Description

Petroleum engineers conduct studies for the exploration, development and extraction of oil and gas deposits; and plan, design, develop and supervise projects for the drilling, completion, testing and re-working of oil and gas wells. They are employed by petroleum producing companies, consulting companies, well logging or testing companies, government, and research and educational institutions.

Job Titles

• Oil and gas drilling engineer
• Oil and gas production engineer
• Petroleum engineer
• Petroleum reservoir engineer
• Petroleum well completion engineer
• Subsea engineer

Main Duties

• Conduct feasibility assessment studies for developing new oil and gas fields
• Direct and monitor oil and gas drilling operations
• Develop drilling programs, select sites and specify drilling fluids, bit selection, drill stem testing procedures and equipment
• Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing and well surveys
• Design and select artificial lift machinery, and well and surface production equipment and systems, and specify programs for corrosion control and oil or gas treatment
• Develop specifications for and monitor and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery
• Analyze reservoir rock and fluid data to design optimum recovery methods and to predict reservoir performance and reserves
• Monitor and forecast oil and gas reservoir performance and recommend oil recovery techniques which extend the economic life of wells
• Design, develop and coordinate the installation, maintenance and operation of subsea well-head and production equipment.

Workplaces

• Consulting companies
• Education institutions
• Governments
• Petroleum producing companies
• Research institutions
• Well logging or testing companies

Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Evaluation
• Numeracy
• Oral Communication: Oral Expression

Abilities

• Categorization Flexibility
• Fluency of Ideas
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning

Personal Attributes

• Adaptability
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Collaboration
• Independence

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Source: OaSIS