Get a jump start on what you want do in college or test your interest before you get there by taking a class in engineering! Explore the different focus areas and opportunities. 

Take a class in engineering.

Becoming a certified professional engineer signals to clients that you are trustworthy and to employers that you are capable of higher responsibility. Take your engineering career to the next level and get certified!

Get certified as a professional engineer (PE). 

Prepare to take on that leadership role by gaining valuable management tools and techniques that help improve processes within an organization.

Get Lean Six Sigma certified.

CAD (computer-aided design) technology is essential for a variety of engineering specialties. Download a free trial and watch some tutorials to start expanding your technical skill set!

Familiarize yourself with CAD technology.

Learn about the OGCI and keep up with news and trends regarding climate, oil, and gas. Brainstorm some ideas for implementing environmental controls within the field.

Stay up-to-date on the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Petroleum Engineers

Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Engineers

Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.

Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.

Maintain records of drilling and production operations.

Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.

Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.

Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.

Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.

Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.

Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.

Interpret drilling and testing information for personnel.

Finite element analysis FEA software

Google Analytics

The MathWorks MATLAB

Microsoft PowerPoint

Oracle Java

Landmark Graphics TOW/cs

Microsoft Access

Oracle Database

Structure query language SQL

Eclipse IDE

Microsoft Visual Studio

Software development tools

DFA Capital Management GEMS

GeoGraphix ARIES Portfolio

IHS QUE$TOR

IBM Notes

Microsoft Outlook

Autodesk AutoCAD

Dassault Systemes CATIA

Microsoft Project

Oracle Primavera Systems

Microsoft Excel

Computer scanners

Laptop computers

Personal digital assistants PDA

Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Every day

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?

Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities

Very important

Important

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Petroleum Engineers

Overview

Career

What Petroleum Engineers Do

Other Job Titles Petroleum Engineers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Petroleum Engineers

Overview

Career

What Petroleum Engineers Do

Other Job Titles Petroleum Engineers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Petroleum Engineers

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders