Petroleum engineers plan and supervise the drilling of new oil wells. They also supervise well operation and maintenance.

Petroleum engineers determine where underground pools of oil may be located and how to remove the most oil for the lowest cost.

They analyze data about the oil including:

• The depth of the oil
• The type of rock around it
• The surface of the land above the oil

After their research, engineers determine where to locate the wells and what processes are required to force the oil to the surface. They calculate how much oil there is and how much it will cost to extract. They compare this amount to how much they can sell it for.

Drilling Engineers

At the drill site, petroleum engineers supervise drilling operations. Those who specialize in this part of the operation are called drilling engineers. They coordinate the activities of all the workers at the site and assign tasks to workers. They also:

• Supervise the construction of the drilling platform
• Test drilling machinery and equipment to make sure they are working properly
• Determine the drilling rate
• Monitor how much oil is produced

Drilling engineers decide whether additional work must be done to increase the flow of gas. Once the gas is flowing at an acceptable rate, engineers plan and supervise the operation and maintenance of the well.

Petroleum Engineering Specialties

• Petrophysical engineers find oil by studying the rock where oil deposits are found.
• Geological engineers map the oil fields to determine the size, shape, and volume of the deposit.
• Reservoir engineers use computer models to estimate the amount of oil in a field.

Some petroleum engineers work in refineries. They determine the best use for petroleum-based products.

Research engineers develop and modify the methods and equipment used in oil production. They run tests on equipment and analyze the results. Sales engineers sell equipment and provide technical services to oil companies and drilling contractors.