Petroleum engineers
Career Overview
Petroleum engineers:
- Carry out studies for the exploration, development and extraction of oil and gas deposits
- Plan, design, develop and oversee projects for the drilling, completion, testing and reworking of oil and gas wells
- Work for petroleum producing companies, consulting companies, well logging or testing companies, government, and research and educational institutions
Job Titles
Duties
Petroleum engineers:
- Carry out feasibility studies for developing new oil and gas fields
- Direct and monitor oil and gas drilling operations
- Develop drilling programs, select sites and specify drilling fluids, bit selection, drill stem testing procedures and equipment
- Direct and oversee the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing and well surveys
- Design and select artificial lift machinery and well and surface production equipment and systems, and specify programs for corrosion control and oil or gas treatment
- Develop specifications for and oversee well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery
- Analyze reservoir rock and fluid data to design the best recovery methods and to predict reservoir performance and reserves
- Monitor and forecast oil and gas reservoir performance and recommend oil recovery techniques which extend the economic life of wells
- Design, develop and co-ordinate the installation, maintenance and operation of subsea well-head and production equipment
Special duties
Petroleum engineers may specialize in drilling, production, reservoir analysis or subsea operations.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
125% Employed Full Time
52%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office or school, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions. Also, work locations in this field are inherently treacherous and are potential sources of injury. Such work locations include construction sites, underground sites, erected support structures and marine environments.
Career Pathways
There is mobility between petroleum engineering specializations at the less senior levels. Engineers also often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required
- A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Electrical, Electronic & Communications Engineering
- Engineering Science
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations and the environment will affect outcomes.
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, while meeting the goals of the system.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
125Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 15 | 12.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 60 | 48.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 10 | 8.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 16.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | 16.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
50Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 30 | 0.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 10 | 1.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 10 | 1.8% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 30 |
| Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction | 20 |
Resources
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Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC)www.amebc.ca
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Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of British Columbia (ACEC-BC)www.acec-bc.ca
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BC Oil and Gas Commissionwww.bcogc.ca
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Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)www.capp.ca/
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Canadian Technology Immigration Network (CTIN)www.ctin.ca
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Engineering Careerswww.engineeringcareers.ca
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Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC)www.eic-ici.ca
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Engineers & Geoscientists BCwww.egbc.ca
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Engineers Canadawww.engineerscanada.ca
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Iranian Engineers of British Columbia Association (IEBCA)www.iebca.ca/
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Mining Association of BC – Job Boardwww.mining.bc.ca/job-board
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Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC)www.mining.bc.ca
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Society of Punjabi Engineers and Technologists of British Columbia (SPEATBC)www.speatbc.org
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Technology Registrations Canada (TRC)www.technologyregistrationscanada.ca