO₂ and/or store it underground. CO2 has value as a commodity in a number of different industries, and revenue from selling this commodity can help defray the costs of capture and transportation of the gas. However, the current demand for CO₂ is not significant enough to account for all of the gas we might target for capture. For the rest of the captured CO₂, there is an elegant solution: put it back in the ground.

This is why the opportunity Texas has created for offshore CCUS is one not to be overlooked. Is your company ready to take advantage? Or do you need some help getting up to speed? 

Our team of industry professionals at TOP Energy Training has created a top-notch training course to help your team take advantage of the opportunity in Texas by understanding:

• The basic applications of EOR within the oil and gas industry and how that same technology applies to underground storage of CO2. 
• How recent establishment of a new class (VI) of injection wells, as well as a number of policy and tax incentives in the U.S., have created renewed interest and activity around CCUS technology. 
• The general history and specifics of Class VI wells, the role of EOR in storage, misconceptions about carbon dioxide, protections for drinking water resources, and Class VI well considerations, such as storage capacity, injection rate, and storage mechanisms.
• Issues of permanence and safety, various monitoring tools and programs, and an example monitoring case study.

Learn More Today!

Why Should Your Organization Choose TOP Energy Training?

TOP Energy Training Instructor Expertise

By enrolling in our courses, you receive training from industry, environmental, government, and legal professionals in the oil and gas industry through a course curriculum that is developed by professionals and faculty experts from the Colorado School of Mines, The Pennsylvania State University, and The University of Texas at Austin. 

Our goal is to provide everyone who enrolls in our energy courses with a full spectrum of knowledge related to the petroleum industry. Our courses are fully comprehensive, including historical and scientific perspectives, environmental stewardship, and current industry trends.

TOP Energy Training is a highly efficient and cost-effective educational program to meet your training needs regardless of your experience. Our students come to us with varied backgrounds: municipal, state, and federal regulatory agency personnel, oil and gas attorneys, non-technical oil and gas professionals, university law and engineering students anticipating their entry into the profession, and high school STEM teachers.

Our Courses are Self-Paced and On-Demand

The oil and gas business can be complicated and is filled with numerous pieces of local, state, and federal legislation that date back over 200 years ago, which makes understanding your options in this ever-changing market challenging. That’s why we set out to design courses that break down complex subject matter into understandable concepts utilizing video, graphics, animations, and interactive elements. The courses can be accessed on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices and are designed to be taken at your own pace because we understand the day-to-day competition for your time.

We Level-up So Your Team Can, Too

When you’re ready to take advantage of the opportunity Texas has created with offshore carbon storage in state waters, we’re ready to help get your entire team up to speed with the best possible education for your money. TOP Energy Training’s online content is at the forefront of the latest developments, and new lessons are added to stay current. We take great pride in delivering high-quality, up-to-date courses so that you get incredible value. After all, we understand that this opportunity is hot and you need to strike swiftly — but smartly.

Images: “Residual_Storage” by EU ZEP Project, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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What Is the TOPCORP Symposium?

Every year inspectors selected for the TOPCORP program complete the Petroleum Geology and Petroleum Engineering & Technology online training courses offered through TOP Energy Training. Following completion, inspectors attend an in-person workshop at Colorado School of Mines. This three-day training enhances their learning through lectures, hands-on activities, and field trips. Subject matter experts highlight the advances in the ever-changing technology within the oil and gas industry.

Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, a virtual symposium held on May 28, 2020 served as a bridge to a future in-person workshop for inspectors. This one-day “Hot Topics” symposium assembled subject matter experts on hydraulic fracturing, digital oilfield, and energy transition.

What Role Did TOPCORP Play in the Symposium?

TOPCORP designed, hosted, and organized the virtual symposium at no cost to the attendees. A diverse group of 49 oil and gas inspectors attended from 24 different U.S. state, Canadian provincial and U.S. federal regulatory agencies

Who Were the Guest Speakers?

