Culminating Blog

    From working with my mentor, Jose Quintero and his job firm of PG&E I gained a lot of knowledge and made me really open my eyes. During my hours working with my mentor I was able communicate with my mentor and build off from any of his ideas and have an overview of anything I'd like to pursue later on in life. Working with my mentor and PG&E I was also able to collaborate with my mentor and share ideas and viewpoints on different issues and jobs that need to be completed. Being on an actual PG&E site called for critical thinking and communication because you need to see if a pipe would fit/work and how the construction or replacement of the pipe affect those around it. We collaborated with different engineers and we all gave our insights on a specific job that would later on help us get this job completed.

     From this Capstone experience I was able to get a sense of what an actual engineer does and I how I would feel about and whether or not I'd want to pursue this career. Working with my mentor and his fellow coworkers it made me realize that you can't do a job on your own. You need to talk and collaborate with people from other departments and different positions in order to get a job done and to get the job done right. Since I'm not really good with working with a team it kind of helped me and it helped me work with others in order to get something done. During this project I also learned that it is okay to ask questions, when ever there was a meeting the PG&E engineers would all have questions to ask about their project they were working on. By asking questions people were able to get something clarified and also feedback/insight from other engineers with different jobs. I learned that there is nothing wrong with asking questions, it is better to ask questions and get the job done right than to go into a job blindly. It helped me become more social because everyone there was so friendly and always willing to help and how you need to be friends with each other in order to have each others help for working on a project.

     Some challenges I faced were being shy and talking to people I didn't know. I'm calm and myself with people that I've known for a long time. I overcame this challenge by talking with others and talking about similar jobs and projects that they had going on. I also faced the challenged of being nervous and shy to ask questions because I didn't want to look dumb or stupid in front of the others when and if I had a question where I was confused. I was able to overcome this challenge because during the meetings almost every engineer had a question and something they needed clarification on. I also learned that you need to review your work and see if you're going in the right direction of the project. This Capstone project made me realize that many things need to be taken into account like people's safety and that in order to get a job done it's going to take more than just you to get the project done.

The 7th Job May 3, 2014

On Saturday May 3rd I met with my mentor, Jose Quintero at his house. While there we went back to Orchard Supply Hardware and bought some pvc pipes. We then returned back to his house and began connecting the pipes the together. Jose provided a pipe cutter and also a replica of a pig launcher just smaller so it would be able to fit inside the pvc pipes. To add compressed air we used a motorized machine that exerted pressured air. The machinery did not exert enough pressure to move the pig inside the pipe and also seemed to be leaking air though the cabling before actually reaching the pipe.
















Time logged for this session: 3 hours
Total time logged: 25 hours

The 6th Job May 2, 2014

On Friday May 2nd, I met with my mentor at Philz Coffee in Westborough. Once arrival we briefly discussed the excavation and the replacing of the pipe from our last meeting together. Together we then went to Orchard Supply Hardware. While we were there we made a quick little model and demonstration of a pipe with pvc piping. We decided that the next visit would be tomorrow and actually fully built a model with a model pig launcher and miniature valves.













Time logged for this session: 2 hours
Total time logged: 22 hours

The 5th Job April 28, 2014

On Monday April 28, 2014 my mentor and I met up at a starbucks and we watched a couple of videos about pig launching and reviewed how sometimes when replacing a section of pipe, it isn't shut off but it is merely made to go around the section in order to still be able to use that gas and not having to shut off the gas completely. We watched a couple of videos on how pipes are welded and replaced similar to what we were watching at the site in the last job this last Saturday. Another video we watched was on how pipes are sometimes trimmed down or sandblasted in order to get all the rust off the pipes or any sections that are beginning to oxidize. We resumed conversation on how pipes should be able to withstand the weight of cars and trucks crossing on top. The surface that the pipe is under should be able to spread out the weight and pressure from whatever is on top of the pipe and surface.













Time logged for this session: 3 hours
Total time logged: 20 hours

The 4th Job April 26, 2014

On Saturday April 26th my mentor, Jose Quintero, and I went an observed an actual PG&E construction site near San Ramon. Before arriving to the site we were required to wear a long sleeve shirt or sweater which was mandatory, everyone was also required to wear a hard hat for safety. Once arrival there was a meeting with the supervisors and all the construction workers. In the meeting gathering everyone was giving the safety procedures and guidelines, and also time for the workers to ask any questions they had concern with. Once the meeting had ended the workers took their respective areas and jobs and began to work. The channel where the pipe was going to be inserted was already dug up. My mentor and I observed the whole projected while he also made sure the final edits to the blue prints went through and will be used. The gas was shut off throughout the whole circuit of pipes in order to replace a section of the pipe. The workers used a monkey claw type of machinery tool to place the pipe in the ditch. While in the ditch it was welded on to each of the different pipes that were on each side of the newly placed pipe. Once the pipe was welded, a pig launcher was placed in the pipe used to see if the gas would be able to flow and see how much pressure it can withstand. We then went to get lunch and we discussed what we saw and why they take all the procedures they take. We then discussed the next steps they would be taking to finish replacing the section of the pipe.









