Petroleum engineers specialize in oil and gas.
Petroleum engineers work as oil and gas specialists. They work alongside geologists and other specialists to develop methods to extract oil from underground oil reservoirs. They design drilling methods and equipment used in the extraction. They can also perform oil and gas research. Because becoming a petroleum engineer is challenging, less than 2 percent of all engineers were petroleum engineers in 2009. To become a successful petroleum engineer you must complete a rigorous education curriculum and have the skills to compete in the current job market.
Instructions
Education
1. Earn a high school diploma. In high school, take courses in physics, calculus, chemistry and other sciences to prepare for an engineering curriculum in college.
2. Complete an undergraduate degree program in petroleum engineering. Several schools offer petroleum engineering majors. Some of the top undergraduate petroleum engineering programs are located at the University of Texas, Colorado School of Mines and Stanford University. Because petroleum engineering combines principles from several engineering fields, you can also earn an undergraduate degree in other engineering fields such as mechanical and chemical engineering.
3. Earn an advanced degree in petroleum engineering. Although not required to become a successful petroleum engineer, advanced degrees, such as master's and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, provide better preparation for a career in petroleum engineering. Several universities offer advanced petroleum engineering programs where you can earn hands-on experience performing research in the petroleum engineering field.
Career
4. Find a petroleum engineering job. Several oil companies hire petroleum engineers in states with large oil deposits, such as California, Alaska and Texas. Utilize the Internet to find job openings in the petroleum engineering field. There is also a large chance that you will be recruited to work with a company, because there are a large amount of petroleum engineering jobs and only a few graduates each year.
5. Successfully complete all tasks required for your job. You may be working in an office analyzing petroleum-related data or in the field, drilling for or transporting petroleum.
6. Remain at the same job for a considerable amount of time in order to be promoted. Most companies promote employees who have worked for their company for several years. In order to become successful, you must show that you can consistently perform well in your field.
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