Port Arthur LNG Invests $10,000 to Upgrade LSCO Industrial Training Equipment
October 8, 2026
Lamar State College Orange will upgrade a key piece of industrial training equipment thanks to a $10,000 investment from Port Arthur LNG, helping ensure students in the college’s Instrumentation, Process Operating and Electromechanical Technology programs continue to train with technology reflective of today’s industrial workplace.
The investment will fund an upgraded distributed control system, or DCS, for LSCO’s Custom Process Trainer. The hands-on training system allows students to develop skills using equipment designed to replicate processes and components found in industrial facilities.
The trainer’s existing control system had become outdated, placing the equipment at risk of being decommissioned. The investment from Port Arthur LNG will allow LSCO to modernize the DCS, extend the useful life of the trainer and continue providing students with hands-on learning opportunities.
“This investment is about much more than upgrading a piece of equipment. It is about ensuring our students are learning with technology that prepares them for the careers waiting for them across Southeast Texas,” LSCO President Dr. Wendy Elmore said. “We are incredibly grateful to Port Arthur LNG for recognizing the importance of investing in our students and in the workforce of our region. Community funding like this allow education and industry to work together to build a stronger talent pipeline for Southeast Texas.”
The upgrade will also strengthen the connection between LSCO’s training environment and the workplace. Port Arthur LNG utilizes similar process trainers at its facility, creating an opportunity for LSCO students to gain experience with equipment and control technology representative of what they may encounter in the field.
“Supporting workforce development across Southeast Texas is a key priority for Port Arthur LNG. We are committed to ensuring the next generation of Texans have access to training and education opportunities that enhance economic prosperity and expand opportunity,” said Selby Bush Lilley, regional vice president of external affairs and communications at Sempra Infrastructure. “Investments like this help ensure students are learning on equipment that mirrors what they will see in the field, giving them the confidence to step into high-demand careers. Together we are expanding the talent pipeline and creating long-term opportunities for the communities we operate in.”
Scallon Controls, an Emerson Impact Partner serving Southeast Texas, will perform the DCS upgrade. Scallon Controls is also providing additional enhancements to the trainer beyond the scope of the $10,000 investment, further expanding the equipment’s training capabilities.
For LSCO, the project reflects the college’s continued focus on working closely with regional industry to ensure its workforce programs remain responsive to employer needs.
“Our responsibility is to prepare students not only to earn a credential, but to step into the workplace with confidence and experience,” Elmore said. “When our industry partners tell us what they need and work alongside us to provide the tools and technology to teach those skills, our students and our entire region benefit.”
Representatives from Lamar State College Orange and Port Arthur LNG recognized the investment during a formal check presentation Monday, September 14, at LSCO.