Three subject matter experts presented their work and participated in a Q&A discussion with the inspectors. Dr. Jennifer Miskimins, Professor and Department Head of the Petroleum Engineering Department at Colorado School of Mines, discussed Hydraulic Fracturing: Fact vs. Fiction. She holds a BS from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology, and MS and PhD degrees from Colorado School of Mines, all in petroleum engineering. Dr. Miskimins has 30 years of experience in the petroleum industry and began teaching at Mines in 2002. Her specializations include well completions, stimulation, hydraulic fracturing, and associated production issues. Her research focuses on the optimization of stimulation treatments and related importance on associated recovery efficiencies.

Dr. Morgan Bazilian, Director of the Payne Institute and Professor of Public Policy at Colorado School of Mines, presented his work on Geopolitics of the Energy Transition. He has served as the Lead Energy Specialist at the World Bank and has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector. He is regarded as a leading expert in international affairs, policy, and investment. Dr. Bazilian holds two Master’s degrees and a PhD in areas related to energy systems and markets, has been a Fulbright Fellow, and holds (or has held) several affiliations including Columbia University, Cambridge University, The Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. He has published over 140 articles in learned journals, and his book Analytical Methods for Energy Diversity and Security is considered a seminal piece in the area of energy finance and security.

James S. Crompton provided inspectors with the current state of digital transformation of the upstream oil and gas industry with his talk on Introduction to the Digital Oilfield. James has 37 years of experience with Chevron and was named the PNEC Cornerstone award winner for accomplishments in data management in 2017. Jim was also selected to serve on the board of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Digital Energy Technology Section and is chair of the Digital Transformation committee under that section. After retiring, he created Reflections Data Consulting LLC to continue his work in data management and analytics for the exploration and production industry.

Benefits to the Attendees

The oil and gas inspectors in attendance took advantage of this special opportunity to network, learn, and consult with subject matter experts. Presentations and discussions allowed inspectors to enhance their understanding of the pre-requisite online course material. By the end of the symposium, inspectors were more knowledgeable about the ever-changing technology in the industry. This virtual symposium afforded inspectors and experts the occasion to exchange ideas and engage with each other during a time when many of these opportunities have been limited by the pandemic.

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To better understand the history and process of hydraulic fracturing, we spoke with one of our subject-matter experts, Dr. Jennifer L. Miskimins, who delivered a webinar titled Hydraulic Fracturing: Fact vs. Fiction as part of our online TOPCORP “Hot Topics” symposium series. Professor Miskimins is head of the Petroleum Engineering Department at Colorado School of Mines and has 30 years of experience in the industry. She has watched the reception of hydraulic fracturing shift from being unaware to finding it controversial. We asked her to help us with a 30,000-ft view, which she was happy to do even though she usually works 10,000ft below the surface.

Does fracking refer to a specific process?

“Hydraulic fracturing is very specific to using hydraulic pressure to actually crack rock…When people talk about fracking, they refer to the process by which high pressure is generated to fracture or crack the rocks beneath the surface. Large high-pressure trucks on the surface send fluids down through what is usually an 8-inch wellbore and use that pressure to break the rock. These fine cracks and fissures give the rock a high permeability, which allows the flow to increase.”

Why is fracking such a hot button issue?

Hydraulic fracturing becomes a focal point for politicians or newspapers because of the wide use of the technology. But just because they are talking about it now doesn’t make it new. In fact, people have been trying to “break” rock in the subsurface to increase production since the time of the Civil War!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWRqolnp894[/embedyt]

In the 1940s, engineers came up with another novel idea for breaking rock to increase production – hydraulic fracturing.

“The first [hydraulic fracturing job] was 1947. That was a research project. 1949 was the first commercial [application]. It was done in Texas; it was done in Oklahoma. It has been done on every continent except Antarctica. It’s been done in millions of wells and has been for 70 years now.

More recently, it has been utilized in more unconventional reservoirs and shale plays. So we have seen the [application of] fracturing move from way out in the middle of West Texas to more and more in the Dallas/Fort Worth area or near Denver. This increase in treatments and proximity just attracts more attention and curiosity. And with attention comes questions.”

Why is hydraulic fracturing so commonly used?

