Petroleum engineer
A petroleum engineer is involved in nearly all stages of oil and gas field evaluation, development and production. The aim is to maximise hydrocarbon recovery at minimum cost while maintaining a strong emphasis on reducing environmental impact.
Petroleum engineers are divided into several groups:
The actual tasks carried out will vary depending on the specific role but may include:
Relevant degree subjects include physical, mathematical or applied sciences as well as engineering. In particular, the following subjects may increase your chances:
First degrees in petroleum engineering are offered at the universities of Aberdeen, Leeds, Manchester, Portsmouth and London South Bank. But employers are interested in recruiting from all of the specialisms listed above. The Institute of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University has the largest petroleum engineering research programme in the UK and offers Masters courses and distance learning.
Entry with an HND/foundation degree only is not possible. Most company recruitment policies specify graduate or postgraduate-level qualifications, combined with the requisite personal attributes.
Postgraduate study is not always essential, although it may increase your chances, particularly as major employers recruit internationally with many applicants coming from the United States and Europe, where university education lasts longer and a higher degree is the normal qualification for entry to a professional career. Some employers may ask for a postgraduate qualification in petroleum engineering. Entry on to such courses may be possible with a good numerate degree, as long as an interest in the petroleum engineering industry can be proven.
Competition is very keen. Vacation work with an oil or gas operator or service companies will improve your chances.
Potential candidates need to show evidence of the following:
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Large organisations recruit candidates annually onto graduate training programmes. They also have ongoing recruitment programmes aimed at graduates with more than five years' relevant experience. Trainees in large organisations based in the UK can expect to work on projects in other countries as part of their training programme.
Generally speaking, training opportunities vary and are determined by the company's needs and the individual's career plans. Programmes typically last three years and will include exposure to several different programmes, working on a variety of tasks.
Companies usually provide on-the-job training, as well as formal courses to supplement practical offshore/field experience and develop core skills. Trainees also normally have access to personal mentoring and a 'buddy' system for work and career advice.
There is a strong emphasis on obtaining chartered status within respective disciplines, e.g. membership of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) . For further information on skills, training and workforce development, see the Energy Institute (EI) and OPITO .
Oil output is forecast to continue to rise over the next few years, although it is affected by economic conditions. There has also been a reduction in the number of significant new oilfield discoveries and an increased cost of extracting the remaining oil from established fields, which adds pressures to the industry.
For a number of years many companies have been experiencing a shortage of suitably trained and experienced staff. To combat this, some are recruiting more new graduate engineers with the aim of promoting those who show the most potential, so career development opportunities are good.
Mobility is a factor affecting career development. Many first appointments are in the field and require people who are physically fit and geographically mobile. This means not only being prepared to go anywhere in the world but also being able to stay in that location for the duration of the project.
On completion of a training programme, graduates may progress from primarily technical roles, through the promotion structure, to highly regarded and well-paid senior technical appointments. Others opt for commercial roles, in areas such as recruitment or marketing, or in leadership roles, with opportunities to influence strategy and growth. Senior roles can include asset team leadership, business planning and analysis, non-operated joint ventures (NOJV), asset management, operations supervising, environmental, safety, fire, health, and project management.
Oil and gas exploration is an international activity and many jobs are based overseas. In the extraction phase, recruitment and training patterns and job titles vary from company to company. For example, some employers do not distinguish at entry level between petroleum, drilling and support engineering. Instead, they prefer to recruit people with wide potential and deploy them after training where individual preference and company need coincide.
The work of a petroleum engineer can take you all over the world, from Africa to Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Employment is usually in one of the following settings:
A number of new entrants join oil and gas operating companies. However, service companies are gradually undertaking more of the work traditionally done by operators.
Oil companies vary in size from multinationals to small, nationally based groups. They tend to own or lease exploration permits, decide where to drill, monitor the drilling and run the production facilities. Owing to the specialised nature of the business, contractors do much of the actual drilling and construction work.
In this industry, recruitment can be sensitive to global political and economic pressures. Wars, or the rumours of war, can affect prices on the world's market, as much as the effects of supply and demand, but in a more unpredictable way. Inevitably, the market price of a commodity influences investment in the exploration and development of new sources of supply. These factors can have a direct effect on employment, leading to fluctuating demand at short notice for qualified people.
Recruitment agencies commonly handle vacancies. See entries in specialist press.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
Tweet