Marcellus Shale: The Industry and Its Opportunities
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Posted On :
May-20-2013
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Article Word Count :
755
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The Marcellus shale industry has been booming for a few years now. It’s an area that attracts both curiosity and criticism and has had a significant impact on the Eastern United States.
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The Marcellus shale industry has been booming for a few years now. It’s an area that attracts both curiosity and criticism and has had a significant impact on the Eastern United States. It’s therefore necessary that individuals not only understand Marcellus shale but also the opportunities the industry has created.
Understanding Marcellus Shale
Marcellus shale is an extensive underground sedimentary rock formation, which occupies subterranean areas of the Eastern US in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. This rock is intriguing to many because of its potential. Within the Marcellus shale are coal and gas, resources which are valuable to this country. These materials became trapped within the layers of rock throughout several years of formation and pressure and now reside within the joints of rock. An estimated 300+ trillion cubic feet of gas alone is perhaps locked inside of the shale, which would supply the Eastern US with 14 years’ worth of natural gas.
Understandably, taking advantage of this energy source has been difficult due to its underground location. However, methods have been developed in recent years to make Marcellus shale access easier. The primary way to obtain shale resources is through the process of hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing, or “fracking,” functions by introducing pressurized liquid and chemicals into shale. The intense pressure then causes holes and cracks to form in the rock, from which oil can be extracted.
Though people express concerns about the shale industry’s effect on the environment, such as disturbing animal habitats, local governments endeavor to maintain environmental safety. The government aims to make Marcellus shale drilling a positive force, and Eastern states have enjoyed benefits from the industry. Chief among these benefits are city and state revenue from industry-related taxes, monetary benefits to landowners who have consented to allowing fracking on their property and perhaps more importantly an increase in employment opportunities within the shale industry.
Marcellus Shale Employment
The Marcellus shale industry has necessitated the skills of various specialized workers. Obtaining natural gas from shale has created jobs for individuals in such fields as transportation, construction, engineering, repair and more. Individuals in these lines of work have been able to function as roustabouts, service unit operators and drillers, among other positions.
Roustabouts – These professionals carry out a wide variety of duties throughout day-to-day drilling operations. Roustabouts clean equipment, employ the use of detectors to find system leaks and repair oil field machinery.
Service Unit Operators – Service Unit Operators ensure the overall efficiency and functioning of the drilling process. Some duties include engine and equipment inspections to detect and prevent malfunctions, driving trucks to drilling sites and operating water pumps to remove debris from shale.
Drillers – Drillers are responsible for the drilling process itself. In addition to performing oil drilling, such individuals also train crews of workers on proper procedures, ensure maintenance of drill rigs and maintain records of how much and where drilling was performed.
Marcellus Shale Education and Job Training
Before these skilled workers can be effective members of the drilling industry, each must have the knowledge required to perform essential functions. It should be no surprise, though, that Marcellus shale job training is quite common in east coast institutions. Students training for careers in the shale industry can expect to learn their trade from a variety of applicable courses. Courses and/or full programs of study may focus on areas such as:
Welding – Individuals pursuing a certified welding education or a general oil training program will learn different types of welding, such as arc welding and downhand welding.
Heavy Equipment Safety – The shale industry requires daily exposure to and possible handling of heavy machinery. As such, those training for shale jobs will have to be knowledgeable of heavy equipment safety.
Land-Based Rigging – To effectively carry out shale drilling processes on a jobsite, shale workers will need a basic knowledge of land-based rigging and safety. Individuals who will potentially work as drillers, must understand land-based drill machines.
Marcellus shale has the potential to be a boon the the Eastern US. Drilling could in fact provide this part of the country with a continuous supply of natural gas for years to come. The emergence of the shale-related industry has also driven economic growth and job opportunities for skilled workers. With adequate Marcellus shale job training, thousands of new workers could help the country realize its goal of a greater at-home energy store and improved efficiency.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Marcellus Shale: The Industry and Its Opportunities_265645.aspx
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Author Resource :
The author has an immense knowledge on Marcellus shale job training. Know more about job training related info in his website http://www.pti.edu/programs/school-of-trades-technology
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Keywords :
Marcellus shale job training, pti.edu,
Category :
Reference and Education
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Reference and Education
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