Get a jump start on what you want do in college or test your interest before you get there by taking a class in engineering! Explore the different focus areas and opportunities. 

Take a class in engineering.

Becoming a certified professional engineer signals to clients that you are trustworthy and to employers that you are capable of higher responsibility. Take your engineering career to the next level and get certified!

Get certified as a professional engineer (PE). 

Prepare to take on that leadership role by gaining valuable management tools and techniques that help improve processes within an organization.

Get Lean Six Sigma certified.

CAD (computer-aided design) technology is essential for a variety of engineering specialties. Download a free trial and watch some tutorials to start expanding your technical skill set!

Familiarize yourself with CAD technology.

Learn about the OGCI and keep up with news and trends regarding climate, oil, and gas. Brainstorm some ideas for implementing environmental controls within the field.

Stay up-to-date on the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.

Technical drawing knowledge will help you in any career that involves projects that exist in three-dimensional space. Check out these tips to improve your skills. 

Stretch your technical drawing skills.

Check out these TED Talks on engineering. Choose one or two that interest you most to watch. Could you see yourself working on these kinds of projects and ideas?

Watch videos from the cutting edge of engineering.

Get an inside look at what the world of oil and gas by reading an article and watching a video about a subsea gas gathering project.

Explore a subsea gathering project.

Watch an immersive video about what life is like on an off-shore oil rig. Move the camera angle around as you watch for a 360-degree experience!

Get a behind-the-scenes look at life on an oil rig!

Petroleum Engineers

Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Engineers

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.

Petroleum Engineers

Overview

Career

What Petroleum Engineers Do

Other Job Titles Petroleum Engineers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Petroleum Engineers

Overview

Career

What Petroleum Engineers Do

Other Job Titles Petroleum Engineers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Petroleum Engineers

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders