Oilfield Technology Center

OVERVIEW:

Located just 15 minutes away from the main Texas Tech campus, the Oilfield Technology Center is a unique educational facility designed to serve both research and teaching needs. It gives undergraduate and graduate petroleum engineering students a hands-on experience in the design and operation of typical oilfield equipment.

Although primarily designed for use with the petroleum engineering curriculum in mind, the OTC can also be utilized for third party workforce development training. Testing of new downhole tools or production treating processes can also be done utilizing the resources available at the OTC.

EQUIPMENT:

The Red Raider No. 1 Well was drilled in 2001 to a total depth of 4,000' and cased with 9 5/8" production casing. Any fluid introduced in the test well can be pumped out and sent to the tank battery by way of a buried 3" polyethylene line. This unperforated well provides the capability of supporting research in artificial lift equipment and techniques as well as the development and testing of other cased-hole tools.

DRILLING:
Two well pads have been built to accommodate the drilling of two separate wells. A "spudder rig" will drill each well to a depth of 1,500' and a single string of 9 5/8" casing will be cemented in place in each well.

The Drilling Rig is in place and has been operational since Spring 2023.

With these two wells, the techniques and tools used for drilling and workover operations can be demonstrated. They also can be used for research purposes.

OTC has a full-scale working tank battery to demonstrate how oil, water, and gas are separated and prepared for sales or disposal.

A gas treating pad at OTC contains a static display of upstream gas treating equipment.

Roughneck Bootcamp

Each semester, the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering hosts a roughneck boot camp. This camp was created to give an overview for our foundational students to what to expect in the oil and gas industry. Students receive specialized professional development with Department Chair, Dr. Marshall Watson, industry experts, upper-division students, and departmental staff.

Also on-site at the OTC is a 4,800 square foot metal building that houses a 45 person classroom, office spaces, restrooms and a heated workshop-display area which provides space for exhibits of cut-away models of larger pieces of oilfield equipment.