ST. PAUL, Minn. – A course on “Environmental Protection in Shale Oil and Gas Development” is planned for 28 February 2013 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This day-long course will be taught by industry professionals from academia, contractors, engineers, installers and third party testing personnel. This course will cover valuable information pertinent to retrieving gas and oil in the Appalachian Basin. The instructors will educate attendees about applicable regulations, best development practices, techniques to ensure environmental protection during the process, and construction materials techniques to facilitate shale oil and gas development. Dr. Timothy D. Stark will lead the course and act as moderator. There will be an extensive network of industry professionals from which participants can draw knowledge and experience. The day will be packed with practical information that participants can implement into their projects immediately.
Speakers at the conference include David Yoxtheimer, Penn State, on groundwater protection during shale development, and Hunter Nolen, CDM/Smith, will be presenting on shale oil and gas development and the environmental challenges these processes present. Stan Slifer and Glen Knopp will talk about the use of drilling pad site liners and a representative from the U.S. EPA will discuss a study that was done on hydraulic fracturing. There a hands-on welding and testing demonstrations held immediately after lunch and at the end of the course with Frank Sinclair and Steve Hobbs. Many other speakers will also present during the course. A complete list of speakers and the entire schedule is available at www.fabricatedgeomembrane.com.
The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is sponsoring this event. Registration for Industry Professionals is $49 until February 21, 2013 and government employees and students are welcome free of charge. The course will be held at the Pennsylvania College of Technology Professional Development Center in Williamsport, PA. Participants are eligible for seven (7) professional development hours. To register for this event, go to fgishale.eventbright.com.
The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute is affiliated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Timothy D. Stark is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an expertise in Geotechnical and Geosynthetics Engineering. Dr. Stark has been teaching, researching, and consulting on geosynthetics, stability of manmade slopes, and design of waste containment facilities for more than 20 years. The FGI is an industry-sponsored institute at the University of Illinois focused on advancing the use of fabricated geomembranes through education, research, and technology transfer.
For more information on the FGI, contact Dr. Stark at +1 217-333-7394 or tstark@illinois.edu.
