Chemical and petroleum engineers share some of the same skills but apply them to different fields.
Chemical engineering is a field that covers an extensive range of scientific, industrial and manufacturing processes. Chemical engineers use their working knowledge of chemistry and physics to solve a variety of problems and to streamline existing chemical processes. Petroleum engineering is a more specialized field that focuses on the exploration and extraction of natural resources for the petroleum industry and requires knowledge of geology, chemistry and mechanical engineering.
Chemical Engineers
Chemical engineers are employed by almost all industries that rely on chemical processes for some part of their production cycle. They work with scientists to create new materials and new methods of working with existing materials. They solve problems facing the manufacturing, medical, food production, research and environmental sectors. They are mainly called upon to apply chemical processes to an existing problem but draw upon many other mathematical and engineering disciplines to do so.
Petroleum Engineers
Petroleum engineering is a more specialized and hands-on field of engineering than chemical engineering. Petroleum engineers use their knowledge of geology, physics, chemistry and mechanical engineering to locate and extract petroleum reserves around the world. They work in a wide variety of challenging terrains, including mountains, deserts and the ocean floor. Most petroleum engineers start out working in the field, and most office jobs are held by engineers who have spent some time designing and installing rigs in person.
Overlap
Chemical engineers work with petroleum engineers in creating new chemical processes to aid in oil exploration and extraction. Chemical engineers also work closely with the petroleum transmission, refining and power generation fields. Chemical engineering is also used to create new methods of extraction for marginal petroleum sources such as shale and tar sands. These cross-specialization engineers may be chemical engineers employed by the petroleum industry or they may be primarily petroleum engineers with a strong background in chemical engineering.
Occupational Outlook
Chemical engineers are expected to experience a decline in employment of 2 percent over the next 10 years, especially those working in the manufacturing sector. Petroleum engineers, by contrast, are expected to see a rise in employment of 18 percent over the same period, a faster than average rate of growth across all industries. Chemical engineers can expect to earn a median salary of $84,680, while petroleum engineers have a median salary of $108,020 in 2011.
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