compression school grads demand rising for education ... … · gas compressor association expo...

22 JULY 2018 COMPRESSORtech2

BY PATRICK CROW

Although college-based compression training schools are still feeling the pain of the

last gas industry downturn, they are bullish about the future.

Educators said compression companies are snapping up their new graduates, yet there is concern about declining enrollment in their programs. Poor numbers forced two schools to fold their compression programs, while a third school put its program to declare a hiatus.

Zane State College at Cambridge, Ohio, and Westmoreland County Community College at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, ended their programs. Western Wyoming Community College at Rock Springs, Wyoming, has indefinitely suspended its offerings. San Juan College at Farmington, New Mexico, discontinued compression as a stand-

alone program a couple years ago.Geography appears to be a factor.

The community colleges that offer compression training are localized. They draw students from nearby areas and their graduates prefer nearby jobs. Low demand for compressor professionals in a region directly affects school enrollment.

Another factor is that compression training schools ride the same boom-and-bust cycle as the overall gas industry with a long time delay.

The industry rebounded from the downturn of three years ago and its demand for compression professionals seems to be growing.

Major publicly traded companies, in recent briefings for stockholders, were ebullient about prospects for the compression sector.

CSI Compressco said, “We estimate that the overall compression fleet

size in North America is greater than 10 million hp (7457 MW) today and expect approximately another 1 million hp (7.4 MW) will be added through 2018 and 2019.”

Archrock said, “The Energy Information Agency (EIA) is forecasting

Partners In Training

Ariel Corp.Ariel offers product training as a value-added service exclusively to Ariel industry partners and customers worldwide who own, lease or service Ariel equipment. Training is conducted at Ariel’s new training center in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and

facilities in Australia, Canada, China, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Ariel also offers remote training courses throughout the U.S. at the customer’s request. Training courses are available online at arielcorp.com/training.

Atlas CopcoAtlas Copco Gas and Process offers a variety of comprehensive training programs for turbomachinery equipment users worldwide. The training programs, dedicated to integrally-geared centrifugal compressors, radial inflow turboexpanders, non-geared centrifugal compressors, and positive displacement compressors, are available. Classroom courses focus on specific disciplines to support management, planning, operations and maintenance. Training with live demonstration is available at Atlas Copco locations. Also, training on customer sites can be scheduled by special request.

Training Programs Partners In Training showcases colleges, companies and organizations with compressor training programs that participate in our annual Compression Technology Sourcing Supplement (CTSS). These programs make the CTSS, the industry’s leading reference source for purchasers, packagers and training providers, available as part of their course material.

More information on the companies below and the colleges mentioned elsewhere in this issue can be found at ctssnet.net.

Demand Rising for Compression School GradsFewer students available in the education pipeline

DJ_CT2 07-2018 Compression Schools.indd 22 14/06/2018 16:41:37

COMPRESSORtech2 JULY 2018 23


that U.S. natural gas production will be 7.5 Bcfd (212 x 106 m3/d) higher in 2018 than it was in 2017, with additional growth throughout at least 2022.”

USA Compression said, “The drivers for demand are all moving upward.

BorsigBorsig offers a training program that is specially designed for customers’ operating and maintenance staff. Courses include safe operation and professional maintenance of BORSIG ZM compressors, introduction into machine-specific features, professional handling of particular components and new technologies and innovations.

Burckhardt CompressionCustomized training from Burckhardt is designed for newcomers to experienced participants who want to learn how to optimize the efficiency

We think the future is extremely rosy for the compression business due to associated gas short term and then dry gas intermediate and longer term in the future.”

Those optimistic views have not yet filtered down to mechanically inclined high school graduates who are weighing their career options.

New Pennsylvania compression programThe Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI) has launched the first new college gas compression program in several years.

Located at the center of the state in Pleasant Gap, CPI began offering a two-year specialized technology

■ OSU Institute of Technology students train and learn on equipment donated by Targa Midstream Services and Spartan Controls.

continued on page 26

The AXH manufacturing complex consists of six plants, totaling 559,100 SF on 67 acres.


degree last year with an emphasis on Caterpillar and Ariel equipment. The 95-credit hour Natural Gas Compressor Technician Program provides an array of electrical, mechanical, process control and safety training.

Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co. (the largest Cat dealer in Pennsylvania), Ariel and other gas industry partners will review students’ academic performance at the end of their first term. If they select a student for pre-employment, the scholar could receive US$7500/year (US$15,000 total) in company sponsored tuition reimbursements.

The two companies will provide students “externships” midway through the program and possibly give them full time employment in Pennsylvania or the northeastern U.S. after they graduate.

CPI said its partnership with Cleveland Brothers and Ariel ensures that its students “will always have the current technology available to use as training aids on the newest equipment industry has to offer.”

Todd Taylor, vice president of post-secondary education, said nine students were enrolled in the program during the spring term, with 16

expected in the fall.“We’re finding that the employment

market looks really good,” Taylor said.

Oklahoma program still the largestThe Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) operates the nation’s longest established and largest compression program at Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Enrollment still reflects the industry downturn. Six students graduated this spring with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, compared to 20 a year ago.

The compression program had 35 students following spring graduation. Six were due to graduate in August after completing their “capstone” summer internships, 19 more will begin internships next January and the final 10 next summer.

All six graduates this spring, like the 20 last year, were immediately employed.

“We’re in the nice position of having companies waiting to hire all of our graduates, Instructor Brad Smith said. “We don’t have enough of them to meet the demand.”

Every OSUIT student was offered a scholarship last spring. The grants

totaled US$71,602.In addition to its two-year Natural

Gas Compression program, OSUIT’s School of Energy Technologies offers two-year programs in Pipeline Integrity and in Power Plant Technology. The pipeline course covers safety, damage and risk control, corrosion control, design and integrity management.

OSUIT has the largest compression training facilities of all the schools. A dedicated center has five classrooms, 17 equipment bays and a variety of machinery.



and performance of reciprocating compressors. In-house experts teach of the complete range of compressors up to the maximum pressure of 50,763 psi (3500 bar).

Dresser-Rand, A Siemens BusinessDresser-Rand, a Siemens Business, offers professional online and in-person training around the world for a wide range of client operations, maintenance and reliability engineering personnel. Training programs cover a range of products including hot gas expanders, centrifugal compressors, reciprocating compressors, steam turbines and related control systems.

Elliott GroupElliott Group offers training programs on steam turbines, centrifugal and axial compressors, expanders, and lube and seal systems. Our trainers are full-time instructors who are knowledgeable, personable and engaging. We conduct training at our facilities, on-site at customer locations around the world and online. Backed by over 100 years of turbomachinery experience, we pride ourselves on building relationships with our customers and customizing our training to meet their specific needs.

FW MurphyFW Murphy Production Controls offers in-depth training to help users

get the most from its engine control products. A required, introductory Engine Basics class provides participants with a strong base while topic-specific classes include IntelliSpark Ignition Training; AFR Operations; and EICS Operations. Training includes classroom and hands-on learning.

Gas Compressor Association Expo & Conference (GCA)The GCA, a professional trade organization dedicated to the enrichment of its members and the industry, hosts an annual education and network-based event in Galveston, Texas, each

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Last year, Phillips 66 donated US$50,000 to the School of Energy Technologies, plus a lifetime supply of lubricating oil and coolants.

Targa Midstream Services and Spartan Controls donated two programmable logic controller panels (PLCs) and the software to operate them, a gift valued at US$137,000.

One of the PLCs will be used as a monitoring station to simulate the remote control of a pipeline station. The other will be connected to an older model natural gas compressor

and engine.“The new equipment gives students

another element to be trained on before they go out into the field,” said Instructor Matt Salas.

Panola College adds flexibilityIn eastern Texas, Panola College is also seeing strong demand for compression technicians.

David Hall, chairman of the School of Energy, said a large West Texas gas company recently visited Panola seeking 10 to12 compression mechanics for immediate openings.

“Other companies are offering to take our petroleum technology graduates and train them to be compressor mechanics,” Hall said. “That’s a really positive sign. We’re back on the upsurge again.”

Panola’s main campus is at Carthage, Texas, but the School of Energy is at the Shelby Regional

Training Center in Center, Texas. The School of Energy has about

120 students, down from 185 a year ago. Only one person graduated with a compression degree this spring.

Upon completion of a two-year program, students can receive an AAS degree in Petroleum Technology. In the second year, they can concentrate on gas compression.

“This is a new wrinkle for us,” Hall said. “Now students can begin work toward their oil and gas degree and then focus on compression in their final year, graduating with a dual major.”

He predicted that about 15 to 20 of the 120 students in the energy program might shift to compression during the next academic year.

Hall said oil and gas companies have donated six compressors to the college, four of which are used for teardowns and rebuilds. Panola has a five-year plan that calls for



spring. Attendees benefit from this conference by participating in educational sessions, exploring new products and services on the expo floor and participating in networking events. For more information, please visit: www.gascompressor.org.

GEGE’s Power Services Training offers a variety of training solutions for gas, steam and aero product lines (heavy duty gas turbines, steam turbines, aeroderivative turbines, generators, heat recovery steam generators, boilers, air quality controls and control systems). GE training courses are conducted by qualified instructors who are experts in OEM design, installation, maintenance and start-ups.

GEAGEA offers training for process refrigeration and gas compression system users worldwide. Highly qualified,

■ Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology (CPI) students work on an Ariel compressor.


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construction of a building to house the School of Energy.

Cabot backs Lackawanna CollegeAt New Milford, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna College is focused on supplying technicians for companies that are developing Marcellus shale gas.

Gary Leber, an instructor in the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said, “Demand for graduates is pretty good right now. The industry is really looking for people with a two-year degree. A minimum of 95% of our first-year students are getting internships.”

The two-year AAS degree program in Petroleum and Natural Gas Industrial Mechanics prepares students to become compressor station, pipeline or midstream operations technicians. Courses teach them to monitor, maintain and troubleshoot compressors, engines or prime movers, pipelines and dehydration facilities.

Lackawanna officials lacked exact numbers on enrollment in their compression program.

“Each year we bring in between 60 to 80 students total and we graduate about 45 students each

spring. Roughly 30 to 40% of those students are compression students and we are steadily increasing those numbers each year,” the northeastern Pennsylvania college said.

Last spring, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. completed the final tranche of its US$2.5 million endowment to the School of Petroleum & Natural Gas. The donation, first announced in 2014, is the largest in the history of Lackawanna College.

About US$1 million went for student programs and scholarships. The balance was used for equipment, training, staff and faculty development,

and student interactive experiences and internships.

“Cabot’s guidance, support, and access to industry leaders have enabled us to create a world-class program that prepares our graduates using state-of-the art equipment to ensure that they are job ready and fully qualified to meet the needs of the industry,” said Lackawanna President Mark Volk.

Kansas School graduates female technicianIn southwestern Kansas, the Seward County Community College Area



well-trained facility personnel are of utmost importance and GEA’s programs are designed to provide attendees with the knowledge needed to optimize the efficiency and reliability of critical, compressor-based systems.

Introductory process refrigeration and booster gas compression training as well as customized, project-specific operational and maintenance training for newly installed GEA systems is available. Topics include introduction to refrigeration, process fluids, system operation (compressor and components), control system, design data/technical features of the main components, troubleshooting and maintenance. Training may

be arranged at customers’ sites or at GEA facilities, though is it recommended to conduct project-specific/system-specific training at customers’ facilities.

HowdenFocused on compressor maintenance, Howden’s training courses cover compressor technology and operation. Howden holds open generic courses on different types of compressors on a yearly basis at each of its worldwide offices. Howden will arrange bespoke courses where the duration, content and language of training can be tailored to the needs and preferences of the individual customer.

LMF LMF’s customized training programs for plant engineers or service technicians help to ensure optimal operation of customers’ plants. Whether the training need is on an oil platform offshore, testing pipelines in Siberia or working on a refinery in the desert — they tailor the training to the specific application.

Man Diesel & TurboPrimeServ Academies conducts professional qualification courses using full-scale machinery and simulators. Participants are guided through hands-on exercises in operation, maintenance and troubleshooting.

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Technical School has graduated another female compressor technician.

Reyn Slatten received a two-year AAS degree and began work as an intern for a midstream pipeline. The Liberal, Kansas, college graduated two other women from its compression program during the past seven years.

In May, the college’s Natural Gas

Compression Technology program awarded 10 graduates with one-year certificates and two with AAS degrees. About 16 current students will continue their studies in the fall, augmented by new enrollees.

Regional gas production, pipeline and service companies have helped Seward County Community College shape its program to best fit local employment needs. The companies offer students internships at the end of their studies for more hands-on experience.

A key addition to the college’s training equipment this year was a large forklift to move engines and compressors, some of which weigh up to 15,000 lb (6800 kg).

Wyoming College suspends trainingWestern Wyoming Community College cancelled its spring gas compression offerings.

“We had some students sign up

for compression courses, but not enough to schedule the classes,” said Joe Uriarte, associate professor of compression technology.

