Nathan Rakestraw, Program Coordinator
223B Advanced Technology Center (ATC), Fairmont (304) 534-7807
Nathan.Rakestraw@pierpont.edu
Program Purpose
The Certificate Degree Program in Petroleum Technology is designed to prepare students for employment in the upstream oil and gas industry. As the exploration and development of petroleum and shale gas resources expands in the Marcellus, Utica and other regional geological formations, excellent employment opportunities exist throughout this region and across the country for students who complete this program.
The program includes 30 credit hours of study. Of the 30 hours, 9 are general education courses and 21 are specific to the petroleum industry. This program prepares students for continuation into the Associate of Applied Science Degree Program in Petroleum Technology or for direct employment into the emerging oil and gas industry. The curriculum focuses on the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required for success in technician-level jobs within the upstream petroleum production industry.
Admission Requirements
Students must meet the general admission requirements of Pierpont Community & Technical College. Incoming expectations include, but are not limited to, pre-requisite courses. For example, a course may not require any specific coursework, but the course assumes students have a working knowledge of certain math concepts.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Certificate Degree in Petroleum Technology, graduates will be able to do the following:
- Demonstrate a functional knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of a technician associated with petroleum production such as a roustabout or entry level lease operator
- Demonstrate the ability to perform safely the skills commonly associated with a technician working as a roustabout or entry level lease operator
- Demonstrate a functional knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of a roustabout or floorhand working in land-based rotary drilling.
- Demonstrate the ability to perform safely the basic skills commonly associated with a technician working as a roustabout or floorhand including working with rotary tongs, elevators, and slips
- Demonstrate the ability to recognize hazards commonly found in drilling and production operations