1. Petroleum Engineering
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

2. Petroleum Engineering
Overview:
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.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

3. Petroleum Engineering
Overview (continued):
Because only a small proportion of oil and gas in a reservoir will flow 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 computer-controlled drilling or fracturing to connect a larger area of a reservoir to a single well.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

4. Petroleum Engineering
Preparation:
A bachelor's degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs.
Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus) and science (biology, chemistry, and physics), and courses in English, social studies, humanities, and computer and information technology.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

5. Petroleum Engineering
Preparation (continued):
Bachelor's degree programs in engineering typically are designed to last 4 years, but many students find that it takes between 4 and 5 years to complete their studies.
In a typical 4-year college curriculum, the first 2 years are spent studying mathematics, basic sciences, introductory engineering, humanities, and social sciences. Petroleum engineering students may also take courses such as Reservoir Petrophysics, Petroleum Engineering Systems, and Physical Geology during these years.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

6. Petroleum Engineering
Preparation (continued):
In the last 2 years, a petroleum engineering program might include courses in Drilling and Production Systems, Geostatistics, Well Performance, Reservoir Fluids, Petroleum Project Evaluation, Engineering Ethics, and Well Completion and Stimulation.
Those interested in a career in petroleum engineering should consider reviewing engineering programs that are accredited. A full list is on the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center website.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

7. Petroleum Engineering
Day in the Life:
A degree in petroleum engineering can lead to many career paths. While most work directly for oil and gas production companies, the options for work are broad and cross over many industries. Petroleum engineers focus on a wide range of projects and activities. Some focus on production challenges, identifying, testing, and implementing methods for improving oil and gas production. They might focus on economics, helping a team determine the optimum number of wells appropriate for a given operation.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

8. Petroleum Engineering
Day in the Life (continued):
A petroleum engineer may focus on safety issues, or maintenance support, identifying and planning upgrades of equipment or systems. A petroleum engineer may choose to teach, or to serve as a consultant to investors, banks, or other financial services firms.
The type of job a petroleum engineer has will often determine whether how much they work inside or outside. Many petroleum engineers work on job sites, but others work in an office setting.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

9. Petroleum Engineering
Day in the Life (continued):
A consultant to the financial industry, for example, may spend most of their time working in an office setting. There are strong international travel opportunities for petroleum engineers, as it is very much a global business. Many companies have offices and sites in multiple countries and transfers are common.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

10. Petroleum Engineering
Earnings:
According to a 2005 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, bachelor's degree candidates in petroleum engineering received starting salary offers averaging $61,516 a year. They are among the highest paid engineers.
The Society of Petroleum Engineers conducts a global salary survey of members. For the most recent survey (2004), worldwide, respondents (all ages, education levels, and years in the field) reported an average income of $101,634.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

11. Petroleum Engineering
Employment:
Petroleum engineers, held about 16,000 jobs in 2004, mostly in oil and gas extraction, professional, scientific and technical services, and petroleum refining. Employers include major oil companies and hundreds of smaller, independent oil exploration, production, research institutes, and service companies. Most petroleum engineers work where oil and gas are found. Large numbers are employed in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alaska, and California, and many work overseas in other oil-producing countries.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

12. Petroleum Engineering
Career Path Forecast:
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, petroleum engineers are expected to have a decline in employment through 2014 because most of the potential petroleum-producing areas in the United States already have been explored.
Even so, favorable opportunities are expected for petroleum engineers because the number of job openings is likely to exceed the relatively small number of graduates.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

13. Petroleum Engineering
Career Path Forecast (continued):
All job openings should result from the need to replace petroleum engineers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Petroleum engineers work around the world and, in fact, the best employment opportunities may be in other countries. Many foreign employers seek U.S.-trained petroleum engineers, and many U.S. employers maintain overseas branches where petroleum engineers work.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.

14. Petroleum Engineering
Resources:
More information about Petroleum Engineering is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, including employer lists, Petroleum Engineering programs, suggestions for precollege students, a free monthly careers newsletter, and a PDF that summarizes the field.
Associations:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists
American Gas Association
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
American Petroleum Institute
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
Society of Petroleum Engineers
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.