Fast Track Driller, can I switch to Drilling Engineering in the future?

[IvanKhan]

Dear all,

Hope you guys are doing fine.

I'm a chemical engineering graduate and currently on a fast track drilling apprenticeship program (where they train you from the ranks up, roustabout -> driller) with a drilling contractor that'll last for 3 years.

I've always been interested in the drilling aspect and the challenges that comes with it. But since I wasn't fortunate enough to be shortlisted by a major as a junior drilling engineer, I figured this fast track driller was second best.

Long story short: now that I'm with a drilling contractor as a rig crew, do majors recognize the experience I will gain from this and is it possible for me to switch from field operations with a drilling contractor to engineering & execution management as a drilling engineer for a major?

Thanks.

 

[DubMac]

Very, very hard to go from contractor to Major. I fought that battle myself (with Rowan Drilling) in an earlier lifetime and was successful only because of a drilling boom at that time.
One possible avenue would be to approach an operator that is busy (think Shale plays), and offer yourself as a Company Man in the field with the intent to move upwards into the Drilling Dept.