Engineers are involved in all stages of oil and gas production. They evaluate sites that contain oil and gas, calculate the amounts that can be recovered, and specify and supervise operations until the well is exhausted.
There are two main types of engineer:
- Reservoir engineers estimate how much oil and gas could be taken from a reservoir’s rock, using mathematical and computer models to simulate the size and shape of the reservoir. They draw up plans that will allow as much oil and gas as possible to be extracted, and decide on the best locations for production wells to maximise profit.
They monitor and amend their production schemes during the life of the reservoir, working closely with operational staff. In fact, reservoir engineers are involved at just about every stage of oil field evaluation, development and production. |
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- Drilling engineers are responsible for the drilling of wells. They provide engineering support for all stages of oil and gas extraction, including planning and drawing up the drilling programme, designing and selecting equipment, formulating requirements for drilling mud (the fluid mixture that removes the displaced bits of rock), drill bits and cement, co-ordinating the work of the drilling team, providing on-site support, monitoring safety, ensuring that environmental standards are met, and analysing drilling performance and factors affecting cost and efficiency
Oil and gas engineers work with geologists and geophysicists who locate new field reserves of oil and gas and assess the prospects for producing oil or gas in new or existing fields. Some geologists also work as mud loggers, looking for hydrocarbons in the rock. Engineers also liaise with specialist contractors.
New graduate engineers earn £26,000 to £29,000.
Hours and environment
Oil and gas engineers mainly work in offices. New graduates gain some offshore experience, but senior engineers are mainly based onshore.
Onshore engineers work 37 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. When engineers have to work offshore, the working pattern is normally 12 hours on and 12 hours off for two weeks, followed by two or three weeks’ leave ashore.
Working in an offshore environment is demanding; for example, travel to and from the platform by helicopter is sometimes disrupted by the weather. Engineers need to wear protective clothing when working offshore.
When offshore, engineers share their living quarters with colleagues (usually around 50 to 100 other men and women, depending on the location) and there are usually two people to each cabin.
Engineers may work anywhere in the world.
Salary and other benefits
These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.
- New graduate entrants earn £26,000 to £29,000. Those with a PhD earn around £32,500.
- Engineers with three to five years’ experience earn between £30,000 and £35,000.
- Lead engineers earn £50,000 to £60,000.
- Overseeing lead engineers, (ie with management responsibility), earn £70,000 or more.
Skills and personal qualities
An oil and gas engineer should:
- have a scientific approach to their work
- be able to use their initiative and take responsibility for their work
- have problem-solving skills
- have computer skills
- keep up with advancing technology
- be able to explain their ideas and activities clearly to others
- work well in a team, and be able to lead one
- be prepared to work away from home
- not be afraid of travelling in a helicopter
- be reliable, responsible and safety-conscious
- be fit and healthy
- have self-confidence and sound judgement
- be able to live in compact living quarters with a wide range of people.
Interests
It is important to:
- be interested in protecting natural resources and the environment while meeting the world’s demands for oil and gas.
Getting in
The oil and gas extraction industry employs around 20,000 people on about 200 offshore installations in the UK, and a further 220,000 onshore.
As technology advances, oil and gas can be extracted more economically and the lifetime of the oil and gas fields extended. This means that, at today’s estimates, the industry will need engineers for decades to come. There is high demand for new entrants to the industry at the moment, particularly in major oil companies.
In the UK, jobs for engineers are mainly available off the east coast of England and Scotland, or on the nearby coast. They also work in oil companies’ headquarters in all parts of UK and the rest of the world.
There are around 6,000 employers in the UK oil and gas industry. These include:
operating companies (usually major oil companies) which operate production platforms
drilling companies contracted to do the drilling work
service companies - eg seismic exploration firms, well service firms, drilling mud suppliers, cementing companies and well-testing specialists
engineering consultancies.
Many jobs are overseas, and the opportunities for international postings are considerable.
Vacancies are advertised in higher education careers services, the national press, and on websites such as www.oilrecruiter.net
Entry for young people
An oil or gas engineer must have a degree and usually a postgraduate qualification. Employers require at least a 2.1 honours degree, and often a higher degree in petroleum engineering.
Relevant degree subjects include petroleum engineering, offshore engineering, chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mineral/mining engineering, physics, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, mathematics, computer science, marine engineering, structural engineering and chemical or process engineering.
- The minimum entry requirements for suitable degree courses are usually three A levels/four H grades, including maths and chemistry, and three other subjects at GCSE/S grade (A-C/1-3). Alternative qualifications include a BTEC/SQA national qualification or a relevant AVCE (Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education).
- At many universities, students without the necessary background in science and maths can qualify for engineering degree courses by taking a one-year foundation course.
A number of universities throughout the UK offer postgraduate qualifications in subjects such as petroleum engineering, oil and gas engineering, petroleum geology, drilling and well engineering, and offshore engineering. Courses usually last one year full time. Some courses are also available part time.
Entry for adults
It can be difficult to start late in oil and gas engineering. A few years' practical chemical engineering experience followed by a relevant postgraduate qualification may help.
Training
Training is mainly on the job, along with practical offshore experience and in-house and external courses. All engineers do an offshore survival course before going offshore.
Engineers should aim for incorporated or chartered status.
To qualify as an incorporated engineer a candidate should:
- Have an accredited degree, or equivalent qualification. (Or they can do an accredited HND/HNC or foundation degree and then further learning, equivalent to one year of study, to degree level.) The further learning can be done in a number of ways depending on the requirements of each professional engineering institution.
- Complete a period of initial professional development (including practical training and professional engineering experience), and be able to demonstrate required competences.
- Become a member of a relevant professional engineering institution, eg Energy Institute, Institution of Mechanical Engineers or Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
- Successfully pass a professional review with an interview.
To qualify as a chartered engineer a candidate must:
- Have an accredited MEng degree, or an equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering subject. (Or have an honours degree and study to Master’s degree level - either through a formal MSc, or demonstration through other means - depending on the requirements of the professional engineering institution.)
- Complete a period of initial professional development that includes formal and informal training and professional engineering experience.
- Successfully pass a professional review with an interview.
- Gain corporate membership of a relevant professional body, eg Energy Institute, Institution of Mechanical Engineers or Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
Continuing professional development is encouraged in the industry and, individuals are often supported by their employer to achieve chartered status.
Getting on
Engineers may move into senior management positions within the industry, both in the UK and overseas. Self-employment as a contractor is possible.
Further information
Cogent SSC Ltd, Minerva House, Bruntland Road, Portlethen, Aberdeen AB12 4QL. 01224 787800. Website: www.cogent-ssc.com
Energy Institute, 61 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7AR. 020 7467 7100. Website: www.energyinst.org.uk
Engineering Careers Information Service (a function of SEMTA), 14 Upton Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0JT. 0800 282167. Websites: www.enginuity.org.uk and www.semta.org.uk
Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), 80 Coleman Street, London EC2R 5BJ. 020 7382 2600. Website: www.imarest.org
UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA)
England: 2nd Floor, 232-242 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1AU. 020 7802 2400.
Scotland: 3rd Floor, The Exchange 2, 62 Market Street, Aberdeen AB11 5PJ. 01224 577250. Website: www.oilandgas.org.uk
Further reading
Britain’s Offshore Oil and Gas - UKOOA
Energy: Careers in the Oil and Gas Industry - Energy Institute
Inside Careers Guide to Engineering and Technology - Inside Careers
Oil, gas and petroleum - AGCAS
Working in energy & utilities - Connexions
Magazines/journals:
Energy Sourcebook
Journal of the Energy Institute
Offshore Engineer
Petroleum Review - Energy Institute
(Some may be priced)
For further details please see:
http://www.connexions-direct.com/
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