Petroleum Engineer Jobs

Petroleum engineers search the world for reservoirs containing oil or natural gas. Once these resources are discovered petroleum engineers work with geologists and other specialists to understand the geologic formation and properties of the rock containing the reservoir, determine the drilling methods to be used and monitor drilling and production operations.

They design equipment and processes to achieve the maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas. As only a small proportion of oil and gas in a reservoir flows out under natural forces, petroleum engineers develop and use various enhanced recovery methods. These include injecting water, chemicals, gases or steam into an oil reservoir to force out more of the oil and doing computer-controlled drilling or fracturing to connect a larger area of a reservoir to a single well.  Currently the best techniques in use today recover only a portion of the oil and gas in a reservoir therefore petroleum engineers research and develop technology and methods to increase recovery and lower the cost of drilling and production operations.