Oil & Gas Industry Training Courses

Oil & Gas Industry Training Courses: New in 2011

Meet your workforce training needs with our 1-day courses. These oil and gas industry training courses are designed for anyone currently employed in the industry who wants to acquire knowledge and improve skills. To enroll in any course, call the School of Energy at 505-327-5705. Register over the phone; enrollment and billing paperwork will be handled on the day of the class.

Cost for each course includes San Juan College tuition & fees, and a materials fee.

Course Credit Hours New Mexico resident Out-of-state resident
0.5 $46.50 $82.50

Billing questions can be answered by Dedi Greenfield at the School of Energy, 327-5705, x241.

CATALOG of Course Offerings
For the current quarterly schedule of classes, click here.

Course Titles Course Descriptions
Introduction to the Wellhead
ENER 112		 Basic principles of wellbore, wellhead, and Christmas tree design and operation for lease operators (aka MSOs, field technicians, pumpers).  Standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions, leading to basic  operations and troubleshooting tasks.
Introduction to Separator and Tank
ENER 113		 Basic principles of separator and tank design for production operations. Includes standard terminology for effective communication regarding: principles of separation, separator components, preventive maintenance, and operational efficiencies; types of tanks, regulatory compliance, maintenance issues, and reasons for tank failure.
Introduction to Plunger Lift
ENER 116		 Basic principles of the design and operation of a plunger lift system and its relationship to the wellhead separator.  Standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding incremental deliquification for maximum uplift, maintenance issues, and potential malfunctions.  By understanding and correctly indentifying plunger lift system design and function, students will be able to perform basic operations and troubleshooting tasks.
Introduction to Pumping Unit
ENER 117		 Basic principles of the design and operation of a pumping unit, aka beam lift, and its relationship to the wellhead separator. Standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions.  By understanding and correctly indentifying pumping unit (surface equipment and downhole insert pump) design and function, students will be able to perform basic operations and troubleshooting tasks.
Introduction to Gas Lift
ENER 118		 Basic principles of the design and operation of gas lift. Standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions.  By correctly indentifying gas lift design and function, students will be able to understand how to operate and perform basic troubleshooting for gas lift wells.
Introduction to Gas Measurement
ENER 119		 Basic principles of the design and operation of gas measurement. Standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions.  Skills, techniques, and procedures to properly perform routine gas measurement and correctly document data to meet government regulations and company requirements. Additional topics: natural gas composition; types of meters; auxiliary equipment; sampling; inspection of measurement equipment; gas sales contracts & unaccounted-for (ghost) gas.
Introduction to Dehydration
ENER 120		 Basic principles of dehydration, dehydrator skid design, and operation for production operations. Includes standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions of skid components. Covers basic troubleshooting.
Introduction to Automation
ENER 121		 Basic principles of the design and operation of automation. Identifying automation equipment and its location on the well site. Terminology to promote effective communication regarding troubleshooting and potential malfunctions.  Offers an overview of generic automation components including the solar panel, RTU, host, end devices, etc. and includes rationale for and economic value of automation. Introduces digital multimeter (DMM) use.
Introduction to Natural Gas Compression
ENER 122		 Basic principles of compression, and compressor skid design and operation for production operations; includes standard terminology to promote effective communication regarding maintenance issues and potential malfunctions of skid components. Covers design and function for basic troubleshooting.
Theory of Line Locating
LSOP 230		 Basic theory of line locating including buried utility line and well location flow lines. Lecture and equipment training; students must be able to walk long distances, including steep inclines.
Special Topics:
ENER 299 courses		 Course Descriptions
Basic Electrical Theory Basic science of electricity: current flow, voltage, resistance, DC/AC circuits, reactive load, impedance, and basic concepts of electrical generation, etc., including basic electrical safety.
Basic Engine Theory Internal combustion engines: combustion characteristics, lean burn and rich burn engines, 3 major components required for combustion, etc.
Compressor Valves Basic compressor valve operation; how to use valves for optimization; includes repair and troubleshooting.
Emissions Detection, Analysis, and Control Chemical components of emissions; combustion control and emissions; emissions laws and standards; demonstrations and use of emissions analyzer.
Introduction to Oil & Gas Production Basics of oil and gas industry, focusing on production. Includes basic oil and gas field concepts; unique terminology of the oil industry; and the process of extracting oil and gas from thousands of feet underground, and delivering it through surface equipment for transfer to the wholesaler.
Multimeter/Flukes Use of the multimeter, a measuring tool/device, in all its capabilities—Ohms, capacitance, resistance, voltage AC/DC, etc.
Overview of the Natural Gas Industry Comprehensive look at natural gas from what it is, how it is produced and processed (upstream), to how it is marketed and transported (midstream), sold and used (downstream), including economic aspects of the industry. Intended for management, production workers, office and administrative staff—all who want to understand the complex industry in which they work.
Purging Air from a Vessel or System Presents the importance of removing any air/oxygen that has been allowed to enter a vessel or flowline during initial construction or during any remedial work performed on existing facilities. The air-to-methane ratio is dynamic because it is related to trapped or stopped gas pressure (PSIG) as an ignition source.  Students will learn how to purge air safely and effectively.
Reading Measurement Tools How to read precise measuring instruments, including  inside, outside, and depth micrometers, calipers, tape measures, etc.
Rotary Compressor Concepts Includes classroom theory of rotary screw compressors and hands-on disassembly and reassembly according to procedures.
Shaft Alignment Basic skills involving shaft alignment using a dial indicator; hands-on application with shafts connecting compressor to engine, and shafts connecting electric motor to pump.
The 3 What’s of Gas Measurement Course presents the three “what’s” of measurement – what it is, what affects it, and what can be done to keep it accurate. By understanding how production operations impact gas measurement, students will become more proactive in the identification and prevention of measurement errors.
Why Compression? Brief overview of where and how compressors were introduced to produce natural gas. Covers compressor use to accelerate the movement of gas while providing increased pipeline and reduced gathering-system pressures from the wellhead, through a treatment plant, to the “end user.” Basics of identifying external components of, and operating, a wellhead compressor skid. Includes discovering downtime reasons and safely returning the compressor skid to full operations.

See the Oil & Gas Industry Course Schedule for dates/times/locations of courses offered in the current quarter.

For more information, please call School of Energy at 505-327-5705.