The Student Room Group

Difference between petroleum engineering and oil & gas engineering (Masters)

Anyone know the specific difference between the two? I want to do a masters, and then go on to become a drilling engineer.
Original post by siamakdie
Anyone know the specific difference between the two? I want to do a masters, and then go on to become a drilling engineer.


Oil & gas engineering is a very broad masters that covers almost all aspects of engineering, whereas petroleum engineering is a specialised masters that will help prepare you for a petroleum engineering position.

By the way you don't need a masters to become a drilling engineer. The ideal background for a drilling engineer is probably a mechanical one, although if you're not doing anything at the moment a masters in oil & gas engineering is as good as any way to spend the time doing something.

And also it's very difficult to get a job as a drilling engineer as a graduate. It's more likely that you'll have to work your way through a services company first.
Reply 2
Original post by Smack
Oil & gas engineering is a very broad masters that covers almost all aspects of engineering, whereas petroleum engineering is a specialised masters that will help prepare you for a petroleum engineering position.

By the way you don't need a masters to become a drilling engineer. The ideal background for a drilling engineer is probably a mechanical one, although if you're not doing anything at the moment a masters in oil & gas engineering is as good as any way to spend the time doing something.

And also it's very difficult to get a job as a drilling engineer as a graduate. It's more likely that you'll have to work your way through a services company first.


Thankyou very much. I'm studying civil engineering, so i would like to do a masters to be able to do something drilling related. What masters would you advise me doing? I'm thinking of oil and gas/Petroleum/Subsea
Original post by siamakdie
Thankyou very much. I'm studying civil engineering, so i would like to do a masters to be able to do something drilling related. What masters would you advise me doing? I'm thinking of oil and gas/Petroleum/Subsea


Neither petroleum nor subsea really have much to do with drilling so if you were desperate to do a masters then oil & gas seems the best choice.
Reply 4
Original post by Smack
Neither petroleum nor subsea really have much to do with drilling so if you were desperate to do a masters then oil & gas seems the best choice.


Which one has the best career opportunities in your opinion? (Subsea engineering/Petroleum)

I hear pipeline engineering is in high demand, but petroleum engineers are highest earners.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by siamakdie
Which one has the best career opportunities in your opinion? (Subsea engineering/Petroleum)

I hear pipeline engineering is in high demand, but petroleum engineers are highest earners.


Petroleum engineering is quite a niche area where you can only really work for a dew different types of company (the oil companies themselves, servicing companies and maybe some consultancies), whereas subsea/pipeline engineers can be found across pretty much the whole spectrum of companies. Petroleum might be slightly higher paid, or they might not be, but even if they are I would easily sacrifice a potential few extra thousand pounds on my salary for the security and scope of subsea.

And subsea and pipelines is something that is very accessible with your civil background, too.
Reply 6
Original post by Smack
Petroleum engineering is quite a niche area where you can only really work for a dew different types of company (the oil companies themselves, servicing companies and maybe some consultancies), whereas subsea/pipeline engineers can be found across pretty much the whole spectrum of companies. Petroleum might be slightly higher paid, or they might not be, but even if they are I would easily sacrifice a potential few extra thousand pounds on my salary for the security and scope of subsea.

And subsea and pipelines is something that is very accessible with your civil background, too.



What about working as a drilling engineer?
Original post by siamakdie
What about working as a drilling engineer?


As I said it's very difficult to get a job as a drilling engineer straight out of university as very few companies recruit them, and from my experience (got offered a drilling job myself, although didn't take it) the universities some of them recruit from can be very limited. It's much more likely that if you want to go into drilling you're going to have spend a bit of time at a services company first.
Reply 8
Original post by Smack
As I said it's very difficult to get a job as a drilling engineer straight out of university as very few companies recruit them, and from my experience (got offered a drilling job myself, although didn't take it) the universities some of them recruit from can be very limited. It's much more likely that if you want to go into drilling you're going to have spend a bit of time at a services company first.


Do pipeline engineers spend as much time overseas, compared to drilling engineers?
Original post by siamakdie
Do pipeline engineers spend as much time overseas, compared to drilling engineers?


