Natural Gas Midstream Engineering Minor Program
Natural Gas Midstream engineering is an important knowledge and core competency for the Oil & Gas (O&G) industry. Midstream engineering deals with Oil & Gas after it has been removed from the ground, but before it is sold to the consumers. Engineers and scientists design, build and implement practical solutions to real-world problems, including helping transport and transform raw hydrocarbons produced from an underground reservoir well into usable materials by the midstream sector using technology and engineering innovations that benefit our society.
Currently, there is no similar minor program offered in the state and nation. However, the importance and feasibility of the program have been supported by the Natural Gas Engineering faculty & industrial advisory board, who recognize the potential benefits students will obtain from acquiring basic knowledge and skillsets used in O&G midstream engineering.
The Department of Chemical and Natural Gas Engineering provides an opportunity to students at Texas A&M University – Kingsville to complete their undergraduate program by focusing on specialization in Natural Gas Midstream engineering. The courses available in the curriculum to fulfill the requirements of this minor program are well designed and fully recognized by the professional Oil & Gas community.
Two out of five professional courses fulfilling the criterion for a natural gas midstream engineering program have been developed and successfully included in the curriculum of the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University - Kingsville.
Details of five natural gas midstream engineering courses are provided as follows:
NGEN 3373 - Natural Gas Property Evaluation
The course is designed to give an overview on the definition of resources/reserves, formation evaluation (production forecast and reserves estimate), and petroleum economics. The students acquire the background of basic economics in evaluating an oil and gas property. The requirement also includes the engineering calculations that are needed for estimating cost and profit associated with a project. Pre-requisite NGEN/CHEN 3392.
Course learning objectives:
Students will learn the economic analysis and property evaluation techniques. At the end of the course, the student will be able to evaluate a petroleum project and identify economic, social, ethical and environmental factors affecting petroleum production and investment opportunities.
NGEN 4375 - Natural Gas Distribution
Pipeline and compressor station design. Pipeline integrity and environmental issues associated with pipeline placement and design. Prerequisite: NGEN/CHEN 3392.
Course learning objectives:
At the end of the course, students will be able to calculate hydrocarbon properties from
correlations, perform basic design of pipeline systems, basic design of pumps and compressors, use computer programs to aid in pipeline design, and basic design of pipeline networks.
NGEN 4383 - Natural Gas Processes
A comprehensive overview of design, operation and economics of systems for the utilization of hydrocarbon gases and liquids. It includes the property calculations of their components by absorption and fractionation processes, as well as the use of computer aided design and economic evaluation of facilities design.
Pre-requisite and/or Co-requisite NGEN 4389.
Course learning objectives:
The study of principles of operation, design, simulation, and economics of processing natural gas and the associated liquids. The project will demonstrate the use of commercial software tool (e.g. ASPEN plus or HYSYS) to execute the design task. By the end of the semester students should be able to:
- Fully understand all aspects of natural gas processing
- Be able to design by hand calculations and by computer simulation various components of natural gas processing plants
- Be able to perform economic analysis of a natural gas processing plant
NGEN 4382: Natural Gas Cryogenics and Storage
This course provides a comprehensive technical review of the compressed and liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry. The overview includes the cryogenic flow process of natural gas, LNG specific properties, equipments and technical processes, hazards associated with operations, hazard prevention and mitigation measures, LNG storage, loading/offloading and transportation. Use of computer aided simulation and economic evaluation of LNG facilities design is required. Prerequisite: NGEN 4389
Course learning objectives:
The study of principles of operation, design, storage, transportation, simulation, and economics of LNG processing. The project will demonstrate the use of commercial software tool (e.g. ASPEN or HYSYS) to execute the design task. By the end of the semester, the students should be able to:
- Fully understand all aspects of LNG processing, storage and transportation
- Design by hand calculations and computer simulation, the various components of LNG processing plants
- Be able to perform economic analysis of an LNG processing plant
NGEN 4478 – Hydrocarbon Measurement
Theory and practice of measurement of hydrocarbon gas and liquid properties and flow. Prerequisites: NGEN/CHEN 3392 and NGEN 4375.
Course learning objectives:
At the end of the course students will be able to:
- Design a hydrocarbon metering station
- Develop procedures to perform hydrocarbon measurement
- Understand measurement technology and the associated mathematical and physical principles
Students who seek to complete their undergraduate program with a minor in Natural Gas Midstream engineering must complete three courses with a grade of C or better in each out of the following four courses.
- CHEN 3310 - Heat Transport Phenomena
- NGEN 3373 - Natural Gas Property Evaluation*
- NGEN/CHEN 3392 - Fluid Transport Phenomena
- NGEN 4375 - Natural Gas Distribution
Subsequently, students need to complete three of the senior-level natural gas midstream engineering courses with a grade of C or better in each out of the following four courses.
- NGEN 4383 - Natural Gas Processes
- NGEN 4382 - Natural Gas Cryogenics and Storage*
- NGEN/CHEN 4389 – Separation Processes
- NGEN 4478 - Hydrocarbon Liquid and Gas Measurement
*Mandatory courses for the minor program
Students majoring in other engineering and science disciplines could use these skills to enhance their future employment opportunities in the field of O&G midstream, and can pursue their career as - Natural gas process engineer, Gas plant operations engineer, Transportation and pipeline engineer, LNG plant engineer, and Safety engineer in complying with natural gas environmental and safety regulations. Physical science students can gain a better understanding of how science is applied in practice.