Petroleum Engineering as a career path?

Original post by oky

Couple of question, appreciate an answer

-Staring Salary? Salary after 1/2/3/4/5+ years?
-Could one apply for other Engineering jobs with this degree? Ie Civil for example
-Interesting job?
-Can one start working in Norway for example with a BEng
-If so, how much will the salary be
-Working hours?
-Will a MEng or MSc get me a higher starting salary?
-I should only do this if I...
-Physical job?

My answers are based on what I have learnt from people in the industry. I have quite a few contacts and some are in managerial positions so they know quite alot.

1)it really depends on which company/work location/job scope. but do not be fooled by all these reports that fresh graduates in Pet Eng earn 100k a year. Not anymore atleast. And most of these graduates who earn that amount graduated from US universities. These guys go through 4 years of training and study and US universities are more petroleum specialized compared to UK universities.

2) Petroleum and Civil are completely different. petroleum is specialized. that's a risk if you take a petroleum degree. it won't be easy to work in other engineering industries. if yo can't find a job related to petroleum, you might find the going tough.

3) Yes it is. but its a highly stressful job. time away from family. you work 7days a week for 4 weeks straight offshore. that is if you get a job offshore. but tbh getting a job offshore is not very easy. you need to know people.

4) Highly unlikely.

5) its very highly unlikely you will get a job in Norway with BEng. so forget about the salary.

6) once again work hours depend on your job scope.

7) yes it will. but remember that petroleum is a industry that needs you to network to get into. so your salary will then be based on your job title etc.

8)have a passion for it. its a highly stressful job. if you are in it for the money you are likely to be disappointed. petroleum is well paid but there are many factors to it. a degree won't automatically grant you a high pay.

9) once again it depends on your job title.

Reply 6

sykik

Original post by malefni

My answers are based on what I have learnt from people in the industry. I have quite a few contacts and some are in managerial positions so they know quite alot.

1)it really depends on which company/work location/job scope. but do not be fooled by all these reports that fresh graduates in Pet Eng earn 100k a year. Not anymore atleast. And most of these graduates who earn that amount graduated from US universities. These guys go through 4 years of training and study and US universities are more petroleum specialized compared to UK universities.

2) Petroleum and Civil are completely different. petroleum is specialized. that's a risk if you take a petroleum degree. it won't be easy to work in other engineering industries. if yo can't find a job related to petroleum, you might find the going tough.

3) Yes it is. but its a highly stressful job. time away from family. you work 7days a week for 4 weeks straight offshore. that is if you get a job offshore. but tbh getting a job offshore is not very easy. you need to know people.

4) Highly unlikely.

5) its very highly unlikely you will get a job in Norway with BEng. so forget about the salary.

6) once again work hours depend on your job scope.

7) yes it will. but remember that petroleum is a industry that needs you to network to get into. so your salary will then be based on your job title etc.

8)have a passion for it. its a highly stressful job. if you are in it for the money you are likely to be disappointed. petroleum is well paid but there are many factors to it. a degree won't automatically grant you a high pay.

9) once again it depends on your job title.

So you're saying if you don't know anyone in this industry, You can't succeed in this industry? Please someone who is also in this industry just confirm if this is true

Reply 7

Original post by sykik

So you're saying if you don't know anyone in this industry, You can't succeed in this industry? Please someone who is also in this industry just confirm if this is true

Nope I am saying to really succeed in this industry you have to really stand out and work extremely hard and also have good contacts. remember that these jobs are specialized. without experience, the only other way to get into the highly coveted jobs are through contacts. it depends on what exactly are you looking for. whether you want to work offshore or onshore. or whether you want to become a drilling engineer or something else.

everyone wants to do petroleum now because its highly paid. its demand and supply. there is a lot of demand and there is a lot of supply now too. so how else would you give yourself an advantage? obviously with contacts you would have an headstart. i know a petroleum engineer with no degree. he used to be in the mining industry in aussie. worked for 5 years and then through a contact become a petroleum engineer with a oil and gas company. remember work politics exist everywhere. all i am saying is if you know people you will get to places faster. if you can't accept that then you are in for a rude shock when you enter the working industry.

