The study of Petroleum Engineering in the United States is offered by prestigious universities and colleges. Graduates of the programs get a high return on their investment in the school, so be sure to consider majoring in Petroleum Engineer, Mining Engineer.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, oil and gas professionals have much better-than-average job prospects, with a 15% growth rate between 2016 and 2026. The industry was ranked as the highest-paying college specialization with an average salary of $ 175,000 / yr.
Content of programs in the US oil and gas industry
Most petroleum engineers, mining engineers receive bachelor's degrees. Top engineering schools in the United States are ABET accredited, which allows you to obtain a Professional Engineering (PE) license - which will lead to more profitable, higher leadership positions.
Petroleum Engineer Specialty
Petroleum engineers, mining engineers are professionals who specialize in the creation, design, development of various methods of oil and gas extraction from underground reservoirs; they also focus on exploration and evaluation of recoverable oil and gas from new formations. They have made oil extraction simple and profitable, and have reduced its environmental impact.
The oil and gas industry is an area of engineering associated with activities in the hydrocarbon sector (oil and natural gas). All vertical and horizontal sectors of the oil industry - from drilling to refining and transportation - are part of this field.
Most of the time, petroleum engineers work in laboratories doing research, but they also go to sites, spending weeks and months at them.
Oil and gas career options:
- The drilling engineer determines the best drilling practice to be used, taking into account the factors that can affect the results.
- A production engineer supervises the operation of the station.
- The Reservoir Engineer evaluates the quality of the recoverable hydrocarbons from the reservoir and studies the reservoir characteristics to suggest the best production method.
Petroleum Engineering is a lucrative business. As the demand for and the cost of oil increases, the number of jobs will increase. Qualifications include:
- Degree in Petroleum Engineering
- Additional specialty in geology (desirable but not required)
- Analytical skills
- Math skills
- Problem solving skills
- Communication skills.
A Professional Engineering (PE) license is also required for independent operations and top-level management.
The bottom 10% of the workforce earn about $ 80,000, and the top 10% of petroleum engineers earn over $ 200,000. The US Department of Labor reports that the demand for oil and gas engineers will grow as new technologies improve, strategies to develop huge unconventional sources such as shale and tar sands. The future of petroleum engineering is in the hands of new technologies such as hydraulic fracturing and GPS satellite imagery: new jobs are created every day, and more than 5,000 engineers will be needed to meet the demand in the United States alone over the next 10 years.
As information technology develops, the oil industry benefits from its use for data analysis: computers are used to simulate the operation of reservoirs, to automate oil fields.
Which Petroleum Engineering Schools are Best for Students?
Some of the world's oldest engineering schools offer training opportunities to help prepare you for a career in petroleum engineering.
Some of the best schools of petroleum engineering in the USA
Stanford University is one of the best engineering schools in the United States, with only seven students per teacher.
The Energy Engineering Resources Department (ERE) is one of four academic divisions at the Stanford School of Earth, Energy, Environmental Sciences. The key goal is to understand the Earth's underground resources, develop the engineering sciences needed to manage these resources responsibly, and influence and adapt to the changing energy landscape.
Research and teaching at ERE is concerned with understanding the Earth's energy resources, developing best practices, tools to manage these complex dynamic systems. Activities cover reservoir characterization, engineering applications including resource management of traditional, unconventional, geothermal reservoirs. An important area of interest is the long-term storage of carbon dioxide in underground reservoirs.
The McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Tulsa offers a curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering (BSPE). The program is accredited by the ABET Technical Accreditation Commission.
The goal is to provide basic, applied knowledge in petroleum engineering with an equal emphasis on drilling, production, oilfield, using the fundamental building blocks of the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences.
The engineering and science professors are world-class mentors who are willing to share their industry knowledge to help students succeed. Each semester, students are encouraged to join their advisors and peers in groundbreaking research, serve the off-campus community, and become versatile, in-demand staff.
More than 90% of the graduates of the College of Engineering, Natural Sciences get a job or go to graduate school within 6 months after graduation. Oil and gas industry programs:
- Petroleum Engineering, BSPE
- Petroleum engineering.
INTO University of Arizona Department of Chemical, Environmental Engineering spans major academic and research areas while providing personalized attention.
UA mining engineers transform mineral resources into useful new products, develop more sustainable mining and processing processes, design systems that save water, reduce energy consumption in mines, and help create stronger and more resilient structures in seismically active regions.
Academic directions about the specialty "Mining":
- Mine work
- Geomechanics
- Sustainable resource development
- Mineral processing.
The main areas of research:
- Geomechanics
- Mine production
- Information Technology
- Health and safety
- Sustainable development
- Mineral processing
- Extraction of metals.
UA mining engineers develop autonomous systems for remote control of heavy equipment, apply innovative techniques to better protect workers from extreme temperatures in hot underground mines
Mining engineers work on all aspects of mining, including mining, resource sustainability, and miner's safety. They also plan and supervise excavations related to construction, tunnels, environmental projects. According to a survey of UA engineering graduates, they received one of the highest starting salaries of any graduate.
