Penn College News

Natural Gas Partners Updated at ShaleNET Gathering

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Christopher J. Legarski, a knowledge engineer with Discovery Machine Inc., outlines an immersive training tool that simulates the real world of wellfield tank-servicing. The module allows an employee to follow a prescribed procedure, step by crucial step,  within the safety of an artificial environment.Hub director John F. Strittmatter (left) with one of the day's key speakers, Peter Rozelle, from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy, Division of Advanced Energy Systems ...... and leading a tour of the full-size natural gas wellhead donated to ShaleNET U.S.The projected longevity of shale development is tracked by James R. Ladlee, associate director of Penn State's Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.Partners within ShaleNET's Eastern Region Hub gathered at Penn College on Wednesday for a variety of presentations and wide-ranging discussion of educational and occupational trends in the natural gas field. A number of industry representatives were on hand for the meeting, which was held in the Thompson Professional Development Center and included a video of student testimonials from a recent "roustabout" graduation. The daylong session concluded with a tour of the consortium's well-site trainer and the college's mechatronics lab, both in the Center for Business & Workforce Development.