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Overview

The oil and gas industry demands skilled field operators who understand the complexities of production processes, equipment, and safety protocols. SAIT’s Production Field Operations Certificate of Achievement equips you with the technical knowledge and practical skills you need to start or advance your career in upstream operations.

The program progresses through four comprehensive levels: Level A explores oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production fundamentals. Level B introduces production testing, instrumentation, and pumps. Level C focuses on valves, compressors, and gas field operations, while Level D explores advanced gas processing, including dehydration, fractionation, and corrosion control.

Whether you’re starting a career in oil and gas or looking to advance, you'll gain industry-relevant training that prepares you for roles like Field Operator, Pipeline Technician, and Well Test Operator, providing you with the technical expertise, real-world knowledge, and recognized credentials for a successful career in oil and gas field operations.

Upon successful completion of this certificate, you'll be able to:

  • explain the fundamentals of oil and gas exploration, drilling, and regulatory compliance, demonstrating an understanding of industry processes and safety protocols
  • classify and operate common artificial lift systems, including beam pumps, gas lifts, plunger lifts, progressive cavities, and submersible pumps, to optimize oil recovery
  • analyze oil and gas treatment and separation methods, including gas dehydration, sweetening, stabilization, and fractionation, to ensure process efficiency
  • evaluate gas compression and pumping systems, identifying compressor types, drivers, auxiliary equipment, and pump operation methods to support field operations
  • interpret and apply flow diagrams, instrumentation, and control systems, demonstrating the ability to read and troubleshoot industrial automation processes
  • assess and implement corrosion monitoring and control strategies to maintain infrastructure integrity and prevent equipment failure
  • differentiate between conventional and unconventional gas operations, discussing the Western Canadian unconventional gas industry and associated processing technologies.

Program outline

To successfully complete this certificate, you are required to complete four mandatory courses. Courses may be completed in any order.

Required courses & electives

How to register for this certificate

Once you have registered for any course offered in this certificate, you will be automatically eligible to complete the certificate. You will have up to three years to complete this program. You may track your progression by signing in to your Continuing Education student account.

Certifications and professional designations

Upon successful completion of all the required courses in this certificate program, you’ll receive an electronically issued SAIT Certificate of Achievement and transcript.

You’ll be able to self-print a proof of completion document from your Continuing Education student account. Please note parchments are not issued for individual courses.

Costs

This program consists of six mandatory courses with varying fees. Fees include access to all course-related materials and resources found in Brightspace (D2L).

Please review the individual course pages for this certificate to determine costs and to learn more about additional learning materials including textbooks.

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Financial support

Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants including the Canada Alberta Job Grant. 

Learn more

Careers and opportunities

Skills learned in this program can be applied to a variety of supervisory and management careers. Expect to start at the entry-level, and as you gain experience and additional education, your career opportunities will expand.

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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.

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