Engineering the future: EQT Foundation grant boosts new WVU program focused on midstream petroleum engineering

A $500,000 gift to WVU from the EQT Foundation provides support to establish a namesake laboratory focused on petroleum and natural gas engineering at the Mineral Resources Building.

A $500,000 gift to West Virginia University is fueling laboratory renovations needed to launch a groundbreaking new midstream petroleum engineering program at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Story by Cassie Rice, Senior Communications Specialist, WVU Foundation
Photos supplied by the Statler College

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

The EQT Foundation is providing support for the construction, renovation, equipment and furnishings necessary to combine two existing labs at the Mineral Resources Building into one. The new space will be called the EQT Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Lab in honor of the company’s generosity.

The lab will support a newly developed online master’s degree, certificate program and introductory undergraduate course in midstream petroleum engineering, which involves the processing, transportation and storage of oil and gas. Samuel Ameri, professor and chair of WVU’s petroleum and natural gas engineering programs, said the new program will help fill a gap as the industry grows and many of the nation’s experienced energy professionals approach retirement.

“I am proud of the Statler College’s commitment and leadership in designing this first-of-its-kind master’s degree and certificate program,” Ameri said. “We are fulfilling a need for an educated workforce with specialized training to lead the world’s clean and affordable energy initiatives. With this new degree and certificate program, our graduates will outpace global competitors in their careers. As a premier Appalchian natural gas producer, it is fitting that EQT be one of the companies to play a pivotal role in this groundbreaking program.”

The midstream petroleum engineering program is expected to launch in fall 2024.

The program and state-of-the-art EQT Lab will help WVU continue to attract top students, offer unique learning opportunities and partner with industry leaders as one of only four universities nationwide with a program in petroleum and natural gas engineering recognized by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

EQT representatives host an information session for students at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. The company has provided generous support to WVU for more than 15 years.

The EQT Foundation is the philanthropic extension of EQT Corporation, the nation’s largest producer of natural gas with operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Via the EQT Foundation, the company has provided generous support to WVU for more than 15 years – including several awards to aid the Statler College.

“This latest award to the WVU Foundation furthers our commitment to developing a workforce that is equipped with the skills and expertise to help advance and improve our industry for generations to come,” Ellen Rossi, president of the EQT Foundation, said. “The energy industry is ever-evolving, and having a partner in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at WVU that understands the opportunities in our industry is invaluable.”

The WVU Foundation recently honored EQT with the 2023 award for Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation in recognition of the company’s exceptional commitment to the University and its land-grant mission.

The EQT Foundation helps communities prosper through focused giving. Since its inception, the EQT Foundation has awarded more than $74 million to nonprofits throughout the operational footprint of EQT Corporation, reflecting a commitment to support the education and training of children and adults; the development of diverse, livable communities; and the preservation of natural environments.

All grants from the EQT oundation are made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

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