Petroleum Engineering - Petroleum Engineer Career |
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Nature of Petroleum Engineer Work |
Petroleum engineers search the world for reservoirs containing oil or natural gas. Once these resources are discovered, petroleum engineers work with geologists and other specialists to understand the geologic formation and properties of the rock containing the reservoir, determine the drilling methods to be used, and monitor drilling and production operations. They design equipment and processes to achieve the maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas. Because only a small proportion of oil and gas in a reservoir flows out under natural forces, petroleum engineers develop and use various enhanced recovery methods. These include injecting water, chemicals, gases, or steam into an oil reservoir to force out more of the oil and doing computer-controlled drilling or fracturing to connect a larger area of a reservoir to a single well. Because even the best techniques in use today recover only a portion of the oil and gas in a reservoir, petroleum engineers research and develop technology and methods to increase recovery and lower the cost of drilling and production operations.
Petroleum Engineer Career Job Outlook |
Petroleum engineers are expected to have 5 percent employment growth over the projections decade, more slowly than the average for all occupations. Even though most of the potential petroleum-producing areas in the United States already have been explored, petroleum engineers will increasingly be needed to develop new methods of extracting more resources from existing sources. Favorable opportunities are expected for petroleum engineers because the number of job openings is likely to exceed the relatively small number of graduates. Petroleum engineers work around the world and, in fact, the best employment opportunities may include some work in other countries.
Petroleum Engineer Salaries |
Earnings for engineers vary significantly by specialty, industry, and education. Variation in median earnings and in the earnings distributions for engineers in various specialties is especially significant. Table 2 shows wage-and-salary earnings distributions in May 2006 for engineers in specialties covered in this statement.
Table 2: Earnings distribution by engineering specialty, May 2006
| Specialty |
Lowest 10% |
Lowest 25% |
Median |
Highest 25% |
Highest 10% |
| Aerospace engineers |
59,610 |
71,360 |
87,610 |
106,450 |
124,550 |
| Agricultural engineers |
42,390 |
53,040 |
66,030 |
80,370 |
96,270 |
| Biomedical engineers |
44,930 |
56,420 |
73,930 |
93,420 |
116,330 |
| Chemical engineers |
50,060 |
62,410 |
78,860 |
98,100 |
118,670 |
| Civil engineers |
44,810 |
54,520 |
68,600 |
86,260 |
104,420 |
| Computer hardware engineers |
53,910 |
69,500 |
88,470 |
111,030 |
135,260 |
| Electrical engineers |
49,120 |
60,640 |
75,930 |
94,050 |
115,240 |
| Electronics engineers, except computer |
52,050 |
64,440 |
81,050 |
99,630 |
119,900 |
| Environmental engineers |
43,180 |
54,150 |
69,940 |
88,480 |
106,230 |
| Health and safety engineers |
41,050 |
51,630 |
66,290 |
83,240 |
100,160 |
| Industrial engineers |
44,790 |
55,060 |
68,620 |
84,850 |
100,980 |
| Marine engineers and naval architects |
45,200 |
56,280 |
72,990 |
90,790 |
113,320 |
| Materials engineers |
46,120 |
57,850 |
73,990 |
92,210 |
112,140 |
| Mechanical engineers |
45,170 |
55,420 |
69,850 |
87,550 |
104,900 |
| Mining and geological engineers |
42,040 |
54,390 |
72,160 |
94,110 |
128,410 |
| Nuclear engineers |
65,220 |
77,920 |
90,220 |
105,710 |
124,510 |
| Petroleum engineers |
57,960 |
75,880 |
98,380 |
123,130 |
Over 145,600 |
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Table 3: Average starting salary by engineering specialty and degree , 2007
| Curriculum |
Bachelor's |
Master's |
Ph.D. |
| Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical |
$53,408 |
$62,459 |
$73,814 |
| Agricultural |
49,764 |
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| Architectural |
48,664 |
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| Bioengineering and biomedical |
51,356 |
59,240 |
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| Chemical |
59,361 |
68,561 |
73,667 |
| Civil |
48,509 |
48,280 |
62,275 |
| Computer |
56,201 |
60,000 |
92,500 |
| Electrical/electronics and communications |
55,292 |
66,309 |
75,982 |
| Environmental/environmental health |
47,960 |
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| Industrial/manufacturing |
55,067 |
64,759 |
77,364 |
| Materials |
56,233 |
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| Mechanical |
54,128 |
62,798 |
72,763 |
| Mining and mineral |
54,381 |
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| Nuclear |
56,587 |
59,167 |
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| Petroleum |
60,718 |
57,000 |
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Footnotes:
(NOTE) Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers
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