HOME READING # 2

THE SYSTEM OF PETROLEUM EDUCATION IN RUSSIA

Our country has always paid great attention to the education of petroleum engineers. Soon after the October Revolution in September 1918 the Soviet Government publish ed the Decree about the organization of the Moscow Mining Academy. Later in 1930 a separate petroleum institute singled out from this Academy and we call this institute the Russian State Oil and Gas University named after Gubkin. Since that time the level of petroleum education has grown.

At present the system of petroleum education in our country comprises special petroleum universities with their branch es and some faculties in several polytechnical institutes and universities. Together with traditional specialities such as “ drilling, production and reservoir engineering ”, “geological and geophysical prospecting of oil and gas fields ”, “ refining and petrochemical processes”, “reservoir engineering and production methods”, “ pipeline transportation ”, “petroleum economics” – a great number of new specialities have appeared. Nowadays students are studying 59 petroleum specialities and it is difficult even to enumerate them.

A typical oil university has usually several (from 5 to 8) faculties and the educational period lasts 5 years. These universities usually provide not only full-time education but also part-time and extra-mural (заочный) (correspondence) departments. The main idea (method) of education at all the departments is based on the unity of academic, practical and research education. Future engineers study in well-equipped laboratories and workshops, computer classes and reading-rooms. They are mastering mathematics and physics, chemistry and drawing, strength of materials and foreign languages. As to foreign languages they study English, French or German languages.

All our higher educational institutions prepare our petroleum engineers in close connection with their future work and they have their practical training at oil refineries, oil fields and pipeline construction sites. During their studies at a typical petroleum university many students start their independent research work in students’ scientific societies. They carry out special investigations in the laboratories of the university under the guidance of experienced teachers.

Petroleum

As we know from ancient manuscripts man first began to apply petroleum already some centuries B.C. (Before Christ – до нашей эры). Ancient people knew different properties of oil and used it for various purposes. They caulked their ships and boats with oil and made their clothes waterproof. They used petroleum as a cheap and efficient lubricant. Ancients discovered curing (лечебный) properties of oil and used it in medical treatment of some diseases. Besides, they utilized petroleum for the illumination of their dwellings and even as the incendiaries in frequent war battles.

Only since 19 century A.D. (Anno Domini – нашей эры) people have begun to use petroleum as one of the most important sources of energy. The commercial production of this valuable fuel has led to the development of modern petroleum industry.

Petroleum is a combustible oily liquid which occurs in sedimentary rocks of the Earth’s crust. Petroleum usually forms and accumulates in geological traps at the depths of 1,200 – 2,000 m and deeper. Very often petroleum engineers drill deeper wells (up to 6,000 m).

Petroleum is a liquid which consists of different hydrocarbons (compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Besides, oil often contains smaller amounts of sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen. Petroleum is a substance with a characteristic smell. The odour of petroleum depends on the nature, composition and quantity of hydrocarbons and different impurities. The colour of oil varies from light brown to dark brown, nearly black. The heavier the oil, the darker is the colour. Oil is much lighter than water. It doesn’t dissolve in water and forms a thin rainbow filmon its surface. As oil doesn’t conduct electricity, people use some of its products in manufacturing of insulators. All sorts of petroleum are combustible. At present, petroleum is the most important fuel and energy source because of its high calorific value.

Words and phrases to learn by heart from Russian into English:

1. to pay great attention to - уделять большое внимание

2. to publish - опубликовать

3. branch - филиал

4. drilling - бурение

5. production - добыча (нефти)

6. reservoir engin ee ring - разработка пласта-коллектора

7. prospecting of oil fields - разведка нефтяных месторождений

8. refining processes - процессы по переработке

9. pipeline transportation - трубопроводный транспорт

10. full-time education - дневное обучение

11. part-time education - вечернее обучение

12. well-equipped lab o ratories - хорошо оборудованные лаборатории

13. oil refinery - нефтеперерабатывающий завод

14. research work - исследовательская работа

15. to carry out investigations - проводить исследования

16. pr o perties of oil - свойства нефти

17. l u bricant - смазочный материал

18. treatment of diseases - лечение болезней

19. illumination of dwellings - освещение жилищ

20. v a luable fuel - ценное топливо

21. combustible oily liquid - горючая маслянистая жидкость

22. sedim e ntary rocks - осадочные породы

23. composition of hydrocarbons - химический состав углеводородов

24. c o mpounds of carbon and hydrogen – химические соединения углерода и водорода

25. impurity - примесь

26. to dissolve in water - растворяться в воде

27. rainbow film on the surface - радужная плёнка на поверхности

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