Petroleum Engineering Degree
A petroleum engineer has the important task of searching the world for sources of oil and gas and then finding a safe way of bringing these resources to the earth’s surface for use. This job requires the proper education, which is what you will get with a petroleum engineering degree.
Working as a petroleum engineer will involve a good bit of traveling, as you will need to go to different locations in order to find oil and gas reservoirs. If you are free to travel and would like to contribute to the earth’s resources, a degree in this area will give you the necessary training. You may also have the opportunity to work on energy resources for a cleaner and greener environment.
Your position as a petroleum engineer may involve working on an actual drill site where oil or gas is being retrieved. Or you may be doing your job in a laboratory. What are some of the responsibilities that this job may entail?
- Working on drill sites to retrieve oil and gas.
- Examining geographic data to find sources of oil.
- Examining oil that has been retrieved for quality.
- Overseeing processes for separating oil from other components and then refining the oil.
- Designing oil refinery plants.
- Working with the development of refinery plants.
- Developing drilling methods.
- Designing tools.
- Monitoring the operations at a drill site.
- Working in the Research and Development Department of a large oil refinery.
- Developing machinery for extracting oil from the earth.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a petroleum engineer, you should have at least a Master’s Degree. Both science and engineering should be a part of your educational background. You will also need a background in mathematics, physics and chemistry. Even language and communication skills need to be sharp, as you will be working with others on a team and will be required to write reports as well as other documentation. Your skills in these areas will have to be good in order for you to properly do your job.
Another area where you will need good skills is working with computers. Petroleum businesses use computers extensively, and you will need to keep up-to-date with all software and hardware upgrades that come along in this field. All of this education may seem daunting and overwhelming, but it will be well worth the effort that it requires to pick up all of these skills. With a petroleum engineering degree, you will have a higher starting salary than any other engineering position. Median salaries can hover around the $98,000 mark. Even with a Bachelor Degree, you can still find very challenging and rewarding work that will allow you to advance.