Lackawanna College Plans New Degree
In Natural Gas Technology
(Updated 4/17/09)

College to host information sessions for new Natural Gas Technology Program

The Natural Gas Technology major will introduce students to the industry, its rich history, and purposes/procedures in varied petroleum technologies including; exploration, drilling, production, processing, transportation, and marketing. It combines classroom and hands-on instruction with both career-specific and academic core courses. Subjects to be covered will also include Computer Applications, OSHA Regulations, and Industrial Safety.

Core courses will include English Composition, College Algebra, Business and Professional Speaking, Leadership and Microeconomics. A cooperative education experience will also be part of the curriculum. In addition to the technical knowledge, students will also develop communication and team-building skills.

“Demand for trained workers in the local gas production industry will grow very rapidly if we follow the experience of other parts of the country where drilling is already taking place,” says Lackawanna College’s President Raymond Angeli. “Though the coursework will be challenging in this major, the program will lead to good jobs and rewarding careers,” he added.

According to a study by the Joint Urban Studies Center on “The Economic Impact of Marcellus Shale in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” the initiation of gas drilling in various regions of the United States has led to significant growth in prosperity there and this region has the potential for such a trend. “There is the possibility of unprecedented wealth, employment jumps and significant population increases throughout the region,” the study reports.

In Denton County, Texas, the tapping of the area’s shale produced an increase in medium household income from $36,914 in 1990 to $66,792 in 2006.