
Petroleum engineering is one of the most coveted fields of engineering with attractive job perks, opportunities to grow, handsome pay and chances to travel around the world. Petroleum engineers are highly educated, trained and specialized people in their field and work primarily for oil and gas companies, mining and petroleum and coal products manufacturing industries in countries dominated with petroleum resources. Their main job is to locate oil resources and supervise their extraction through various technological methods such as injecting chemicals, water or steam into the earth. Besides supervising extraction teams, their job also involves research and to improve the petroleum extraction techniques employing latest technology.
Petroleum engineers’ jobs are extremely difficult, there would be times when they have to work for hours without breaks locked up in their offices and other times they would have to work for hours under the scorching sun overseeing field work and extraction teams. While this life might be ideal for a loner it might not be best suited to a people’s person or a family man. Besides these challenging work conditions, petroleum engineers enjoy a number of rewards and advantages.
Coveted Job
The countries rich in oil and petroleum resources are some of the richest nations in the world because their economies are extremely dependent upon the extraction of those natural resources. Since only a small percentage of the necessary petroleum products flow out of the earth due to natural forces, petroleum engineers help with the extraction in an efficient and cost-effective manner employing various techniques ensuring minimum loss of these assets making their knowledge, skills and experience extremely valuable to the oil and gas companies.
High Pay
For a job as demanding and challenging as petroleum engineer’s comes with a lot of perks and an obviously attractive pay. When the demand and stakes are high the pays are high as well and this is the most obvious advantage of being a petroleum engineer. As per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, petroleum engineers reported an average salary of $138,980 per year in 2011 which is significantly higher than any other type of engineering. Petroleum engineers are among the very few professionals who have the chance to secure a high paying job right out of the college. And not only this, the job promises continuous raise in income as well.
Job Security & Growth
A Bachelor’s in Petroleum engineering is not offered all over the world making the degree special and since there aren’t a lot of people graduating with the degree the job prospects for the ones who do are high. Besides working for private or government Oil and Gas Companies petroleum engineers also find work in mining industry and petroleum manufacturing industries. Bear in mind though that petroleum engineering jobs may require relocation and that is one of the reasons these are categorized among jobs with high pays and amazing future opportunities.