What is petroleum engineering? Energy is a key component in our everyday lives. A secure energy future requires a balance between environmental impact and affordable supply. Petroleum and geosystems engineers are able to address and solve important issues that will lead to energy security and thus are in high demand. Economic and environmentally safe production of petroleum resources requires creative application of a wide spectrum of knowledge, including, but not limited to: • Mathematics • Physics • Geology • Chemistry Petroleum engineering overlaps with many of the engineering disciplines, such as: mechanical, chemical, and civil. Graduates of this program will: • Evaluate potential oil and gas reservoirs • Oversee drilling activities • Select and implement recovery schemes • Design surface collection and treatment facilities Petroleum engineers increasingly use advanced computers, not only in analysis of exploration data and simulation of reservoir behavior, but also in automation of oilfield production and drilling operations. Petroleum companies own many of the world’s supercomputers. Petroleum engineers have a future full of challenges and opportunities. They must develop and apply new technology to recover hydrocarbons from oil shale, tar sands, and offshore oil and gas fields. They must also devise new techniques to recover oil left in the ground after application of conventional producing techniques. Since many petroleum companies conduct worldwide operations, petroleum engineers have the opportunity for assignments all over the world. Petroleum engineers must solve the variety of technological, political, and economic problems encountered in these assignments. These exciting challenges combine to offer a petroleum engineer a most rewarding career. Career in Petroleum Engineering : Despite the fact that petroleum engineering is an attractive and high paying career option, not much information is available on it. Typically, a petroleum engineering graduate is given the job to discover natural sources of oil and examine the same. Similarly, developing the latest machines and equipments which can be used in the extraction and processing of oil is part of the job of a petroleum engineer. Petroleum engineers have global career and are hired by global oil companies. The petroleum Engineering is divided into two parts. Upstream Sector The upstream sector consists of activities like exploration, production and exploitation of oil and natural gases. After gaining a qualification in petroleum engineering, the engineers work in the exploration and production activities of petroleum and other related products. Using the latest drilling technology and geophysics for the exploration of oil reservoirs, they exploit the same for maximum output. Downstream Sector The downstream sector consist activities such as the refining, marketing and distributing of petroleum products. Production is not the only work carried out in a petroleum company and the job of petroleum engineer does not get over as the oil is produced, rather, it starts at this stage. Refining process is crucial for an oil product as then only it can be used. Marketing and distributing department may require a petroleum engineer to have some management degree. Step-by-Step As the world is highly dependent upon petroleum as a source of energy, a career in the field is bound to be attractive and challenging. An aspirant can do a BTech in petroleum engineering after completing 10+2 in the science stream. Similarly, post graduate program in the field can be done after the completion of BE/BTech degree in the relevant subject. If you are an MSc in Chemistry then that also makes you eligible to do post graduation in petroleum engineering. Research can be done in the fields of petroleum refining and petrochemicals, petroleum exploration and production and mechanical or petroleum science, etc. Start Early Considering the inclination towards petroleum engineering one should start preparing for entrance exams which are conducted by various engineering colleges. As Petroleum is available in areas which are geographically isolated places, it could be challenging to work in such a place. However, it is a highly paid career and money attracts lots of students to pursue this field of study in engineering colleges. Is it the Right Career for Me? Asking the question to self might answer whether you are right in selecting petroleum engineering as your career. Before opting for a career in petroleum engineering analyse yourself, your interests, long term goals, affordability of staying in foreign lands and many other related issues. Considering your decision you will be required to study and complete your education so that you are eligible to do a course in petroleum engineering. What would it Cost Me? Doing a course in petroleum engineering is expensive. One reason for high fee structure may be because the course requires lots of experiments and equipments. BTech or BE in Petroleum Engineering can cost between Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakhs. Similarly, MTech in petroleum engineering can cost more than Rs 3 lakhs. Funding and Scholarship Despite high costs, courses in petroleum engineering attract lots of bright students. Students can get education loans from various nationalised banks or private banks which are being made available at low interest rates. Scholarships are available for meritorious students, particularly for those who excel in entrance exams. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) scholarships are offered to SC/ST students who want to do research in engineering. