Petroleum Engineer job description

What is a petroleum engineer?

Petroleum engineers design methods to extract oil and gas from underground reservoirs and wells. They also oversee the entire drilling operation.

What does a petroleum engineer do?

Petroleum engineers research new sources of oil and gas and use computer-aided models to access them. They also collaborate with scientists and geologists to design effective drilling methods and prevent risks (e.g. pollution, earthquakes).

Petroleum engineer job responsibilities include:

• Preparing reports and presentations on drilling activities
• Setting up and maintaining equipment
• Supervising technical staff

What skills do you need to be a petroleum engineer?

Petroleum engineers usually have a degree in Engineering and a Professional Engineering (PE) license. Analytical and mathematical skills are essential to success in this role. IT literacy is also a must in order to be able to use computer-aided models and database software. Petroleum engineer requirements also include excellent communication and writing skills, as they often present to customers and managers.

If your open role requires additional skills, make sure to mention them when crafting your own petroleum engineer job description.

Job brief

We are looking for an experienced petroleum engineer to monitor oil and gas extraction and ensure all operations run smoothly. You’ll design and schedule drilling activities both offshore and onshore. You’ll analyze geological data and present results to customers. Your petroleum engineering duties will also include researching new methods of extracting oil and gas and discovering new reservoirs.

To complete these tasks successfully, it’s important to have experience with computer-aided software and great mathematical skills. You should also be able to work effectively as part of a team, as you’ll collaborate with other engineers and scientists.

If you’re analytical, detail-oriented and available to travel to different locations on a regular basis, we’d like to meet you.

Responsibilities

• Develop plans for oil and gas extraction
• Use and maintain drilling and fracturing equipment
• Supervise drillings and extractions
• Research new ways and new sites for oil and gas extraction
• Analyze formation of rocks and reservoirs
• Use computer-aided models to enable drilling
• Determine budget and requirements of projects
• Supervise and train technical staff
• Collaborate with geoscientists and engineers to determine geological features

Requirements and skills

• Previous experience as a petroleum engineer or in a similar role
• Hands-on experience with drilling equipment
• Great mathematical and IT skills
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities
• Availability to travel to different locations on a regular basis
• Professional engineering license is required
• A degree in engineering is a must; MSc is preferred