Time logged for this session: 6.5 hours
Total time logged: 17 hours

The 3rd Job March 24, 2014

On Monday, I met with my mentor, Jose Quintero. I met with Mr. Quintero at San Ramon at the PG&E headquarters. upon arrival my mentor gave my fellow peer and I the safety rules and procedures if something were tio happen. For example, which way to exit and were to meet up or where to go in case of an emergency. After, he led us to one of his meetings he was having, we introduced purselves and gave them an overview of why we were there and what we were planning on getting out of our visit there. At the meeting, several engineers gathered around and were talking about future projects they were going to be working on. They also asked several questions that they needed help with or that another engineer could help clarify. After that first meeting, Mr. Quintero led us to a secong meeting that he was going to have and in that meeting they started off with safety procedures and clarifying where the exits are and where to meet up incase anything were to happen. Then in the meeting they were discussing other projects and new standards that were switching or coming up. Standards are pretty much rules that engineers have to follow for safety, and they are changing all the time. In the meeting, they also discussed new tools and new procedures that the PG&E engineers could follow. A lot of questions were also being asked at this meeting, engineering involves a lot of questions and a lot of help from a lot of people. Once the meeting was over, the mentor took us to starbucks and gave us an overview of the PG&E history and how their is an abundant amount of natural gas. Since natural gas is odorless, a strong odor is added so incase of a leak, people are aware of the smell and realize what is happening. After, we headed back to the PG&E offices and got a tour of the different floors. At the headquarters their are people who specifically buy and sell stocks, other engineers are using demographics to make sure the pipes and everything can smoothly since the Earth is uneven. Other workers, actually draw out the blueprints, while other engineers watch a satellite image and observe everything to make sure everything is safe. We then met with with another engineer who reviewed and revised Mr. Quintero's work and projects, he inspected it thoroughly and made revisions and took some things out. We then went to have lunch and discussed engineering and what you must do for every project and a recap of the whole day. Next time we meet with the mentor we're going to meet with him and actually go and see an actual project and its construction.








Time logged for this session: 8 hours
Total time logged: 10.5 hours

The 2nd Job March 17, 2014

The 2nd Job March 17, 2014

Today Monday, was the second time I have met with my mentor, Jose Quintero, a pipeline expert and civil engineer for PG&E. We met a Starbucks again, we all arrived and Jose handed me a waiver/permission slip that his boss gave him in order for me to be able to accompany him to an ordinary day in the office and an actual work site. Jose also gave me and a fellow peer the basics on how to put a pipe and/or replace a pipe underground. I learned that in order to be able to replace a pipe, you must first use a pig, which is a device that is shot through the pipes and picks up where exactly the problem is and what kind of problem it is. In order to do this though, you must shut off the valve so there isn't any gas flowing through the pipes. Jose also went over hula pressure (if I'm not mistaken) and that is, that before any pipe is actually put into the ground and welded, it is tested for safety/safety code. In order to test it, the pipe is sealed at both ends and gas is forced in there, then they observe how much psi that pipe can actually withstand. They force incredible amount of pressure that the pipe can withstand so they can know that the pipe can withhold any pressure under that. They never want to use the 100% of pressure in the pipe and always use 70% or 80% of the max pressure it can hold. Then once put into the ground, the pipe is covered with sand., allowing it to slightly move if anything were to happen like that of an earthquake. That way if anything were to ever happen like an earthquake or an 18-wheel truck passes over it, the force would be spread out evenly among the pipe and not at one single point or it'll burst. Once the new pipe has been placed into the ground, the pipe it is going to be weldded to is sawed or scratched off in order to get to new part of metal. That way the new pipe won't be welded on to rusty. Mr. Quintero also gave us an overview about college and what it takes to succeed and how to approach the issue of any financial problems that we might be facing due to college. he also explained how no matter where you came from or how you grew up, if you work hard enough you can accomplish anything you want. On my next meeting with Mr. Quintero he will take me and my fellow peer to an ordinary day in the office.


Time logged for this session: 1.5 hours

Total time logged: 2.5 hours