GEOSCIENCES CERTIFIED FIELD TRAINING COURSE PEMEX-UANL/FCT: A SUCCESSFUL CASE OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

The main goals of the Department of Earth Sciences (FCT) of the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, are the creation, preservation and transmission of the scientific and technological culture in benefit of the society. In this sense, it forms and qualifies professionals, scientists and technicians to satisfy the needs for the economic and social development of Nuevo Leon state and Mexico as well. Petroleos Mexicanos Exploracion y Produccion (PEP) is a decentralized organism of the Mexican Federal Government. Their main purpose is to explore and develop, with leading edge technologies, new oil and gas deposits, in order to maximize their economic value to contribute to the sustainable development of Mexico. The growing world need of hydrocarbons, as well as the fact that they represent the most important Mexicoxs export, forces a higher efficiency in the exploration and localization of plays. In this way, PEP requires that its staff get a higher qualification for these purposes. For this reason, PEP collaborates closely with the FCT for together improve the knowledge and skills in Earth Sciences of selected professionals, studying geologic systems similar to those in the subsurface. This is achieved with the creation of a special training course, the Diploma in Earth Sciences. The instructors are experienced FCT Professors, PEP Experts and domestic and foreign Advisors. During 4 months of intensive training, that includes theoretical and practical courses, field work and integration and interpretation of the obtained results, the students obtain a certificate with curricular value. By means of the outcrop analysis, the characteristics of the petroleum systems are recognized in different sedimentary and tectonic scenarios. Geologists, Geophysicist, Palaeontologists, Oil Engineers, Mineralogists, and other Scientists are trained to a better understanding of the geologic models. With this knowledge and using modern technologies, is possible the accurate interpretation of the subsurface structures and strata diminishing the risks during the prospection. The graduates acquire important scientific skills, especially in hydrocarbon exploration. Undoubtedly the most important tool in getting the corresponding diploma is the effective teaching-learning process during their training.