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd offers attractive scholarships for engineering students interested in doing research in petroleum energy. Indian Oil Corporation under its corporate social responsibility offers 100 scholarships to engineering students wherein students can avail Rs 2000 per month for four years bachelor degree. Job Prospects Career prospects are quite attractive in petroleum sector as petroleum companies have great influence and offer attractive salaries to employees. The demand for petroleum and petroleum products is only expected to increase and the increase would lead to creation of new jobs. In fact, there is great demand of efficient petroleum engineers and almost every young graduate in petroleum engineering gets a job offer from petrol and gas companies from India and overseas. Whereas private petroleum companies offer attractive salaries to petroleum engineers, government sector oil companies are not far behind in terms of paying attractive salaries and bonuses to employees. Pay Packet As in every other industry, remuneration in petroleum engineering is determined according to the knowledge, skills, qualification, capabilities and experience of the candidate. Moreover, if the candidate is from top notch engineering college he may get a job which can pay salary between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 per month. People working in petroleum producing MNCs get median annual salary of around $100, 000. Demand and Supply The expanding demand for petroleum products would require exploitation of oil reservoirs which consequently would need trained petroleum engineers. Currently, there is big mismatch in the demand and supply of trained petroleum engineers in India. When Indian oil companies are going overseas and setting up oil producing units, jobs in petroleum sector are bound to increase. Moreover, India is new in imparting training skills in petroleum engineering to its youths. More than India, it is MNCs from overseas who hire Indian petroleum engineers for their various projects. Market Watch Despite the fact that oil fields and reservoirs are diminishing, the consumption of oil is increasing rapidly. According to Exxon Mobile sources, global liquid fuels consumption rose to approximately 85 million barrels per day in the first half of 2014. It is more than 1 million barrels per day higher than the first half of 2013. There would be jobs coming up in the US oil companies but not in the US, in gulf countries and other parts of Central Asia. Jobs in Russian petroleum firms would be coming up in a big way as the country is trying to exploit its huge oil reservoirs to sell out its petroleum products. Moreover, attractive job options would be available to young petroleum engineers once production starts at Krishna-Godavari basin in India. Companies involved in oil extraction hire Indian petroleum engineers for they work at lower salaries than engineers from other countries. International Focus Besides getting jobs in Indian petroleum companies, candidates with qualification in petroleum engineering get jobs in Reliance Industries Ltd, ONGC, Schlumberger, British Gas, Halliburton Services, Essar Oil, GSPC, Shell, OIL, Gas Authority of India Ltd, Cairn Energy, IOCL, Essar Oil Ltd, NIKO Resources, GEOENPRO, MECOM Ltd, Baker Hughes, Reliance Energy, etc amongst many others. Those who have done masters or research in petroleum engineering can work in research activities of various multinational oil companies in various R&D projects. Positives and Negatives Whereas a golden future in exploitation of ‘liquid gold’ attracts every young engineer, risks involved in it can deter many not to opt for such a career. In order to search new oilfields, at times, petroleum engineers are required to stay in remote and distant areas which are not only difficult but unattractive too. When compared with other sophisticated engineering branches such as IT, petroleum engineering professionals face numerous difficulties. No one would wish to work in remote and arid area where life becomes difficult. On the positive side, it is a highly rewarding career and also provides opportunities to travel to distant places. Different Roles, Different Names Depending upon the qualification, skills and experience, roles and designations differ in the field. Some of the positions offered are Reservoir Engineer, Technical Support Engineer, Senior Geoscientist, Drill Bits System Field Engineer, Petroleum Technologist and Drilling Engineer. Other positions are Principal Reservoir Petro Physicist, Technical Support Specialist, Tender and Quotations Analyst, Geosciences Pressure Expert, Senior Petro Physicist, Senior Exploration Geologist and Process Engineer. Top Companies • Indian Oil Corporation • IBP Co. Limited • Lubricants India • Oil Gas India • Petrosil Group • Shiv-Vani Universal • ONGC • Bharat Petroleum • Reliance Petroleum Limited • Essar Oil Limited • Gas Authority of India • Hindustan Petroleum Corporation • Aban • Oil India Limited • Tata Petrodyne • Bongaigaon Refinery • Gas Projects (India) Private Limited • Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited • India LPG • Kochi Refineries Limited....... Students interested in pursuing courses in petroleum engineering can do the following: • BE Petroleum Engineering • BTech Applied Petroleum Engineering • BTech Petrochemical Engineering • BTech Petroleum Engineering • BTech Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals Engineering • BTech Petroleum Refining Engineering • BTech Petroleum Reservoir And Production Engineering • ME Petroleum Engineering • MTech Petroleum Engineering • MTech Petroleum Exploration • MTech Petroleum Refinery Engineering • MTech Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Engineering Tips for getting hired An international career is much attractive and young engineers willing to explore can work in global oil companies and get international exposure; however, here are few things which can help in building a successful career: • Excellent academic record in BTech in Petroleum Engineering is a must. • Technical exposure during various projects carried out during the course shows that the candidate can work effectively when exposed to real scenarios. • Excellent numerical and computer skills are expected from petroleum engineers as most of the time there would be computer simulation required for further analysis. • Skills to plan out project and execute them with team spirit are further requirements. Sound communication skills in English language would enhance the chances of getting international exposure and higher position within the organization. What Are the Requirements to Be a Petroleum Engineer? Petroleum engineers design the means for retrieving oil and gas from inside the earth. Their role in quenching the worlds thirst for oil helps them command high salaries. As of 2014, the full-time wages of petroleum engineers averaged $138,000 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The minimum requirement for the job is a bachelors degree in petroleum engineering, but many petroleum engineers have additional credentials. A high school program rich in science and math will prepare you for challenging college engineering classes. The energy4me website of the Society of Petroleum Engineers recommends two years of algebra, plus geometry, trigonometry and calculus for the math segment. Also, take classes in physics, biology and chemistry, and include additional science courses such as ecology and earth sciences. Study English, a foreign language, composition and social sciences to hone your communication skills. A bachelors degree in petroleum engineering typically takes four years and includes class work, labs and field work. The program normally requires basic sciences such as chemistry, calculus, differential equations and physics. Petroleum engineering courses cover topics such as rock properties, introduction to petroleum engineering, computer applications, natural gas engineering and well construction. Some engineering schools offer a combined bachelors and masters degree program in five years, while others have a six-year program that also incorporates work experience. Petroleum engineers who complete a masters degree may qualify for jobs in research or university teaching. All states require self-employed engineers to be licensed, but a license may be optional if you work under a licensed engineer. Requirements vary, but state boards usually require a minimum of a bachelors degree in engineering from a school accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. You must also pass the preliminary Fundamentals of Engineering exam and complete at least four years of qualifying work. Finally, you must pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering examination. In some states, you need continuing education to keep your license. Petroleum engineers can obtain optional certification from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The education, work and testing requirements parallel those for state licensing. However, you must also join the society and take 16 hours of professional education per year to be certified. What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages of Being a Petroleum Engineer? Petroleum engineers are specialized workers who have an educational background in engineering and work primarily for oil and gas companies. They locate oil and supervise its extraction by either drilling or injecting chemicals, water or steam into the earth. In addition to supervising the work of drilling teams, petroleum engineers also work to improve the techniques by which petroleum is captured. While a career as a petroleum engineer offers advantages, there are also drawbacks inherent in this occupation. The most obvious advantage of a career in petroleum engineering is the high pay. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, petroleum engineers reported an average salary of $138,980 per year in 2011, significantly higher than every other type of engineer. Petroleum engineers who worked for oil and gas extraction companies reported an even higher average salary, $150,890 per year, and the highest-paid 25 percent of petroleum engineers in the United States reported salaries of $172,040 or more per year. Few jobs requiring only a bachelors degree have such high pay. Very favorable employment prospects are another advantage of preparing for a career in petroleum engineering. While the projected rate of job growth in this field between 2010 and 2020 is just 17 percent, slightly higher than the 14 percent growth rate expected for the American economy as a whole, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that many openings will occur throughout the decade as current workers retire. In addition to the petroleum extraction industry, petroleum engineers also find work in the mining and petroleum manufacturing industries. Keep in mind, however, that finding work in this profession may require relocation. The conditions in which a petroleum engineer operate may be unpalatable for some. According to Minnesota career website, petroleum engineers spend long stretches of time sitting in offices studying maps and data, often by themselves. When they are working at drill sites, petroleum engineers frequently find themselves in remote and inhospitable locations. This career may not be the right fit for those who place a high value on frequent interaction with others and comfortable working conditions. The schedule required of many petroleum engineers is another significant drawback of the career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many petroleum engineers work far more than 40 hours a week, some logging 50 or 60 hours a week. In addition, many petroleum engineers must spend long hours traveling to and from drilling sites, sometimes at short notice, and many employment opportunities for petroleum engineers are inconveniently located in other countries or at offshore drilling sites. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that petroleum engineers often work grueling rotations of 84 hours on and 84 hours off while at drill sites. Petroleum Engineer Consultant Duties A petroleum engineer consultant works in the oil and gas mining field to ensure that all mechanical, electrical and human services run efficiently. It is the responsibility of the petroleum engineer consultant to devise and develop tactics for mining oil and gas from deep deposits below the earth’s surface. It is also your duty to generate new methods to extract gas and oil from older wells. The petroleum engineer consultant conducts searches around the globe for oil and natural gas reservoirs. He collaborates with geologists and other professionals to gather the geological information and the characteristics of the reservoir’s rocks to determine the most suitable drilling methods they will employ for extraction and process operations. This specialist uses computer models to simulate the drilling effects of a variety of drilling options and chooses the most optimal and efficient preference. This professional also establishes and executes advanced recovery options because they will extract only a small percentage of oil and gas under natural forces. This professional offers technical advice and guidance in a specialized sector of petroleum engineering. As a specialist, the petroleum engineer consultant collaborates with the drilling specialists to facilitate drilling and extraction of oil and gas. As a professional, he monitors the company’s daily operations for its adherence to integrity to maintain high levels of production. He offers technical support to all phases of gas well activities like production surveillance, safe operations, well completions and utilization of new technologies. The petroleum engineering consultant prepares and documents the company’s technology advancement. Since this job entails both office and fieldwork, it is the responsibility of the specialist to make sure that all advancements in regard to technology are documented. Technological advancement documentation helps provide engineers with tools that enhance efficiency in production. This boosts the engineers analytical accuracy to become more efficient. It also enables them to develop advanced methods to carry out various tasks and facilitates collaboration among various departments to foster technological improvement in extraction. It is the duty of the petroleum engineer to coach, train and offer technical aid to engineers and other personnel in the petroleum engineering venture to promote proper service delivery. Since this professional has a vast understanding of the industrial field, he conducts risk and commercial analysis to advise workers in all sectors. As a professional, he conducts project technical reviews to facilitate economic operations. He conducts seminars and forums to enlighten engineers and operating specialists. It is the responsibility of this professional to collaborate with other personnel to develop new technologies to improve the company’s productivity and streamline efficiency. Can a Petroleum Engineer Work on Wall Street? Petroleum engineering and Wall Street might sound worlds apart when it comes to occupations, but actually, they can complement one another. Because of a petroleum engineers knowledge about petroleum deposits, the cost of extracting them and the potential financial return, a properly trained petroleum engineer could work on Wall Street. One such career is oil and gas investment banking, which is a cross between industrial and commodity investing, according to a 2013 article on the Mergers and Acquisitions . Petroleum engineers learn how to calculate the availability of oil and gas resources, which factor into determining extraction costs and potential profitability. Expertise in this sector is highly valued in the investment world, according to Mergers and Acquisitions. Petroleum engineers and securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents both need a bachelor’s degree, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In addition, a petroleum engineer on Wall Street will receive on-the-job training and might also want to take some courses in financial management, investing and banking practices. Knowledge of economic conditions and geopolitical events, for example, are important in making market predictions for the oil and gas industry. A broker or investment banker must also register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and may choose to become certified as a chartered financial analyst, according to the BLS. The Average Income per Year for a Petroleum Engineer The average annual income of petroleum engineers was $138,980 as of May 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The government study includes 30,880 petroleum engineers nationwide, whose yearly income ranged from $69,850 at the 10th percentile to at least $187,199 at the 90th percentile. The largest employer of petroleum engineers in the 2014 government report was the oil and gas extraction industry. The 15,720 engineers in this field averaged $150,890 per year, the top pay. The second-largest employer was mining support activities, which had 4,450 engineers earning an average of $111,400 per year. Petroleum and coal products manufacturing and architectural and engineering services each employed more than 2,000 engineers, at average annual salaries of $132,400 and $135,420 respectively.Three states had more than 2,000 jobs each for petroleum engineers in 2011, according to the statistics bureau report. Texas had the largest number of jobs by a wide margin, with 18,060 engineers earning average pay of $147,070 per year. Oklahoma had 3,090 jobs paying an average of $146,770 per year. In Louisiana, 2,440 engineers earned an average of $120,720 annually. As of 2011, three metropolitan areas stand out for high salaries among cities with more than 500 jobs for petroleum engineers. The greater Dallas, Texas, area had 1,940 jobs paying an average of $162,520 per year, according to the government study. In Oklahoma City, petroleum engineers averaged a similar $162,010 per year, and in the greater Fort Worth, Texas, region, engineers averaged $157,460 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts highly favorable prospects for petroleum engineers until at least 2020. The bureau expects a 17 percent increase in the number of jobs between 2010 and 2020, up to a total of 35,300. The price of fuel will be a large determining factor in the jobs picture because rising prices increase the incentives to recover harder-to-extract fuels. In addition, many highly paid petroleum engineers will retire, opening up jobs for newcomers. Here is the list of some of the best colleges in Andhra Pradesh offering petroleum engineering.. 1.BITS,,Hyderabad 2.Andhra University,Vishakapatnam 3.Vidya Group of Engineering Institutions,Hyderabad 4.Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology,Hyderabad 5.Moghal College of Engineering & Technology,Hyderabad 6.Al Habeeb College of Engineering & Technology, Hyderabad 7.Royal Institute of Technology and Sciences, Ranga Reddy 8.Mannan institute of Science & Technology, Hyderabad 9.Sreyas Educational Society, Hyderabad 10.Aditya Engineering College, East Godavari 11.Auroras Technological Institute, Hyderabad 12.Chaitanya Engineering College,Vishakapatnam 13.Lords Institute of Engineering & Technology,Hyderabad 14.ICFAI Tech,Hyderabad 15.MVSR Engineering College,Hyderabad 16.Simbiosis Institute of Science and Technology,Hyderabad. 17.Akshaya Bharathi Institute of Engineering and Technology,Sidhavatam. 18.Adusumalli Vijaya college of Engineering and Technology, Chikatimamidi. 19.Mahamadiya College of Engineering and Technology,Khammam Petroleum Top Companies in INDIA • Indian Oil Corporation • IBP Co. Limited • Lubricants India • Oil Gas India • Petrosil Group • Shiv-Vani Universal • ONGC • Bharat Petroleum • Reliance Petroleum Limited • Essar Oil Limited • Gas Authority of India • Hindustan Petroleum Corporation • Aban • Oil India Limited • Tata Petrodyne • Bongaigaon Refinery • Gas Projects (India) Private Limited • Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited • India LPG • Kochi Refineries Limited International Focus Besides getting jobs in Indian petroleum companies, candidates with qualification in petroleum engineering get jobs in Reliance Industries Ltd, ONGC, Schlumberger, British Gas, Halliburton Services, Essar Oil, GSPC, Shell, OIL, Gas Authority of India Ltd, Cairn Energy, IOCL, Essar Oil Ltd, NIKO Resources, GEOENPRO, MECOM Ltd, Baker Hughes, Reliance Energy, etc amongst many others. Those who have done masters or research in petroleum engineering can work in research activities of various multinational oil companies in various R&D projects. Different Roles, Different Names Depending upon the qualification, skills and experience, roles and designations differ in the field. Some of the positions offered are Reservoir Engineer, Technical Support Engineer, Senior Geoscientist, Drill Bits System Field Engineer, Petroleum Technologist and Drilling Engineer. Other positions are Principal Reservoir Petro Physicist, Technical Support Specialist, Tender and Quotations Analyst, Geosciences Pressure Expert, Senior Petro Physicist, Senior Exploration Geologist and process Engineer. Future for petroleum engineers Fuel to work • The petroleum engineering field offers one of the highest salary rates. • Graduates entering the industry typically earn salaries of $90,000 to $100,000 a year after completing a three-month probation. • Salaries are expected to increase in proportion to rising fuel costs. • Petroleum engineering students are immediately employable upon graduation, with most students finding employment before graduation. • Theres an inadequate supply of petroleum engineering graduates, with one international survey saying1, 50,000 more petroleum engineers and geoscientists are needed by 2020 • Graduates often find employment with international companies. Petroleum engineers are among the best-travelled professionals in the world.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:36:42 +0000
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