Effective extraction of hydrocarbon reserves, such as oil and natural gas, is the responsibility of petroleum engineers. The planning and development of boreholes and oil wells are also involved in this. Petroleum Engineers develop methods to enhance the extraction and development of oil and gas and assess the need for new or updated designs of instruments.

To supervise drilling and provide technical guidance. For oil and gas service/operating firms, petroleum engineers operate both on and offshore.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must possess at least 50% aggregate from a recognized institution in 12th, from any board PUC/CBSE/ICSE/ISC, etc. However, the cut-off margin varies with the selection process of different colleges. Only a background in science is viable.
• Should procure a valid score in entrance exams such as JEE-MAINS/CET/VITEEE/JEE-Advanced, etc. Different colleges offer their entrance exams if you don’t have a satisfactory score in JEE or other competitive exams – colleges like NMIMS, Symbiosis International University, XUB, Andhra University, LPU, etc.
• To become a Petroleum Engineer, one must earn a degree in BE/B.Tech or a diploma. These are the basic qualifications you will require.
• An M.Tech in Petrol Engineering can also prove to be helpful while looking for a higher degree and better learning.

Tasks to perform

• Conversing to resolve design, study, and testing issues, meet with science, engineering, and technical staff.
• Overseeing or tracking the extraction of drilling equipment, the disposal of any waste, and the safe delivery of soil to structural stability.
• Extract samples to determine the oil quantity and consistency, the extent to which resources lie, and the equipment designed to retrieve them efficiently.
• Conduct tests in engineering research to boost or change mining and oil equipment and operations.
• Analyze information to suggest effective positioning and additional activities enhance efficiency.
• Establish plans for oil and gas field exploration and the production and treatment of goods.

Knowledge required

• Technology and Innovation – Practical application of science and technology in engineering. This involves the application to the design and manufacture of different products and services of principles, methods, processes, and equipment.
• Finance — Awareness of evaluation of financial standards and procedures, capital markets, financial data processing, and reporting, statistics, and finance.
• Laws and Regulations — Information of legislation, legal codes, court processes, precedents, regulations of the government, executive orders, rules of the organization, and the progressive political process.
• Chemical dexterity — Understanding chemical structure, configuration, and related properties, as well as the chemical reactions and transitions they undergo. This involves the application of chemicals and their experiences, signs of risk, techniques of processing, and methods of disposal.
• Administration — Experience in clinical and administrative methodologies such as note-taking, document and data management, stenography and recording, form layout, and other processes and techniques of the office.
• Computer Application — Well-versed in using computers and Electronics Experience, involving software and coding, of integrated circuits, CPUs, sensors, electrical devices, and computer equipment.

Skills required

• The pace of Perception – Comparing commonalities and dissimilarities between collections of characters, figures, items, images, or sequences precisely and efficiently. Simultaneously time or one after the other, the stuff to be compared can be viewed. Evaluating a given object with a recalled object often involves this skill.
• Skill Development — Conducting research or introducing new items, choosing while using teaching processes, and developing techniques suitable for the situation.
• Structural Assessment — Inspecting modules, system success measures or metrics, and the steps taken to boost or improve productivity according to the system's objectives.
• Learning Theories — Utilizing different methods of learning or teaching new items, choosing and making different instructional methods and procedures suitable for the situation.
• Sensitivity of problem — Stating whether something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not require fixing the dilemma, just realizing that there is a concern.

Job roles offered

Once you procure the required qualifications for becoming a Petroleum Engineer, a myriad of options are open to you. There are multiple projects you can undertake throughout this line of work, and there are many other fields you can branch out to.

• Drilling Engineer: Usually, drilling engineers are hired by transnational companies that extract and manufacture oil and gas. They are responsible for reviewing and improving existing wells, ensuring compliance with safety measures, structural elements, and the measurement of equipment and maintenance costs.
• Operations Engineer: Operations Engineers are involved in recognizing operational issues through evaluation and analysis of system functioning and performance results; investigation of grievances and suggestions; interviewing process managers and operators; completion of procedures for incident response.
• Reservoir Engineer: Reservoir Engineering uses advanced techniques of numerical analysis to predict the output of oil and gas from both traditional and new hydrocarbon reserves. Collaboration with other scientific specialists in the production of commercially feasible oil and gas extraction development projects.
• Natural Gas Engineer:The task of a natural gas engineer is to harvest the maximum possible amount of earth's energy. They decide the best approach based on elements such as geographical parameters and the amount of gas available in the field. They also develop procedures to extract resources effectively using tools, additives as well as other gasses and equipment.
• Completions Engineer: Works closely with drilling engineering and other technical departments including Geology, Geophysics, Petrophysics, and Reservoir Engineering to drill for oil and gas in new or existing fields. Also works closely with the Commercial department. A Completions Engineer can be employed onshore or offshore, either working for an operator, a service company, a specialist drilling contractor, or a consultancy.

Career opportunities

Petroleum engineers can opt for various fields of work in the companies listed below:

• Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited
• IBP Co. Limited
• Bharat Petroleum
• Kochi Refineries Limited
• Royal Dutch Shell
• Bongaigaon Refinery
• Reliance Petroleum Limited
• India LPG
• Petrosil Group
• Bongaigaon Refinery
• Gas Authority of India
• Tata Petrodyne

Colleges offering courses

• National Institute of Technology, Surathkal
• PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore
• Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani
• Jadavpur University Faculty Council of Engineering & Technology, Jadavpur
• Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad
• Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
• Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur
• Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur
• Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur
• Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur