Oil & Gas Technical Exhibition draws hundreds of students, community members to campus

Marietta, Ohio (11/10/2017) — For Julia Losco '21 (Wexford, Pennsylvania) and Alex Dimon '21 (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), the first-ever Marietta College Oil & Gas Technical Exhibition was successful in achieving its goal.

The event, which was held in the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center on Friday, featured more than 50 businesses working within the oil and gas industry and showcased the latest technologies being used in the field. Students and visitors could also participate in about a dozen breakout sessions on topics ranging from multiphase measurement to water supply options along the Ohio River to meet producer/manufacturer needs.

"This is a great opportunity to learn about all the stages of drilling and production," Losco said. "And we also get to meet people working in our industry."

Dimon said the displays and the professionals staffing them helped bridge the gap between what he was studying in the classroom and how that knowledge is used in the field.

The day-long event was organized by the Energy Business Alliance (EBA) at Marietta College and the American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE).

Calum Streeter, the Chief Operating Officer of EdgeMarc Energy Holdings and the President of the Appalachian Basin Chapter of AADE, was the keynote speaker and also staffed a display representing his company.

"I think it's great for students to meet the companies that they will eventually work for, and also see the tools and technology being used in our industry," Streeter said. His keynote speech touched on health and safety, as well as a focus on the people working within the industry.

"We need to be good stewards of our contracted employees," he said, regarding companies committing to safe working environments. He added that the industry is hiring, and that companies have a responsibility to treat employees well.

Derek Krieg '19 (New Matamoras, Ohio), Evan Levine '18 (McDonald, Pennsylvania) and Sebastian Ziaja '20 (Lake Forest, Illinois) were co-coordinators of the event, and received addition help from Alex Hofmeier '18 (Liberty Township, Ohio), Dustin Hale '20 (Middle Point, Ohio), Nate Klaiber '18 (Kane, Pennsylvania), Aaron Smith '18 (Erie, Pennsylvania) and Jay Chapin '19 (Hebron, Ohio).

"We started asking companies in the spring if there was an interest to be a part of something like this," Krieg said. "We asked well over 100 companies and ended up with 51 being able to participate."

Ziaja said each presenter was willing to spend time educating students and curious community members on the technologies being used in oil and gas exploration.

"They're giving full-blown explanations about the technology and they're doing a great job educating us on procedures," Ziaja said.

Krieg was happy to see so many current students having opportunities to network with industry representatives.

"This is giving us a chance to take our education out of the classroom, to handle equipment and ask questions, and also to make professional connections in the industry," Krieg said.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy begun in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers 45 majors and has been listed among Colleges of Distinction and Peterson's Competitive Colleges, and has been recognized as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, as well as one of the nation's best by Forbes.com.

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