-

Petrohawk Energy Corporation broke ground Thursday on its regional headquarters in Shreveport.

The 70,000-square-foot facility will house 150 employees, including 50 new positions to be filled this year. It will open in the first quarter of 2012. The two-story building cost $15 million. It is located at the corner of Knight Street and East Preston Street.

Prevot Design Services designed the building, and McInnis Brothers Construction is building it.

Petrohawk CEO Floyd Wilson said the facility is just a small portion of the $5 billion the company has spent in northwest Louisiana since the Haynesville Shale natural gas deposit came into play in 2008.

“It is a concrete symbol for our commitment to the area,” he said. “The future is not without headwinds, “» but what we do know is that we will be drilling wells here for the next 30 to 40 years.”

Construction crews have been busy preparing the site over the last few weeks.

Where what used to be the Champion Links golf course and driving range, now sits two man-made ponds, filled with water and pumped from the Red River for a process called hydraulic filling, which helps settle the foundation for the site.

Wilson and other Petrohawk executives were joined by Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker and other local politicians and business leaders for the ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday. Both mayors praised Petrohawk for its investment in the community.

“We are excited about what this new dimension of energy means to this area and our people,” Glover said. “Good luck and God bless Petrohawk.”

Original Article

PROCESS TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY – DEADLINE 13 MAY

Shell is currently offering $2,200 scholarships to students who are currently enrolled in or are planning to enroll in any of the following two-year degree programs:
o   Process/Production Technology
o   Petroleum Technology
o   Compressor/Compression Technology
o   Electrical/Electronics Technology
o   Industrial Maintenance Technology
o   Instrumentation/Analyzer Technology
o   Machinist/Mechanical Technology

HOW TO APPLY?

To learn more about this scholarship and/or apply, please visit the Center for the Advancement of Process Technology (CAPT) website at: www.captech.org and click on the Student/Student Scholarships tabs.
Additional Questions? Contact Madi Elkins: Melkins1@com.edu, Tel: (409)933-8100.