The goal of hydraulic fracturing is to increase flow, or production, of a well. Sure, it would be great if we could ‘super-size’ our drilling hole, but for economic and mechanical reasons a well can only be so big.

“We’re drilling a well that is eight inches in diameter. So [the drill is essentially a] straw that’s eight inches in diameter that goes from surface to 10,000 ft in depth. What fracturing does at its very basis is make that wellbore look much bigger to the reservoir, and therefore it creates a larger pressure sink.

[The fractured] rock makes this wellbore, instead of being eight inches in diameter, look like it’s 80 feet in diameter. It’s a huge pressure sink, and now fluids are much more capable of flowing into it.

And in some rock types that have very low permeability, unless you use hydraulic fracturing, you’re not going to initiate flow at all. So just by drilling down there doesn’t mean you’re going to start to get this flow in there.

Some resource deposits are just not accessible in an economical way without the use of hydraulic fracturing.”

To learn more about the hydraulic fracturing process, click here for a recent webinar by Dr. Miskimins.

What advances have there been to the fracking process?

There have been several advances that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the process.

There are not really any apparent alternatives at this point that still provide the same economics and environmental safety as fracking. But everyone is always exploring how we can make this process faster, cheaper, cleaner, more efficient. Some are even exploring the use of carbon dioxide for fracturing. Taking CO₂ from the atmosphere and then putting it underground could serve multiple purposes.

Additional technological advances have contributed to the success of the hydraulic fracturing process in recent years.

“For instance, horizontal drilling has been an enormous breakthrough. The ability to drill vertically and then turn a corner to access deposits means access to several places without disturbing as much of the surface. Additionally, adding fracturing to these horizontal bores has made the process even more effective.

There have been advancements in the type of [drill] bits, and even a reduction in the trucks’ size and noise production on the surface. A big needle mover has been more precise ways to do diagnostic work to explore what is happening below the surface. Fiber optics are being used to see how things are breaking and allow for a more accurate process.”

Is Fracking a bad word?

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years. And in that 30 years, I have always called it fracking. Because that just tends to be what the industry shorthand has been.

But here’s the interesting part about it. The industry always shortened it with a  ‘c’ing’.

There was never a K in it.

And I tell my students if you look at hydraulic fracturing, the actual official term, there is no “K” in fracturing. The opposition to fracturing actually started using the K. There are studies out there that show that the ‘K’ makes it much more abrupt or [people] have a much more negative reaction to it with the K in it.”

Some parting thoughts and takeaways from Dr. Jennifer Miskimins

“I think one of the biggest things is don’t listen to the 30-second soundbite…take the time to understand the process and where the concerns really lie. There’s nothing wrong with regulating, and we just want to make sure that we’re regulating the right thing.

And so for people to understand the pros and cons of a certain process, you’ve got to know a little bit more than what…Facebook or the nightly news is telling you, right? So take some time to actually look into it. There are a lot of really good, [informative] sites out there.”

Want to learn more about Hydraulic Fracturing? Watch Dr. Jennifer Miskimins’ Hydraulic Fracturing: Fact vs. Fiction video:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BoggMUHOVI[/embedyt]

If you are interested in further reading, check out these articles from other expert resources recommended by Dr. Miskimins:

Hydraulic Fracturing Basics (American Geosciences Institute)

Hydraulic Fracturing Technology (Energy4Me)

Images: “Ursa UIC well 045-12082 Valley Farms #D3.” by Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), cogcc.state.co.us

The post Hydraulic Fracturing appeared first on Top Energy Training.

Our educational consortium of Colorado School of Mines, Penn State University, and The University of Texas at Austin developed the training courses using subject matter experts from the various specialties. These online courses can serve a broad audience: oil and gas professionals, both technical employees and those who are tangential to the operations; state and government regulatory employees and policymakers; oil and gas attorneys and related legal professionals; university students; and high school students who may already know they want to have a future in the industry.

We also present webinars and symposiums on a wide range of applied topics. These events are presented online and recorded for free distribution through a variety of media channels. 

Why Now is a Good Time to Grow Your Oil and Gas Knowledge Online 

The more education you have related to the industry, the better prepared you will be to handle a range of situations that may arise during your career. 

