How to Become a Petroleum Engineer

An Individual in the petroleum engineer career path has to explore remote places for oil. He or she conducts various research activities for inventing new technologies and methods that will help in increasing efficiency and reducing the mining cost. In some cases, a career as a petroleum engineer needs to also design the equipment and mining processes to achieve the maximum profitable extraction of oil and gas. Petroleum engineering careers come with varying roles and responsibilities. A Petroleum engineer participates in finding oil and gas for the country's energy requirements. Additionally, he or she develops innovative techniques for extracting gas and oil from the wells. 

Now you know what is Petroleum Engineer, is Petroleum Engineer a good career and thinking about how to become petroleum engineer after 10th or how to become petroleum engineer after 12th then read the entire article to know how to become a Petroleum Engingeer. 

Decision making

In a given situation, decision-making is the process of selecting the right solution available. This also needs you to make rational decisions, and acknowledge several different decisions. As there is a lot of money involved and even the tiniest of judgment errors can cost millions of dollars. The same goes for decision-making as well. A delay in making a decision can cost a lot in terms of opportunity lost. Hence a petroleum engineer needs to have sound judgment and decision-making ability.

Production Development

Product development refers specifically to all phases of bringing a product from a single idea, to market launch and even beyond. Basically, product development involves the complete process of finding a business need. Petroleum Engineers analyse the detailed information with the perspective of recommending the installation of wells and additional development to achieve production and manufacturing.

Monitoring

Petroleum engineers spend a lot of time on the field, analysing and monitoring system equipment such as keeping an eye on the gauges, dials, and other indicators, to ensure that the machine is performing at an optimal level. Employee monitoring involves the use of different workplace surveillance techniques to collect data about staff members actions and locations. Companies track them and their performance to boost efficiency and different departments of the organisation's resources.

Quality control

Petroleum engineers regularly conduct quality control analysis to prevent any mishaps or diagnoses of an anomaly. Quality control helps in maintaining the optimal level of performance. Quality control allows the company to create a culture in which workers and managers develop and improve. This is accomplished by educating workers, establishing manufacturing quality standards, and reviewing products to test for statistically meaningful variations.

Documentation

A Career as a Petroleum engineer prepares scientific documents for research and management employees. Individuals analyse developments for the production, design, or maintenance of equipment or systems. One of the aspects of some official work that gives importance is the processes and work connected to all of it. Documentation can contribute to enhancing potential share price by promoting an appreciation of business performance and assessing its worth.

There are various types of a Petroleum Engineer. We have mentioned below the major types of a Petroleum Engineer or Petroleum Engineer jobs or Petroleum Engineer career options as alternative options to petroleum engineering careers. 

Natural Gas Engineer: A natural gas engineer is one of the sub-disciplines of petroleum engineering. Natural gas engineers are the ones who have the know-how to develop a natural gas resource. A crude oil engineer has the responsibility of producing as most of the earth's resources as possible. Based on factors such as geological formations and the amount of gas available at the site, they decide the best approach. They also establish guidelines to efficiently extract materials, utilising drilling, chemicals, as well as other gases in the atmosphere and equipment. 

Drilling Engineer:  There is a usual understanding that a drilling engineer looks after the drilling of the oil well. A drilling engineer is also responsible for developing, planning, and supervising a majority of the operations related to drilling. Drilling engineers plan and execute well-drilling techniques in the safest and most economical way possible. They worked very closely with the drilling operator, service providers, and enforcement staff, as also geologists and other professional experts.

Production Engineer: A production engineer is in charge of all the equipment used for drilling the oil well. It is the duty of the production engineer to coordinate and maintain the drilling equipment. They also select surface equipment that separates the produced fluids (oil, natural gas, and water). Production Engineers are accountable for overseeing and optimising production at manufacturing plants. They help development teams, implement safety procedures, report problems to the manager, and implement performance and income enhancement strategies.

Reservoir Engineer: A reservoir engineer is responsible for the evaluation of oil and gas pockets. It is the responsibility of the reservoir engineer to determine the amount of oil and gas that is available and whether the site is suitable for drilling a well. Reservoir engineers employ their geological and fluid skills and knowledge to assess the position and volume of fuel in underground sources. In certain cases, engineers are involved with specialised technology to find oil and natural gas reserves, like computational modelling and imaging programmes.

Also, read: Career as a geothermal engineer

Individuals in the petroleum engineer career path require work in offices or at drilling and job sites, depending on whether they are in the planning or operational phase. Petroleum engineering careers provide varying workplaces such as office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants. Several petroleum engineers may spend time outdoors at construction sites. While other petroleum engineers get jobs in oil and gas exploration and production sites, where they monitor or direct operations or solve onsite problems.

Some petroleum engineer jobs require travel extensively to plants or worksites here and abroad. Individuals in petroleum engineering careers may work in the offices of petroleum mining companies, or they may work on petroleum mining rigs. Weather conditions on the rig may be harsh.

