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## Esam

Petroleum  						Engineer Job Description & Career Opportunities  						A petroleum engineer is a subset of the engineering  						career, focused upon the exploration for and extraction  						of hydrocarbons (crude oil or natural gas). Petroleum  						engineers often work closely with geologists to  						determine where accessible reservoirs of hydrocarbons  						are located, as well as the best method for safe  						removal. 
 						The growth outlook for petroleum engineers in the United  						States is bleak, as most of the remaining hydrocarbon  						deposits are
 difficult to extract in some way. However, for petroleum engineers willing  						to travel, there is expected to be a moderate increase  						in the number of employment opportunities. This will  						likely be most true in developing nations where  						hydrocarbon deposits have yet to be fully mapped. Most  						petroleum companies maintain offices around the world,  						with petroleum engineers being shuffled to areas of the  						greatest need. 
 						Petroleum Engineer Job Responsibilities 
 						Petroleum engineers will determine the most likely  						locations of hydrocarbon reservoirs, and map the extent  						of the field. Their reports to the company will include  						their recommendations for drilling methods, the amount  						of hydrocarbons contained, and drilling simulation data. 
 						A petroleum engineer will also design and implement  						drilling protocols, specialized extraction equipment,  						and simulate hydrocarbon extraction. Currently, drilling  						and other extraction methods can only remove a fraction  						of hydrocarbon reservoirs at best. New ideas are  						constantly needed to improve both the efficiency and  						effectiveness of hydrocarbon removal. 
 						Petroleum Engineer Training and Education Requirements  						A bachelors degree is the typical requirement for most  						petroleum engineering jobs. Some schools offer petroleum  						engineering degrees, while others provide general  						engineering degrees with a focus on compatible  						disciplines. For jobs involving research or teaching, a  						masters level degree or Ph.D. is almost always  						required. A minor, or a second degree in related fields  						such as geology, geophysics, or mining will be extremely  						helpful. 
 						A background in computer science is important as well.  						Most drilling simulations will be done through  						specialized software. Also, designing new drilling  						equipment will be worked on through a computer. 
 						A petroleum engineer will almost always be working in an  						interdisciplinary team of geologists, drilling engineers  						and others. Interpersonal communication will be key.  						Being able to communicate technical information in an  						understandable manner can be helpful. Patience is  						valuable, given that a petroleum engineer may spend  						years investigating a single hydrocarbon deposit. They  						must be willing to accept dirty or oily environments in  						the case of workplace accidents. 
 						Most universities will not offer a degree in petroleum  						engineering. Those that do are typically located in or  						near hydrocarbon production regions of the country (such  						as California, Oklahoma, and Texas). 
 						Following graduation, for petroleum engineering  						involving health and public safety, a petroleum engineer  						must receive a license from the state of employment. A  						license will involve a degree in engineering, a few  						years of experience, and a test to conclude the  						licensing process. 
 						Most petroleum companies will provide a training program  						after hiring. Some petroleum training programs may  						substitute for an advanced degree in certain companies.  						A more experienced petroleum engineer will almost always  						serve to mentor the new employee due to the highly  						technical nature of the work. After years of experience,  						consulting can be an option for a petroleum engineer  						with knowledge about a specific region of the world. 
 						A petroleum engineer will often work long hours during a  						day. They must be willing to travel frequently to  						potentially uncomfortable regions. 
 						Petroleum Engineer Salary and Wages
  						The median annual earnings for a petroleum engineer in  						May of 2009 were $119,960. Candidates with exceptional  						region-specific knowledge or private consultants earned  						more. 
 						The National Association of Colleges and Employers  						reported in 2003 that petroleum engineers with a  						bachelors degree received salary offers averaging  						,987 per year. 


 						While petroleum engineering has historically enjoyed  						high compensation for the engineering field, low oil and  						gas prices has driven petroleum engineering wages down  						at times. 
 						Petroleum Engineer Certifications 
 						For petroleum engineers working for the state or federal  						government, a license for the state of employment will  						be required. 
 						The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) offers the  						Petroleum Engineering Certification, a four step process  						to judge competency. An undergraduate engineering or  						field-related science degree is the first requirement to  						become certified. A period of experience and training  						within the petroleum engineering field is also required  						(typically for a period of four years). Next, an  						examination will test the petroleum engineers  						competency with a multi-series test. Lastly, references  						from peers will be submitted. An annual renewal fee is  						charged for each year following the passing of the test. 
 						Petroleum Engineer Professional Associations 
 						The SPE is the foremost authority for petroleum  						engineers. Forerunners of the SPE were begun in 1913,  						following the discovery of the Spindletop reservoir in  						1901. The SPE received its current name in 1957. Today,  						the SPE counts more than 92,000 members. 
 						The SPE stores member research and  						technical papers, making them available online for  						convenience. Over 85,000 documents are able to be viewed  						by members. The SPE also holds documents from related  						fields, with organizations such as the Society of  						Underwater Technology (SUT) and American Rock Mechanics  						Association (ARMA) supplying their own information for  						perusal.See More: Who is Petroleum Engineer?

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