Tech seeks lab equipment money

By Gerard O'Brien - 12/18/2008

Montana Tech officials made a plea to Congressman Denny Rehberg for a $140,000 budget appropriation for new lab equipment Wednesday, but also got a dose of some politics in return.

The request is for state-of-the-art lab equipment for the new natural gas lab to be housed in the $17.4 million, three-story Natural Resource Building under construction on the campus.

It is scheduled to be open in the spring of 2010. The building will also house the Bureau of Mines and Geology, a separate state agency.

Rehberg, a Republican, agreed to submit the request, but reminded Tech officials that the political winds have shifted in Washington, D.C.

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made it clear that funding for alternative energy will take precedence," Rehberg said.

With the price of gasoline dropping from a high of $4 a gallon this past summer, the mindset of the American public has shifted from demanding immediate off-shore drilling for oil to the economic crisis in general. The awareness of the need for more oil and gas drilling will likely not return to the national consciousness until the price begins to climb once again.

But that's not to say that the need for petroleum engineers has slowed, said Leo Heath, head of Tech's petroleum engineering department.

"We've not seen any change in students switching out of petroleum engineering," Health said. "And the average age of current engineers is 55, with many of them contemplating retirement," he said.

The petroleum department has grown from 171 to 307 students in the last three years, making Tech the seventh largest program in the U.S. The growth requires that Tech upgrade its lab facilities in the natural gas lab with top-notch equipment, officials said. All told, the new building will be able to house 400 students.

The petroleum engineering building has a wide range of support, as well, according to Chancellor Frank Gilmore.

"Total cost of the building is $17.4 million. Of that, the state funded $14.4 million, private industry and individuals contributed $2 million and the campus came up with the remaining $1 million," Gilmore said.

Halliburton alone has contributed $300,000 to lab equipment.

Rehberg said the process will likely take close to a year to wind its way through the appropriations maze. Funding could come as early as next October.

— Editor Gerry O'Brien may be reached via e-mail at gerry.obrien@lee.net.