Program for training a measurement technician
- Lone Star Gas Co., Iowa Park, TX (United States)
In the early 1970`s when the price of gas went from an average of 17 cents per thousand cubic feet to $$2.00 and the words {open_quote}take or pay{close_quote} became prevalent, many companies started thinking about advanced training programs. Many organizations, such as ours, had basically used the {open_quotes}hands on or the on the job training approach.{close_quote} Utilization of these methods often fostered bad habits, as well as, a lack of standardization in our organization. Additional price increases for gas became the standard until the bottom fell out of the oil patch around 1983. Other factors in the early 1980`s generated the need for greater training efforts that have not slowed down as of yet, and the greatest factor has been technology. Remote terminal units, flow computers, transducers, analog 10`s, audit trails, MMBTU`s, real time measurement, Therm Titrators and Danalizers are just a few of the terms or items that we started utilizing in the early eighties that we now generally accept in our day to day activities. However; as we have moved through these stages, there appears to be even a greater sense of urgency to become better trained. Gas prices are now less than $$1.00 per thousand. Open access moves greater volumes with considerably less margins just so we can get in on the action. These new measuring stations at transportation connects have reached complexities never imagined before requiring measurement technicians to posses knowledge and skills that simply cannot be acceptable as {open_quote}getting by.{close_quote} The smallest errors can mean losses in the thousands of dollars each day if not corrected, and they are totally unacceptable by those we do business with in a complex industry as ours today. In periods such as the gas industry is facing today, it is easy to enter periods of austerity, make budget cuts and generally reduce effective training programs.
- OSTI ID:
- 146359
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950553-; TRN: 95:007831-0121
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International school of hydrocarbon measurement, Oklahoma City, OK (United States), 16-18 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the seventieth International School of Hydrocarbon Measurement; PB: 811 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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