By Scott Self
From left, Texas Tech Interim President Lawrence Schovanec, Apache Corp. President and COO Rodney Eichler, Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance, and Apache Corp. Vice President-Permian Region John Christmann.
Officials at Texas Tech and Apache Corp. have announced a $2 million donation to the university’s Whitacre College of Engineering that will establish the Apache Upstream Research Center in the new Petroleum Engineering Research Building.
“Apache Corp. is an industry leader and a great corporate partner, ” said Kent Hance, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. “Its commitment to the Permian Basin, environmentally responsible fracking and future petroleum engineers is unmatched. We thank them for their contribution to Texas Tech that is benefiting our research enterprise, faculty, and students.”
This center will be an important aspect of the new Petroleum Engineering Research Building’s laboratories, focused on the latest environmentally responsible fracturing techniques including horizontal well drilling, rock mechanics, the energy-water nexus, wellbore integrity, and well cementing. Research will be conducted in the center by faculty members from multiple engineering disciplines and will advance the leading edge of fracturing procedures and environmentally responsible practices.
“Apache and the entire industry rely on cutting-edge technology such as horizontal drilling in tight shale and it is vital that the next generation of petroleum engineers come prepared to use the most advanced levels of technology and innovation, ” said John Christmann, vice president of the Permian region for Apache. “We hope this donation plays a role in helping the center to develop these bright young engineers at Texas Tech to their fullest.”
jaypee
Michael Lewis
Pat Grew