Profession petroleum engineer

Petroleum engineers evaluate gas and oil fields. They design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from underneath the earth's surface. They maximise the recovery of hydrocarbon at a minimum cost, pursuing minimal impact on the environment.

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Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic

Knowledge

• Geology

  Solid earth, rock types, structures and the processes by which they are altered.

• Well testing operations

  Testing procedures, such as volumetric flow testing and pressure testing, which describe the ability of the well to produce oil.

• Mathematics

  Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.

• Chemistry

  The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.

Skills

• Monitor extraction logging operations

  Monitor logging operations and oversee formation testing and sampling operations; analyse and interpret results.

• Provide petroleum engineering support

  Provide assistance during exploration sessions; plan well operations and gather relevant data; oversight and post-well analyses.

• Liaise with mine professionals

  Establish relationships with commercial managers, geoscientists, and production/reservoir engineers; work together to analyse well-logging results and to assess production potential.

• Manage production fluid in oil production

  Manage issues and anticipate potential problems arising from fluids involved in the production of oil.

• Prepare extraction proposals

  Prepare detailed extraction proposals by putting together subsurface information about extraction site and agreement of partners involved.

• Determine flow rate enhancement

  Recommend and evaluate flow rate enhancement; understand and safely carry out acid treatment or hydraulic fracturing.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• Manage well interaction

  Understand and manage the process of different wells interacting with one another.

• Design well flow systems

  Design/develop systems that help the well to flow; operate submersible pumps.

• Use reservoir surveillance

  Understand and operate well and reservoir surveillance system and remote sensing technology; monitor the reservoir level and decide on engineering interventions if necessary.

• Compile reservoir performance plans

  Make up detailed development plans of the performance of the reservoir. Apply mathematical models for maximum economic recovery.

• Address problems critically

  Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

• Prepare well formation evaluation programmes

  Prepare well formation evaluation programmes; communicate and collaborate with exploration teams.

• Supervise staff

  Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.

• Manage fluid production in gas

  Manage issues and anticipate potential problems arising from fluids involved in the production of oil and gas.

• Prepare technical reports

  Prepare technical reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.

• Report well results

  Document and share well results in a transparent way; communicate results to business partners, auditors, collaborating teams and internal management.

• Select well equipment

  Select and purchase the appropriate equipment for different functions within the well.

• Liaise with well test engineers

  Establish relationships with well testing engineers in order to optimise procedures; make real-time decisions on data acquisition issues.

• Interpret extraction data

  Process and interpret extraction data and send feedback to the development teams; apply learnings to concrete operational activities.

• Use a computer

  Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB