Buckeye students tour drilling pad
NEW PHILADELPHIA (May 4, 2022) – Nearly 30 Buckeye Career Center Energy Operations students, staff members, and area dignitaries recently experienced a drilling well pad in operation. The April 28th trip was coordinated by Encino Energy and featured a visit to Encino’s Leeper well pad, located on the Carroll-Tuscarawas County line, near Sherrodsville.
Encino provided flame-resistant clothing for each attendee, along with hard hats and safety glasses. The Ohio Oil & Gas Energy Education Program or OOGEEP provided headsets for each person to wear and interact with tour guides during the trip. BCC students attended a similar trip in 2019 to an Encino well pad in Harrison County. Trip coordinator and Encino Energy’s Director of External Affairs Jackie Stewart believes the trip is essential for students to learn about career opportunities that are close to home. “The natural gas and oil industry is hiring. Encino is hiring and with the prolific Utica Shale right under our feet, we plan to invest in Ohio for a very long time,” said Stewart. “As the day went on it was clear that the kids started to see this reality firsthand and the students were getting more excited about opportunities in this career,” she said.
The trip also included speaking with a drill operator who works inside the “doghouse” or rig site command center. BCC Energy Operations program instructor Mr. Brandon Irwin was happy the students witnessed that part of the operation. “We watch a lot of videos and animations of it but it’s not the same as being there and seeing all of the minor details that go into it, in person. The employees were great to the kids and were very thorough and professional,” he said.
Ohio Senator Jay Hottinger and Tuscarawas County Commissioner Al Landis were instrumental in making the trip possible, as was Landis for the 2019 trip. Both Hottinger and Landis toured the facility with the students and expressed their gratitude to Encino and to the students for being open and accepting of learning more about oil and gas careers. “The opportunities are absolutely in your hands and what you do with it from this point on is up to you,” said Landis. Hottinger recounted hearing from an employee that moved to Ohio from Seattle for a job in the industry.” He came here specifically for these opportunities. I just don’t want young people here not to be aware of the great opportunities that are in their back yard,” Hottinger said.
Following the tour, attendees were treated to a lunch and learn presentation with Encino officials and OOGEEP’s Shawn Toy. Each student also received a swag bag of goodies.
BUCKEYE CAREER CENTER