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Petroleum Engineer

Overview and Key Facts

woman in hardhat
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$141,280
Job Growth
Job Growth
1.30%
(Below US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
19,800

What Do They Do?

A petroleum engineer could...

 
man with laptop by oil refinery
Make a computer simulation to predict the amount and flow of petroleum and natural gas through an oil field.
oil spill
Determine what type of drilling fluid will prevent drilling tool damage and prevent oil spills.
oil drilling
Create the designs for drill string piping that will carry drilling fluid into a well as efficiently as possible.
beakers with yellow liquid
Examine the quality of recovered oil and gas before separating the different components.
 
man with laptop by oil refinery oil spill oil drilling beakers with yellow liquid

Overview Listen to this section

Earth is our home and is the source of everything that we require to survive and thrive. Earth gives us food, shelter, and energy. One source of energy, found deep within the earth, is oil. Oil drives the world's economy and is an extremely important commodity. Petroleum engineers spend their careers searching for reservoirs of oil and developing methods to efficiently extract it from the earth without damaging the surrounding environment.
This video highlights a day in the life of a petroleum engineer working for ChevronTexaco.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNGFLxddTYc

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Petroleum Engineer?


  1. Reading Comprehension: ?
  2. Critical Thinking: ?
  3. Writing: ?
  4. Judgment and Decision Making: ?
  5. Systems Analysis: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Petroleum Engineer might do:
  • Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.
  • Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.
  • Maintain records of drilling and production operations.
  • Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.
  • Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.
  • Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.
  • Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.
  • Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.
  • Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.
  • Interpret drilling and testing information for personnel.
  • Coordinate activities of workers engaged in research, planning, and development.
  • Write technical reports for engineering and management personnel.
  • Evaluate findings to develop, design, or test equipment or processes.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Petroleum Engineer Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Petroleum Engineer jobs (1.30%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Petroleum Engineer

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Engineers typically enter the occupation with a bachelor's degree in an engineering specialty, but some basic research positions may require a graduate degree. Continuing education to keep current with rapidly changing technology is important for engineers.

Beginning petroleum engineering graduates usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers and, in large companies, also may receive formal classroom or seminar-type training. As new petroleum engineers gain knowledge and experience, they are assigned more difficult projects with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions. Petroleum engineers may advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a staff or team of engineers and technicians.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Bachelor's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

A bachelor's degree in petroleum or chemical engineering is required for all entry-level petroleum engineering jobs. Most petroleum engineering programs involve a concentration of study in petroleum engineering, along with courses in both mathematics and the physical and life sciences. Many programs also include courses in general engineering. A design course, sometimes accompanied by a computer or laboratory class, or both, is part of the curriculum of most programs. General courses not directly related to engineering, such as those in the social sciences or humanities, are also often required.

Graduate training is essential for petroleum engineering faculty positions and many research and development programs, but is not required for the majority of entry-level engineering jobs. Many experienced engineers obtain graduate degrees in engineering or business administration to learn new technology and broaden their education. Many high-level executives in government and industry began their careers as engineers.

Companies That Hire Petroleum Engineers

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Eka, a petroleum engineer at Chevron, explains his role in delivering energy to Indonesia.
I really love what I do. We have thousands of wells under our operation. My responsibility is to ensure that all of those wells are really running as expected… 
Eka Pramana, Petroleum Engineer
Read about Denise Stone's appreciation of teamwork in her career as a petroleum engineer.
What I really enjoy about my work, and what's satisfying to me, is the opportunity to work with talented, motivated people every day, and I think that's what it all boils down to. 
Denise Stone

Nature of the Work

Engineers apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and the commercial applications that meet societal and consumer needs.

Petroleum engineers search the world for reservoirs containing oil or natural gas. Once these resources are discovered, petroleum engineers work with geologists and other specialists to understand the geologic formation and properties of the rock containing the reservoir, determine the drilling methods to be used, and monitor drilling and production operations. They design equipment and processes to achieve the maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas. Because only a small proportion of oil and gas in a reservoir flows out under natural forces, petroleum engineers develop and use various enhanced recovery methods. These include injecting water, chemicals, gases, or steam into an oil reservoir to force out more of the oil and doing computer-controlled drilling or fracturing to connect a larger area of a reservoir to a single well. Because even the best techniques in use today recover only a portion of the oil and gas in a reservoir, petroleum engineers research and develop technology and methods to increase recovery and lower the cost of drilling and production operations.

Work Environment

Petroleum engineers work in office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants. Others may spend time outdoors at oil and gas exploration and production sites, where they monitor or direct operations or solve onsite problems. Some engineers travel extensively to plants or work sites here and abroad.

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.

More Information

Ask Questions

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Additional Resources

Special thanks to Chevron for providing the images on this page. Image copyrights and trademarks are held by or on behalf of Chevron Corporation and used with permission.

Sources

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