Does Petroleum Engineer require travelling?

Likely

Due to the remote locations of oil fields, travel is frequently required by petrochemical engineers to visit these sites as well as to meet with other engineers, team members, and customers. Further, your travel may even span across the globe depending on the scale of operations of the companies.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

Individuals in the petroleum engineer career path typically work full time, overtime and compensatory leaves are more prevalent due to extended work in remote locations. A petroleum career only provides full-time work opportunities. There is no option for working from home as the complete work depends on the gadgets or machines which are only present in offices and labs. A petroleum engineering job requires a site visit on a regular basis so a person needs to be physically present for the assessment of the smooth functioning of the work at different sites. 

There are no fixed shifts as they need to work in both offices and have to visit sites. A career as a petroleum engineer requires being flexible with timings as the work requires a 24x7 presence of an engineer on a site. So rotational shifts and overtime shifts are a regular phase in this career.

Employment Nature

Permanent

A petrochemical engineering company hires petroleum engineers on a permanent basis. A job in the oil and gas sector on a contractual basis is least likely to happen in this career. The nature of the work of individuals in petroleum engineering careers demands an employee to take responsibility in all different stages to complete work at a site or in offices or labs.

Work Place

Office, Laboratory, On-Field

Individuals in petroleum engineering careers work in office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants which are mostly situated in cities(urban areas). Also, they spend time outdoors at construction sites and oil and gas exploration and production sites which are mostly in the countryside (rural areas).

Presence in Geographical Area

Rural, Urban

Most of the offices are in urban areas however the individuals who opt for a career as a petroleum engineer spend time outdoors at construction sites and oil and gas exploration and production sites which are mostly in the countryside (rural areas).

Time Pressure

Likely

Time pressure is considered moderate for petroleum engineers. Petroleum engineers typically work full-time, overtime and compensatory leaves are more prevalent due to extended work in remote locations. Being employed in full-time jobs, a petroleum engineer requires a site visit regularly so a person needs to be physically present for the assessment of the smooth functioning of the work at different sites.

Overtime Details

Individuals who opt for a career as a petroleum engineer working in offices usually work regular hours but may be expected to work longer hours when necessary. Those employed in jobs in oil and gas rigs usually stay on the rig for extended periods. There are no fixed shifts, they need to work in both offices and on-site. Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job in the oil and gas industry, requiring engineers to work longer hours. In most cases, petroleum engineers are paid for overtime.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 40 Hours

Individuals in petroleum engineer work hours are regular hours but may be expected to work longer hours when necessary. Those assigned jobs in oil and gas rigs usually stay on the rig for extended periods. There are no fixed shifts as they need to work in both offices and have to visit sites. Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job, requiring engineers to work longer hours. In most cases, petroleum engineers are paid overtime.

There are various skill sets required in petroleum engineering jobs. We have mentioned below how to become a petroleum engineer.

Analytical Skills: Petroleum Engineers are required to collect and make logical sense of significant amounts of technical knowledge and data to ensure the secure and efficient operation of the facilities. Analytical skills involve the ability to gather and evaluate knowledge, resolve problems or make judgments. Workers who have these unique qualities can assist fix complex issues facing a company and boost overall performance and effectiveness. 

Creativity: Creativity motivates workers to operate cooperatively. The creative strategy enables collaborative work by design, this is the most important aspect of providing a working environment in which creativity can actually happen. Since each new drill site is special and therefore poses new challenges, petroleum engineers need to be smart enough to come up with innovative designs for oil and gas extraction.

Interpersonal Management: Individuals in the petroleum engineer career path must work with others on projects that require highly complex machinery, equipment, and infrastructure. Communicating and functioning with other technicians and oil and gas staff is important in ensuring that projects meet customer requirements and are operating safely and effectively. Interpersonal skills are the qualities and strategies that an individual uses to effectively communicate with each other. In the commercial world, intelligence involves the ability of an employee to function well with each other.

Mathematics and Computing Skills: Petroleum Engineers use principles of calculus and other advanced topics in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work. Mathematics and Computing skills are particularly important to several occupations and therefore can increase an individual's work efficiency and performance. Enhancing them could help you improve productivity, reduce dependency on key employees, minimize expensive losses and recognize new growth opportunities.

Problem-Solving Ability: Identifying problems in drilling plans is critical for a petroleum career because these problems can be costly. Individuals who opt for a career as a petroleum engineer must be cautious not to neglect any possible issues and must fix those that arise quickly. Problem-solving is beneficial for both customers and companies because it helps us to exercise control of the setting. Problem-solving provides us with a framework to recognize these things, try to figure out why they are damaged and describe a plan of action to resolve them.

Decision-Making Skills: In a career as a petroleum engineer, individuals need to be good at making decisions based on their studies and analysis. Major decisions regarding exploration, continuing extraction, or abandonment are made on the basis of surveys and studies done by petroleum engineers, who on the basis of their findings often need to take or recommend an informed decision.

Communication Skills: The profession requires working closely with top leadership as well as different departments and teams. They are, therefore, involved in maintaining a high level of communication and coordination. Communication in the workplace is very essential especially for businesses as it helps organizations to be efficient and run properly. Workers will experience a rise in productivity, efficiency, and engagement if they can interact within an agency.

Knowledge of Science: Individuals who opt for a career as a petroleum engineer must adapt to the practical application of science, technology, and engineering knowledge. Apart from an educational background, the job of a petroleum engineer requires regular use of these subjects and is therefore highly relevant for the day to day operations. Science is regarded by the community as helping to meet certain basic human needs and enhancing working conditions by applying scientific understanding.

Mechanical Knowledge: Mechanical skills are something that contributes to the ability or the use of machines and equipment. Simple mechanical awareness is the willingness to grasp basic concepts of physics and implement them in diverse circumstances. Petroleum engineers should be comfortable with machinery and equipment. All aspects of petroleum production involve machinery and the petroleum engineer plays a key role in their requirement estimation, designing, and efficient usage. 

Patience: A career in the oil and gas industry demands the ability to work under pressure.  As a Petroleum Engineer, it is very important to keep calm despite all the chaos happening around you. Patience is a basic component of success in the workplace. You have to experience those scenarios several times which really takes patience. That is because when you need to work such additional hours.

Teamwork: Petroleum Engineering positions may vary depending on the experience and job role. But each position demands a spirit of working in a team. In a career as a petroleum engineer, individuals have to work closely with other technical departments and coordinate with teams. On the ground, it is important that petroleum engineers have a strong collaboration with other professionals. Since they are practically part of all levels of industrial extraction of oil and gas, including research, evaluation, development, and production, team-working skills have a crucial role to play in determining the impact of their work. 

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We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt for who want to establish a petroleum engineering career path.

• Global Resource Politics: the Past, Present and Future of Oil, Gas and Shale

• Subject : Geology: Paper - Metamorphic Petrology & Thermodynamics

• Soil Mechanics/Geotechnical Engineering

Junior Petroleum Engineer: A Junior Petroleum Engineer is a professional who is responsible for designing the machinery that is used to extract oil from reservoirs and improving and developing it. He or she conducts research to invent new technologies and methods to improve production in a cost-effective way.

Senior Petroleum Engineer: A Senior Petroleum Engineer is an experienced professional who has previously worked as a Petroleum Engineer and leads a team of juniors and trains them. He or she is responsible for designing the equipment and mining processes to achieve the maximum profitable extraction of oil and gas. 

Also read: Career as a wind energy engineer

In this section, we will discuss the petroleum engineering scope in the future. If you are planning to enrol in the schools offering petroleum engineering courses, then you must get aware of the job market in this sector. 

Opportunities for jobs in the oil and gas sector are ample in the Middle East with very high annual income packages. Higher education opportunities are good all over America and Europe too. In countries with fast-growing energy needs, the appeal of energy engineering jobs also tends to be higher. Petroleum engineering jobs in India would rise at a slower rate compared to other engineering careers but it is the course amongst all other engineers which is highly paid in India and across the globe.  

India is an emerging or still developing country in the field of the energy sector which adds a plus point to candidates who are looking to build a career in this field. Jobs opportunities are not only in the private sector you are also offered jobs in the government sector for a career as a Petroleum Engineer. 

There is a lot of petroleum engineering scope in the future. Even with people switching to alternative fuels and energy, there is still a huge demand for petroleum engineers. Companies are trying to find more efficient ways to use petroleum products, without harming the environment. 

The employment of petroleum engineers is projected to grow three percent from 2018 to 2028, slower than the average for all occupations. Oil prices will be a major determinant of employment growth. Higher prices can cause oil and gas companies to increase capital investment in new facilities and expand existing production operations, along with exploration. 

The Petrochemical Engineering company in which the graduates are absorbed are Reliance Industries Ltd., ONGC, Schlumberger, Shell, OIL, Gas Authority of India Ltd., British Gas, Halliburton Services, Essar Oil, GSPC, Cairn Energy, IOCL, Essar Oil Ltd., Baker Hughes, Reliance Energy, NIKO Resources, GEOENPRO, MECOM Ltd. and many more. 

Oil and gas have always increased in demand due to the rising population. The rate of growth has been slowing down due to various factors, though. Petroleum engineers will be busy meeting the growing demand from developing countries, particularly in Asia, where rising standards of living will drive more consumption. Oil production will remain high but could peak in 2030, and gas demand will rise over the next 20 years, according to recent research and surveys. Read further to know about how to become petroleum engineers or how to get into petroleum engineering

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