Students in the Petroleum Engineering program at ESPOL’s Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT) took a technical field trip to Pacifpetrol S.A. in Ancón, Santa Elena province, on Thursday, August 30, with the aim of gaining firsthand knowledge of the processes involved in the hydrocarbon industry and supplementing the knowledge acquired in the classroom.
The activity was designed for students enrolled in the following courses: Introduction to the Hydrocarbon Industry, Geology for Petroleum Engineers, Reservoir Engineering I, Well Completion and Workover, and Formation Evaluation II. The visit was led by Cecibel Castillo, M.Sc., coordinator of the Petroleum Engineering program, along with Professor Christian Sánchez, M.Sc., and Petroleum Laboratory technician Janner Galarza, M.Sc., with 20 students participating.
During the tour, participants observed the assembly of a workover rig, while the company’s engineer in charge explained how each piece of equipment involved in these operations works. This experience allowed the students to gain firsthand knowledge of the procedures involved in well workover activities.
As part of the field trip, they also visited the “Casa Bomba” station, where they measured the fluid level in a storage tank and determined the API gravity and BSW content of the fluid received at the station before it was transferred to the refinery. These activities helped strengthen the technical skills of future professionals through the practical application of concepts covered in their academic training.
The technical visit reaffirms the importance of the partnership between academia and the private sector, as it provides learning opportunities that expose students to real-world scenarios in the hydrocarbon industry and better prepare them to meet the challenges of professional practice and the needs of the energy sector.
Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs
SDG 4. Quality Education
SDG 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 17. Partnerships for the Goals