He said the Rocky Mountains region “is still in the throes of the industry downturn.” Otherwise, he was at a loss to explain the declining interest in gas compression education.

“It could be because there are fewer jobs now,” he said. “It could be because applicants think there will be few jobs by the time they graduate. It’s probably a bit of both.”

The Rock Springs college has three energy related programs that offer two-year AAS degrees and one-year certificates: Electrical and Instrumentation Technology, Oil and Gas Production Technology and Natural Gas Compression Technology.

Uriarte said that half a dozen students graduated from the general oil and gas program last May. About as many are expected to apply in the fall.



■ CPI’s compression

program focuses on Ariel-Caterpillar

combinations.compressor.




MotortechMotortech’s current seminars offer know-how and realistic solutions for today’s challenges for professionals in the gas engine industry. Modules include Introduction into Gas Engine Technologies; MIC – Ignition Control; VariFuel2 Mixture Control; EmCon5; Emission Control; Speed Control with ITB Throttle Body Series; and All-in-One CHP Gas Engine Control. The training system features a modular structure. Courses are offered in the Training Center in Celle, Germany and New Orleans, Louisiana or in-house at a customer site. They can also be offered on an individual basis to cover specific learning needs.

Neuman & EsserNEAC Compressor Service offers reciprocating compressor training seminars for reciprocating compressors. The training sessions can be held either in the NEAC Training Center located at the Neuman & Esser headquarters close to Aachen, Germany, or at the customer’s location. During the open courses held at the Training Center, the participants can interact

and network with other customers to exchange experiences.

SwRISouthwest Research Institute (SwRI) offers free, hour-long webinars on various subjects, such as thermal stress analysis, turbomachinery root cause failure analysis, transient surge analysis and torsional analyses. The webinars are offered on a bi-monthly basis, with being developed. SwRI also holds short courses on a fee basis at its headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, several times per year. The courses cover turbomachinery design, pulsations and vibrations in piping systems, gas turbine and compressor training, lateral and torsional rotordynamics, and an annual oil and gas lecture series on various subjects.

University Of London Centre for Compressor Technology The Centre for Compressor Technology at City, University of London, is part of its Thermo-Fluids Research Centre. Its activities include training in a wide variety of topics

related to the design and development of fluid machinery. These include mathematical modeling, experimental investigation of positive displacement screw compressors and expanders, the design and analysis both of screw machines and turbomachinery, energy systems and the utilization of recovered waste heat. Some of these courses form part of the formal undergraduate and postgraduate studies, while others can be specially prepared to meet industrial needs. The latter include short courses to last from a few days to several months, or as part of full- or part-time master or doctoral degree studies.

Windrock Inc.Windrock offers courses to meet the needs of mechanics, operators and engineers at every level, from basic instruction for beginners to advanced training for seasoned analysts. Our instructors conducts classes at the Windrock training center, at various U.S. locations or at customer locations. This year, Windrock has begun hosting classes internationally. For a location near you, visit us at: www.windrock.com/training.

A dozen students enrolled in the gas compression program when it was launched in 2007-2008.

Ohio College ends compression coursesZane State College has deactivated its compression training program.

“The main issue was low enrollment in the program,” said Assistant Professor Paul Pasley. “It wasn’t due to the lack of effort to find candidates.”

Pasley said that oil and gas industry employment has been brisk in Ohio. “People were getting decent jobs without much training, so they didn’t see the need to take formal courses.”

The college’s Oil & Gas Engineering Technology program offered one-year

certificates in Lease Operations and in Compressor Station Operations, both of them focusing on technologies used in the Appalachian Basin. Peak enrollment was 30 students four years ago.

One student graduated from the program last December. Four graduated at the end of the spring semester – two from a dual oil and gas/compression technology program and two from the oil and gas technology program.

Pasley has accepted a position on the engineering faculty at Marietta College in southern Ohio.

Gas Compressor Association support The Gas Compressor Association

(GCA) contributes to college gas compression programs with revenues from its annual exposition and conference in Galveston, Texas.

This year, GCA provided financial support to five colleges: OSUIT, Panola, San Juan, Western Wyoming and Zane State.

Since 1992, the association has disbursed more than US$400,000 to its college partners. Also, GCA member companies have donated equipment, instructional support and guidance.

The association has encouraged the colleges to adopt standardized compression and pipeline technology curriculums, based on best industry practices and input from the midstream and upstream sectors. CT2

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compression school grads demand rising for education ... … · gas compressor association expo...

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