World-class subject matter experts designed our courses. These experts include faculty members at numerous universities and professionals with a range of technical, regulatory and policy backgrounds. Clear learning outcomes enable course subscribers to match their educational goals with our course materials. 

No matter your background, the courses from TOP Energy Training will better prepare you for the future of the oil and gas industry and enable you to be marketable on many fronts. There is never a bad time to further your education and training in this ever-changing and evolving field.

Our Online Oil and Gas Training Courses 

TOP Energy Training has developed multiple training courses designed to cover the full scope of the oil and gas industry for anyone who wants to start or further their education. The broad range of content allows you to customize the type of instruction and training that suits your needs. Our courses include: Petroleum Geology, Petroleum Engineering & Technology, Environmental Stewardship, Emerging Trends, and Effective Communications.

Petroleum Geology Course

Petroleum Geology begins with a broad overview of the historical, economic, and scientific context related to modern energy exploration and production. The course looks at global economic interdependencies in the energy sector, examines the history of extraction, and explains the science of petroleum geology and the various components of a petroleum system. A lesson on hydrocarbon explorations covers an overview of typical data sets and analyses that contribute to petroleum discoveries. We finish the course with a short section on leasing and permitting to prepare you for the next course, Petroleum Engineering & Technology.

Petroleum Engineering & Technology Course

Petroleum Engineering & Technology introduces the technologies that make drilling and completions possible, typical operational methods for drilling and completing wells, and methods for solving problems that come up during the drilling process. Obviously, creating a safe, stable hole in the ground is the basic goal of the drilling process, but there are a variety of complex technologies and operational methods involved in shaping that hole. The course also discusses completions, formation evaluation, stimulation, production, decommissioning, and reclamation.

Environmental Stewardship Course

Environmental Stewardship covers the intersection between the oil and gas industry and the wider environment. It presents an examination of the global water cycle and energy-water nexus as well as other environmental concerns and health, safety, and security. We conclude with an overview of sustainable development as a best practice in all industrial environments.

Emerging Trends Course

The oil and gas business is dynamic and the industry responds to emerging trends and challenges with the development of new technology and methods. We reflect that progression in our Emerging Trends course with lessons that discuss the latest challenges and solutions. How do we properly inject fluids underground without endangering underground sources of drinking water or inducing earthquakes? Can we mitigate CO2 emissions using carbon storage? How do we make sure that stimulation techniques using subsurface injection is contained underground? This course addresses many of these questions through lessons on underground injection, carbon capture utilization and storage, induced seismicity, and subsurface containment.

Effective Communications Course

How do we work together to create a safe and sustainable energy future? How do we communicate about complex topics or risks to our colleagues, associates, or the general public? The Effective Communications course is specifically geared toward the oil and gas industry. Lessons discuss rhetorical strategies, knowing yourself and social networks, and how to work through difficult situations using tools such as authenticity and trust. Knowledge gained in this course will assist professionals in discussing emerging industry trends and challenges.

Training Webinars Offered by TOP Energy Training

TOP Energy Training hosts webinars on a variety of topics through their TOPCORP program for oil and gas inspectors. For example, past webinars have covered drones, well abandonment, oil and gas infrastructure, biosecurity, water testing, and cement bond log interpretation. Recordings of these webinars are available for free through a variety of online media channels.

Inspector Symposiums Offered by TOP Energy Training

TOP Energy Training has sponsored a number of “hot topic” symposiums through their TOPCORP program for oil and gas inspectors. Symposium themes have included topics such as hydraulic fracturing, the digital oilfield, and geopolitics of the energy transition. Recordings of these symposiums are available for free through a variety of online media channels.

Get Started Today! 

Whether you are a professional working within the oil and gas industry, or are considering a potential career within the petroleum industry, TOP Energy Training has courses to meet your educational needs. We are confident that you will emerge from our courses more knowledgeable and better prepared to achieve your goals within the ever-changing oil and gas industry. For more information on our courses, webinars and symposiums, contact us today or sign up for a training course!

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