Becoming an Offshore or Petroleum Engineer

Offshore engineers are responsible for the engineering facilities needed for oil exploration and production at sea. Petroleum engineers analyze geophysical and other data to build up a picture of an oil reservoir. They then decide whether its exploitation is economic and, where appropriate, supervise the extraction of oil.

The Job:

Offshore engineers are employed by oil companies and by the producers of equipment used for oil exploration at sea. When working for a manufacturer, they are involved in the design of oil-exploration rigs, separation plants for oil, gas, and water, drilling plant, pumps, and pipelines. Their job is to complete the detailed designs, work out the logistics, schedule the work, purchase the parts, and supervise the installation of equipment on site. Those offshore engineers working for oil companies assess the equipment needed for each exploration, drilling and production venture their companies undertake.

They may also run the engineering operations on site at oil wells, with responsibility for the equipment and machinery and also the supervision of contractors.

Offshore engineers work in many different environments, from design offices to oil rig platforms. They must be adaptable and most have a mechanical engineering background and some knowledge of electricity generation, electronic control systems, and chemical engineering.

Petroleum engineers bring together all the data concerning oil fields, using computers to build up a picture of the deposits.

They consider the best way of extracting the maximum amount of oil from a particular site and are involved in the calculations that lead to the assessment of the economic viability of each project. Once drilling commences, petroleum engineers are based at the well site and supervise the operations of the drilling contractors. They continue their study of the oil field by taking chippings of rock during drilling to determine the temperature and pressure of the oil in the well and its flow rate.

Petroleum engineers spend part of their time in offices and part at well sites. The development of an oil field includes the drilling of several wells, and petroleum engineers coordinate the project as a whole, deciding where each well is to be drilled. Oil and gas wells are often in remote parts of the world, or at sea, and engineers must be able to cope with extremes of climate and weather conditions. They must also enjoy performing complex calculations and negotiating w2ith senior managers and other engineers.

Training Involved:

Offshore engineers often spend part of their training working in other areas of the industry because few employers can offer the fall range of experience needed. Trainees usually begin by gaining experience of the detailed design of offshore structures. They also spend some time off shore, working under the direct supervision of senior engineers.

Training for petroleum engineers is partly on the job, working in exploration teams with other professionals. In the office, training involves learning the complex calculations and computer-modeling techniques required. At the well site, trainees work with experienced colleagues to gain experience of drilling and extraction methods. It takes between 2 and 4 years before a petroleum engineer has sufficient experience to manage a project.

Useful Qualifications to Have:

Useful subjects include: engineering, physics, geophysics, and mathematics.

Future Prospects:

When the price for oil is high, demand for offshore engineers' increases; when it is low, jobs are harder to find. It is, however, an international career, and those with the right experience and skills, who are willing to work in the more remote parts of the world, should find employment. Future prospects for the industry depend on the discovery of new oil reserves, but there is little likelihood of the oil running out for several generations at least. The increased use of natural gas has also helped job prospects, since gas and oil are often found together.

Petroleum engineers are employed in oil-producing countries and in the exploration offices of oil and gas companies. Those willing to work where exploration activity is greatest are likely to find regular employment, but prospects are dependent on how the industry is affected by the wider economic climate. English is the international language in the oil industry.

Engineers specializing in this field must be prepared to work on rigs in inhospitable places.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of an Offshore or Petroleum Engineer ranges from $61,727 to $103,532 annually, while the median salary for most Offshore or Petroleum Engineers is $82,000 annually. (US Base Pay)

For further information, contact a professional association or institute of offshore or petroleum engineering or mechanical or chemical engineering, as well as oil companies, petrochemical contractors, and engineering consultants.