Reply 8

sykik

Original post by malefni

Nope I am saying to really succeed in this industry you have to really stand out and work extremely hard and also have good contacts. remember that these jobs are specialized. without experience, the only other way to get into the highly coveted jobs are through contacts. it depends on what exactly are you looking for. whether you want to work offshore or onshore. or whether you want to become a drilling engineer or something else.

everyone wants to do petroleum now because its highly paid. its demand and supply. there is a lot of demand and there is a lot of supply now too. so how else would you give yourself an advantage? obviously with contacts you would have an headstart. i know a petroleum engineer with no degree. he used to be in the mining industry in aussie. worked for 5 years and then through a contact become a petroleum engineer with a oil and gas company. remember work politics exist everywhere. all i am saying is if you know people you will get to places faster. if you can't accept that then you are in for a rude shock when you enter the working industry.

Recently I checked the employment rate for petroleum engineers and it was like more than doctors.... doesn't that suggest anything? Also if I do well in my course... is there still a chance that I won't get a job?

Reply 9

Where did you check? Petroleum engineers will of course get employed. In fact any one with a engineering degree will get employed. But what role do you get employed in? That's the unknown factor. Petroleum is a good industry no doubt. But of course it's a risk when it's so specialized. Besides petroleum requires experience for the top roles. Like I said if you have an Engjneering degree you will get employed. But what role are you exactly looking at getting employed as?

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Reply 10

sykik

Original post by malefni

Where did you check? Petroleum engineers will of course get employed. In fact any one with a engineering degree will get employed. But what role do you get employed in? That's the unknown factor. Petroleum is a good industry no doubt. But of course it's a risk when it's so specialized. Besides petroleum requires experience for the top roles. Like I said if you have an Engjneering degree you will get employed. But what role are you exactly looking at getting employed as?

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Not really any engineer will get employed... A few of my cousins who are electrical engineers have been unemployed for more than 6 months. I am looking to get employed as a reservoir engineer or drilling engineer. Obviously as u said that u get a good role with expericience and you get experience by doing other smaller roles. What other roles are there? I am just asking like couldn't I get like a senoir reserviour engineer job or senior drilling engineer job if i have enough experience? without any contacts

Btw the employment thing i found from this website: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/the-jobs-with-the-highest-and-lowest-unemployment-rates-in-the-us/266974/

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 11

Original post by sykik

Not really any engineer will get employed... A few of my cousins who are electrical engineers have been unemployed for more than 6 months. I am looking to get employed as a reservoir engineer or drilling engineer. Obviously as u said that u get a good role with expericience and you get experience by doing other smaller roles. What other roles are there? I am just asking like couldn't I get like a senoir reserviour engineer job or senior drilling engineer job if i have enough experience? without any contacts

Btw the employment thing i found from this website: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/the-jobs-with-the-highest-and-lowest-unemployment-rates-in-the-us/266974/

Well I personally don't know anyone who has an engineering degree and is unemployed.

You need lots of experience to be a drilling engineer. I know a drilling engineer who worked his way up from being a toolpusher to a senior toolpusher and then to a drilling engineer position. Took him about 10 years. Very rarely do you find any drilling engineer in their 20s. Well it depends on your luck and how much the company thinks you can do a good job being a drilling engineer. A drilling engineer's job is not easy at all. And besides you have to work offshore if you wanna be a drilling engineer. Which means almost a month or more away from home. That is a job that does not suit everyone. Have you heard the saying your net worth depends on your network? That's what I meant by getting good roles with contacts.

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Reply 12

petrogirl

2

How is the employment rate now that the oil prices have dropped?

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Reply 13

diekevin

Is it worth studyng MSc in Petroleum Engineering in 2015/2016 given the current price of crude oil (50 $/barrel)? Especially, knowing that almost all oil companies are having huge losses and will cancel their projects I fear that this situation will translate in no employment opportunities for new petroleum engineering graduates or even worse dismissal of current employees.

Reply 14

Original post by diekevin

Is it worth studyng MSc in Petroleum Engineering in 2015/2016 given the current price of crude oil (50 $/barrel)? Especially, knowing that almost all oil companies are having huge losses and will cancel their projects I fear that this situation will translate in no employment opportunities for new petroleum engineering graduates or even worse dismissal of current employees.

I think you are very right. "

Many companies now have rigs with no contracts and are laying off people. And hiring has almost stopped completely.and yes if you are gonna be a fresh graduate, you can almost certainly forget about getting a job in the current situation. And I think this situation is here to stay for a while."

From a HR in the oil and gas industry

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Reply 15

smith4756