From what I remember of an interview for a pipeline position, it's pretty much an office based position. Possibly an office overseas if an opportunity arises and your company will let you.
Reply 10
Hi guys,

I am about to finish my mechanical engineering degree and i want to work in the oil and gas industry, if possible i hope to get involve in drilling.

If i have to take master, which master should i do? Oil and gas engineering or petroleum engineering? Hope you guys dont mind sharing your opinion. Thank you
Original post by rouze
Hi guys,

I am about to finish my mechanical engineering degree and i want to work in the oil and gas industry, if possible i hope to get involve in drilling.

If i have to take master, which master should i do? Oil and gas engineering or petroleum engineering? Hope you guys dont mind sharing your opinion. Thank you


Not petroleum engineering, as @Smack said it wont prepare you for a position in drilling (more likely than not it will get you into reservoir engineering). If you're dead set on drilling as a profession i'd recommend an Msc in drilling engineering from robert gordon university.
As this is an old thread I am going to revise some of what I previously said a little bit.

It is possible to get a job as a drilling engineer with a petroleum engineering degree. From what I have seen, many graduate drilling engineer jobs are open to almost any engineering background. Quite a few people from my mechanical course got into drilling engineer jobs with big and small oil companies, so a masters isn't a necessity.

That said, it is still a very competitive position to get into (ignoring the current industry situation).
Reply 13
Original post by Smack
As this is an old thread I am going to revise some of what I previously said a little bit.

It is possible to get a job as a drilling engineer with a petroleum engineering degree. From what I have seen, many graduate drilling engineer jobs are open to almost any engineering background. Quite a few people from my mechanical course got into drilling engineer jobs with big and small oil companies, so a masters isn't a necessity.

That said, it is still a very competitive position to get into (ignoring the current industry situation).


I see, thank you @Oilfreak1. Will take that into consideration. @Smack, so it is possible with petroleum engineering master degree?

Also, i want to know which one these master degrees have more and better job prospects or career opportunities that will be needed in the future of oil and gas industry? I am sorry if i listed it too much.

1) Master in Petroleum Engineering
2) Master in Oil and Gas Engineering
3) Master in Drilling Engineering
4) Master in Offshore Engineering
5) Master in Pipeline Engineering
6) Master in Subsea Engineering
Original post by rouze
@Smack, so it is possible with petroleum engineering master degree?


In my post I said it was possible to get a job in drilling engineer with a petroleum engineering degree. When I originally wrote in this thread I don't think there were any graduates from undergrad level petroleum engineering, and masters level petroleum engineering graduates were probably more interested in petroleum/reservoir engineering than drilling. But now that there are undergrad petroleum engineering graduates I'm sure I have came across at least one on LinkedIn who was working as a drilling engineer. And if it was just a figment of my imagination, the positions are usually open to almost any engineering background (when they're open, that is).


Also, i want to know which one these master degrees have more and better job prospects or career opportunities that will be needed in the future of oil and gas industry? I am sorry if i listed it too much.

1) Master in Petroleum Engineering
2) Master in Oil and Gas Engineering
3) Master in Drilling Engineering
4) Master in Offshore Engineering
5) Master in Pipeline Engineering
6) Master in Subsea Engineering


I dunno. When I was at university the mantra was "subsea is the place to be" in reference to how the industry was developing - mature fields being developed as tie backs to existing infrastructure and deep water developments offshore Africa, Brazil, Gulf of Mexico and the like. But at the moment things are different, and I don't think anyone can guess where things will be in the next few years.
hello please i got a degree in petroleum engineering but want to specialize in natural gaz engineering, so should i go in for oil and gas engineering at my masters or petroleum engineering??
Reply 16
Petroleum engineering and oil & gas engineering are closely related fields. Petroleum engineering focuses on the exploration, extraction, and production of oil and gas resources. Oil & gas engineering, on the other hand, covers a broader range of activities related to the entire oil and gas industry, including refining, transportation, and distribution. Both degrees can lead to a career as a drilling engineer, which involves managing drilling operations.

Quick Reply