Engineering Introduction
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Gas Operations
ENGR-10 Guest Lecture
November 7, 2013
Agenda for today’s presentation
Introduction
Education: Transferring to Cal
Internship: City of Palo Alto
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Natural Gas System Fundamentals
Engineering in the Natural Gas Industry
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About my education and beginning of my career
Chabot
1 Community
College
•
•
•
Fall 2005 – Spring 2007
2 UC Berkeley
•
•
Fall 2007 – Fall 2009
Internship opened many opportunities
3 Career
•
•
•
Still deciding what to major in: Architecture or Engineering
Much cheaper alternative than going straight to university
Graduated with B.S. in Civil Engineering
Led to full time position at City of Palo Alto
Began a career at the Pacific Gas & Electric Company
2
Two years at Chabot
Fall 05
First Semester
Spring 06
Second Semester
ARCH 2A
Arch Drawing & Graphics
3
CSCI 14
Introduction to C++
4
ENGL 1A
Critical Reading & Composition
3
ENGR 25
Computational Methods in Engineering
3
HIST 7
US History
3
MATH 2
Calculus II
5
MATH 1
Calculus I
5
PHYS 4A
General Physics
5
14
17
Fall 06
Third Semester
Spring 07
CHEM 31
Intro to College Chemistry
4
CHEM 1A General College Chemistry
5
ENGR 36
Engineering Mechanics - Statics
3
ENGL 4
Critical Thinking/Writing in Literature
3
GEOG 5
World Regional Geography
3
ENGR 22
Engineering Design Graphics
3
MTH 3
Multivariable Calculus
5
MTH 4
Elementary Differential Equations
3
PHYS 4B
General Physics
5
MTH 6
Elementary Linear Algebra
3
POLI 1
Intro to American Government
3
PHYS 4C
General Physics
5
SPCH 1
Fundamentals of Speech Communication
3
23
Fourth Semester
25
3
Transferred to UC Berkeley
Schoolwork
Extracurricular Activities


Took two and a half years
averaging 15 credits per
semester

Chose to specialize in
structural engineering

Course work at Berkeley is
much tougher than Chabot
-Study hard
-Develop good relationships
-Take advantage of available
resources
American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE)
-Concrete Canoe
-Steel Bridge
-Career Fairs

Chi Epsilon, National
Society of Civil Engineering
Honor Society
4
Internships
 Interned for the City of Palo Alto while at Chabot
•
•
•
AutoCAD experience was invaluable (ENGR 22)
Performed mapping and basic surveying for utilities
Continued working part time which led to a full time position
after graduation
 PG&E offers internships
•
•
•
147 college interns during Summer 2013
Mechanical, Civil and Electrical from 60 different colleges
‘Felt part of a team doing important work that’s helping make
PG&E the safest gas utility in the country.’
5
Career at PG&E
Management
Gas Engineer
▪
Codes & Standards
▪
– Developing standards and
– Supervisor
procedures
– Lots of research
– Manager
– Problem solving / process
– Director
improvement
▪
Many opportunities for
growth
Part of a team
– Work on cross-functional projects
– Rotational assignments
▪
Continue my education
– Professional Engineer
license
– MBA
6
Introduction to the
Natural Gas System
7
GAS PRODUCTION WELLS
8
PROCESSING
PLANTS
9
TRANSMISSION PIPELINES
10
COMPRESSOR STATIONS
11
STORAGE FACILITIES
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REGULATOR STATIONS
HIGH PRESSURE
regulator
valve
LOW PRESSURE
13
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
14
PG&E GAS CONTROL CENTER
TRANSMISSION
Brentwood
San Ramon
GAS SYSTEM
OPERATIONS
Redundant Facility
•
•
•
Oversee entire system 24/7
Respond to system alerts and calls
Dispatch repair crews
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TRANSMISSION
900 psi
10” - 42”
300 psi
150 psi
1/4 “ – 24”
60 psi
2 psi
DISTRIBUTION
These represent general sizes and pressures.16
HIGH PRESSURE
Engineering
Example
LOW PRESSURE
17
Freezing Regulator
18
Reason and possible solution
𝑃1 𝑃2
=
𝑇1 𝑇2
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KEEPING THE SYSTEM SAFE
PHOTO
INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
GROUND & AERIAL INSPECTION
PUBLIC AWARENESS
DAMAGE PREVENTION
FEDERAL DOT
OPERATOR QUALIFICATION
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Questions?
Feel free to email me if you have any questions:
L2H5@pge.com
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