For the students in Ms. Carver’s Engineering class and Engineering Independent
Study Club, the fascination and passion for engineering in the classroom is an everyday phenomenon. However, on April 23rd, those students were able to take their interests outside of the classroom as they traveled to Denton for a hands-on experience.
Ms. Carver, the faculty member in charge of the field trip, described the excursion as a chance for the students to “look at the challenges the industry is currently facing as well as to look at some of the hard science behind drilling an oil well.” Experts at Spindletop Oil & Gas Co. and at fracking company Baker Hughes presented the students with all kinds of petroleum engineering information, ranging from gel cross linking to rig safety.
Instead of just listening to the experts’ lecture in a room at company headquarters, the students visited an actual well site, where they viewed company equipment, employees, and operations in the field. Meeting with individual engineers, students were given a rundown on “not only how to dig a well and the science behind it, but also various career plans to choose in college where they could have a role in the petroleum engineering industry.” Additionally, they learned about the expanding nature of the oil and gas industry, the usage of oil and gas, and how the petroleum industry relates to the American economy and economies in countries worldwide.
Lacking a single dull moment, the students were kept on the edge of their seats as they indulged in the activities of life in the field. In fact, Chris Ayres ’15 described the funniest moment of the trip, when “[they] were eating lunch on the ranch, and the cows came over and starting eating all the salad.” The students all enjoyed the quirky moment as they took a break from their work in the field.
All in all, both students and teachers felt the trip was a huge success. Raving about the fruition of the trip, Ms. Carver said, “It was no doubt the best field trip we’ve taken.” Matching the fervor of his teacher, Chris O’Blenes ’15 explained, “The fact that we were in the field and saw how all the different operations worked was really cool. We got a hands-on experience instead of just getting told how it’s done.” The field trip intensified the students’ passion   for engineering, furthering both their knowledge and appreciation of the subject.
Pictures by Mrs. Carver
