Petroleum engineering is an intriguing job sector that entails creating and developing crude oil or natural gas extraction processes. It is regarded as a rewarding job with several promotion chances. Learn more about being a petroleum engineer to see whether it's the appropriate career path for you. We'll look at how to become a petroleum engineer, what skills and certifications they need, and what their key responsibilities are in this blog.

What is Petroleum Engineering?

Petroleum engineering is an area of engineering concerned with the development and exploitation of crude oil and natural gas resources, as well as the technical study, computer modeling, and forecasting of future production performance. Petroleum engineering arose from mining engineering and geology, and it is still intimately tied to geoscience, which aids engineers in understanding the geological structures and circumstances that favor petroleum deposits.

Drilling, producing, processing, and transporting gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon products, as well as the related economic and regulatory issues, are all concerns of the petroleum engineer, whose goal is to extract gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon products from the ground.

Petroleum engineers have the chance to work on projects all around the world because many petroleum corporations have global operations. In these tasks, petroleum engineers must handle a wide range of scientific, political, and economic issues. These intriguing challenges combine to make a career as a petroleum engineer extremely gratifying.

Your how-to guide to pursuing a career in Petroleum Engineering?

The extraction of oil and natural gas from under the Earth's crust is referred to as petroleum engineering. It is the responsibility of petroleum engineers to supply the growing worldwide demand for energy sources in a safe and sustainable way.

From exploration and drilling through recovery and transportation, you'll get a thorough understanding of the whole extraction process. You'll learn how to harvest energy in the most effective way possible, as well as how to mitigate mining's negative environmental repercussions.

Many jobs in the field are situated offshore because of the unequal distribution of petroleum reserves across the world. Studying abroad is an excellent approach to demonstrate to potential employers your capacity to collaborate with individuals from other cultures.

Below are some ways by which you can get into this hottest field.

Basic education requirements

Petroleum engineering bachelor's degrees are available as three-year or four-year BEng programs. Your program length will be determined by where you study and whether or not you perform an industry placement as part of your studies.

A four-year integrated MEng program is ideal for those who want to easily transfer from an undergraduate to a postgraduate study. Otherwise, you can study for a master's degree in one or two years.

A Ph.D. may be right for you if you want to engage in cutting-edge research in the area. Doctorate degrees typically take 4 to 5 years to complete on top of your undergraduate study.

Theoretical lectures, seminars, and tutorials are combined with practical laboratories, group workshops, and field visits in petroleum engineering programs.

Apply for internships

Spending a year in the industry is a valuable experience that can help you stand out when looking for graduate positions. You'll use what you've learned and form professional relationships.

Internships are a fantastic way to gain experience in a certain profession. They assist you with developing the required abilities and gaining hands-on experience in the area. More significantly, such experiences provide you with early exposure to industry best practices and work cultures.

Gain industry experience

After schooling, gaining appropriate job experience is the most significant aspect. You will become more proficient in your work capacity if you receive hands-on training. To get both practical and theoretical expertise, you might start with a junior position or an internship.

Licensure 

Graduates must have a minimum of 4 years of industry experience before applying for an engineering license. Applicants must first pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) test to receive the Engineer in Training (EIT) or Engineer Intern (EI) title. The Professional Engineer (PE) license is obtained by passing the second test, Principles, and Practice of Engineering. To keep their license, several states require engineers to complete continuing education requirements.

Independent or self-employed engineers must be licensed in every state. Engineers who work under a licensed engineer may not need a license.

Certifications

The Society of Petroleum Engineers offers certification, which isn't required but is accessible (SPE). The SPE sets competency and professional behavior standards organizes seminars and networking events and creates career tools for oil and gas professionals all around the world. Petroleum engineers must be Society members, have an undergraduate engineering degree, at least four years of experience, and pass a test to get certified. Members must complete 16 hours of professional development courses every year to keep their certification.

The SPE accreditation can assist job prospects to increase their marketability and career changes, as well as negotiate greater pay.

Best places to pursue Petroleum Engineering

With so many countries and universities to select from, it may be difficult for students wanting to further their education overseas to make an educated decision. We recognize this, and after conducting extensive research, we have compiled a comprehensive reference to the top 5 best places in the world for studying Petroleum Engineering Abroad.

United States of America (USA)

In the United States, where the profession of Petroleum Engineering was founded in 1914 by the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, and where the first Petroleum Engineering degree was awarded by the University of Pittsburgh in 1915. The United States is home to some of the world's greatest colleges, and degrees earned there are recognized all around the world. Because of its high-quality education, provided by highly accredited colleges, and the diverse people and lifestyle that each foreign student may experience, the United States has long been a favorite study destination for international students.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom, a sovereign nation in North-Western Europe, has long been a popular destination for overseas students. The United Kingdom, which is noted for its unitary parliamentary government and a constitutional monarchy, has a long academic history and great training and research facilities. Furthermore, career prospects are high, particularly for STEM grads. In recent years, the digital industry in the UK has experienced significant expansion and now adds a significant amount of value to the economy. The United Kingdom was the world's first industrialized country, and it continues to be one of the world's great powers, wielding significant economic, cultural, military, scientific, technical, and political clout worldwide.

Australia

Most of Australia's oil resources are condensate and Liquefied Petroleum Gas linked with massive offshore gas fields in the Browse, Carnarvon, and Bonaparte basins, accounting for around 0.3 percent of the world's oil reserves. The Australian government places a strong focus on promoting petroleum exploration. The Australian Government's goal to expand petroleum exploration in Australia's offshore seas includes the yearly release of offshore petroleum exploration acreage. As a result, it is an excellent choice for those interested in pursuing a career in Petroleum Engineering. The emphasis on research is one of the most tempting characteristics of Australia for overseas students. Living and studying in Australia is much less expensive than in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Canada

Canada is a good area to study petroleum engineering and has a thriving petroleum sector due to its position as one of the world's top suppliers of petroleum. Petroleum engineering positions in the country are predicted to grow substantially in the next years, providing additional work prospects for graduates in the area. Petroleum engineering students in Canada have the benefit of studying how to extract oil and gas products safely and inexpensively using cutting-edge equipment and working directly with industry specialists.

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the world's leading oil producers, with around 15% of the world's petroleum reserves. It has long been the world's greatest petroleum exporter, and the petroleum sector has contributed significantly to the country's GDP and export revenues.

Saudi Arabia's government has also boosted its efforts and funds to improve the country's educational system. Its institutions' prestigious reputations, particularly in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as the availability of cutting-edge facilities and generous scholarship programs, make it an appealing study abroad destination for foreign students. International graduates, especially those with a degree in petroleum engineering, are provided several job chances in the country's key businesses.

Scholarships to apply for Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum engineering is one of the top paid engineering specializations. Engineering is regarded to be a discipline of study with a good return on investment. Good petroleum engineering programs, on the other hand, are not always inexpensive. This is why we've put together a list of five scholarships for petroleum engineering students.

Society of Petroleum Engineers Scholarships

The Society of Petroleum Engineers is divided into sections, each of which is based in a different region of the organization. Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Russia, the Caspian, and the United States are the regions. Many sections give scholarships to students from particular areas, ranging from $500 to $2,500. Following the link above will take you to a comprehensive list of the sections on the main SPE website, where you will discover connections to each section's available scholarship.

This single entry reflects at least 29 separate engineering scholarships accessible to people all across the world. This is one of the various scholarships for international students studying petroleum engineering.

• Scholarship Amount: $500-$2,500
• Scholarship Deadline: Varies by Section

US Government Scholarships

The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowships are a summer internship program sponsored by the US Department of Energy. Students from underrepresented groups and women are encouraged to apply, but anyone pursuing a STEM topic (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) is eligible to apply. You must have a 3.0 GPA and be at least a sophomore in college.

The stipends are significant, ranging from $600 per week for undergraduates to $850 per week for Ph.D. students. The cost of travel is included.

Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program in the USA

International students from 155 countries are eligible to apply for the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Program in the United States. The grant covers master's and doctoral level programs in any subject taught at US universities. The scholarship deadline is February-October (Annual).

Graduate students, young professionals, and artists from throughout the world can study and do research in the United States under the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is active in over 160 countries throughout the world. Each year, about 4,000 international students are awarded Fulbright grants.

Binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or US embassies manage the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. These offices handle all applications for the Foreign Student Program.

DAAD Scholarships in Germany

Foreign graduates from developing and newly industrialized countries with at least two years of professional experience can apply for DAAD scholarships to study for a postgraduate or Master's degree at a state or state-recognized German university, or in exceptional cases, to study for a doctoral degree and obtain a university qualification (Master's/PhD) in Germany.

The scholarships cover monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates and 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates, as well as payments for health, accident, and personal liability insurance, and a travel allowance, unless these costs are paid by the home country or another source of support.

Masters scholarships last 12 to 24 months (depending on the institution) while Ph.D. scholarships last 42 months.

Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD

Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters and Ph.D. Students, 2022-2023 is a scholarship program open to Masters's and Ph.D. degree students studying at specified UK universities.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) offers this scholarship, which is worth £1,043 a month and includes an approved flight from the home country to the UK, tuition and examination costs, and a stipend.

Citizens and permanent residents of Commonwealth developing countries are eligible to apply. The application deadline changes depending on the application season.

What else can you do with the degree?

Petroleum engineers devise methods for extracting natural gas, oil, and other geological elements. They create innovative technology and tactics for obtaining and transferring these natural resources securely to storage facilities and refineries. They're also in charge of determining the materials and drills to employ in different places for extracting from existing and new wells. Petroleum engineers prefer to specialize in various aspects of the drilling process due to their diverse duties.

Completions engineers 

They devise efficient techniques for filtering oil and gas as it passes through pipelines. They oversee the execution of a project, concentrating on the proper use of tubing, lifts, various pipe materials, and component installation.

Natural Gas Engineer 

One of the sub-disciplines of petroleum engineering is natural gas engineering. Engineers that specialize in natural gas development are known as natural gas engineers. A crude oil engineer is responsible for extracting as much oil as possible from the earth's resources. They choose the optimal technique based on parameters such as geological formations and the amount of gas accessible at the site. They also develop criteria for extracting resources effectively using drilling, chemicals, and other gases in the atmosphere as well as equipment.

Reservoir Engineer

The appraisal of oil and gas pockets is the responsibility of a reservoir engineer. The reservoir engineer's job is to figure out how much oil and gas is available and if the location is appropriate for digging a well. To determine the position and volume of fuel in subsurface sources, reservoir engineers use their geological and hydrodynamic skills and expertise. Engineers work with specialized technologies to locate oil and natural gas deposits in some circumstances, such as computer modeling and imaging programs.

Production Engineer

All of the machinery used to dig the oil well is overseen by a production engineer. The production engineer is in charge of coordinating and maintaining the drilling equipment. They also choose equipment for separating the created fluids on the surface (oil, natural gas, and water). Production Engineers are in charge of supervising and optimizing output in factories. They assist development teams, execute safety procedures, communicate issues to managers, and implement performance and income improvement initiatives.

Offshore Drilling Engineer

Drilling engineers play a critical role in the petroleum sector, ensuring that wells are drilled safely and efficiently to obtain oil or gas.

A drilling engineer is responsible for planning, developing, and supervising the operations involved in drilling oil and gas wells. They are responsible for costs and are engaged from the original well design to testing, completion, and abandonment.

Working for an operational oil firm, a specialized drilling contractor, or a service business, one can operate on land, on offshore platforms, or mobile drilling units in this job. They collaborate with other specialists, such as geologists and geoscientists, to track drilling progress, control safety, and assure environmental protection.