What kind of skills are needed to become a petroleum engineer? What else can I learn? 2

[youngEngineer818]

Hello Everyone,

This is my second post on Eng Tips and I have never seen a bunch of smart engineers that I have seen here. I am a mechanical engineer (BSME) with one year of experience in autodesk inventor 2015 (parts, drawings, assemblies), ER and ECN documentations, ASME section VIII min thickness calculations and hydrotesting small size pressure vessels.
I want to expand my knowledge/skills and learn more other than just work. My goal is to work for Oil industries. I can read about petroleum engineering processes but I need something useful to show on my resume. Here are my questions.

1) How useful are my above mentioned skills in petroleum engineering? Will a company hire me as a petroleum engineer with these skills?
2) What would you suggest a young engineer to learn so he could become a good petroleum engineer?

 

[zdas04]

None of the oil companies expect someone starting as a Production Engineer to know much if anything. All the majors have intern programs that have you rotate through several jobs and attend extensive training. They hire Petroleum Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Chemical Engineers, the occasional Civil Engineer, and I even know one token Automotive Engineer working as a Production Engineer. If you are willing to take an intern role and you are willing to spend the next 3-5 years (or maybe your whole career) in places like Farmington, NM; Williston, ND; Midland, TX; or Small Town, PA; then you experience would almost certainly get you an interview with a major.

If I was in your shoes, I'd join SPE and get their magazines and read them. Spend some time in the JPT archives. Subscribe to Oil & Gas Journal and spend some time in their archives. Reading a dozen or so issues would really help you get the terminology down to where you won't call "produced water" "frack waste".

Just remember that "Petroleum Engineer" is a degree, not a job. People with that degree become Production Engineers, Reservoir Engineers, Drilling Engineers, (occasionally) Facilities Engineers, and (rarely) Automation Engineers.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[dhengr]

YoungEngineer818:
Regarding “stills”...., you could just go over to the county jail and get copies of your latest mug-shots. That would be the easiest way to go. Then include them with your job application.

Otherwise, Zdas04's advice sounds pretty good to me. At this stage of your development, look for the kind of work you like because you’ll be at it for a long time. Although, you have some time to determine that too. Just keep learning and improving all of your engineering skills.

 

[Latexman]

Red flag your own Post #1 and ask Site Admin to change "stills" to "skills".

Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[youngEngineer818]

Thank you dhengr for making fun of my mistake. Thank you Latexman for educating me on how to fix mistakes in this group.

Thank you zdas04 for the advice. I will surely start my research and educate myself.