<p>I have heard of multiple occasions where aerospace engineering graduates go into the oil industry. Why is this? Do they end up doing the same work as petroleum engineers? Do they get paid close to what petroleum engrs make?</p>
<p>They go into oil because it pays a ton. They are doing essentially the same work as PEs.</p>
<p>There are some areas where aero transfers to petroleum engineering, notably, fluids/CFD (hydrodynamics). Aero’s can do structural design too.</p>
<p>They have an AE in my business unit. Not the norm, mostly ME’s and PetrolE’s. However, you do see them every now and then. I’m in Drilling and Completions.</p>
<p>He graduated from UT Austin, so I wouldn’t be telling every AE they can be do Petrol work, but it is quite possible. He probably had a good referral and great interview/communication skills. Depending on your discipline, your communication skills will be weighed heavily especially if you do drill/well site management.</p>
<p>hey bruthaman, in your experience, are ME guys also preferred over ChemE? Do they get the chance to get into reservoir?</p>
<p>Yes, it sure seems that way for drilling engineering. MechEs are pretty prevalent. I’ve never met a chem e on the drilling side. Although my perspective is limited to the company I work for. Although I’m not a reservoir engineer the simulation techniques the fluid/porus media studies of chem engineers would be best suited for reservoir. I have seen a few chem engineers as reservoir engineers. </p>
<p>However, people who go into chem e generally want oil refinery jobs. Pretty gravy from what I understand. I like to travel and chose petroleum for that reason. Not to mention my father worked in drilling and my uncle in production so it is in my blood. The nice thing about the drilling side I get to live anywhere in the country and travel to my work location. All expenses paid as well as meals and lodging. </p>
<p>The lifestyle is pretty awesome if you into travel. I’m from Louisiana and haven’t traveled around much.I will now get to see more the other oil states like Texas, California, the northeast and far northern/ midwest as well as most of Appalachia. Not to mention they started me out at ~90k a year. That doesn’t include the pension or other goodies they give you. I want to stay in the field at all costs. I can’t do the office thing. It is where the money is at if you are drilling. I’m told salary ranges are around the 1200 to 2500 a day range for seasoned drill site managers. I’m all about it. I’ll be working a 14 day on/14 day off schedule. After 5 years overseas assignments are available as well as offshore. It is a unique and exciting career. The pay is top notch and I enjoy the challenge. You figure a four year degree, nearly 100 k to start and 180k to under 500k earning potential, who can beat that?</p>
<p>Make good grades and develop your communication skills. They are essential to landing good internships and jobs when you graduate. If you can’t do petroleum at your uni do mechanical or chem. Those were my top 3 when I was a freshman. However, the craze for petrol had just begun. I’m glad I’m out of that mess. What helped me was good grades and industry connections. Learn the STAR method interview it is essential. A lot of the oil companies use it. Avoid the service companies if you have other options. They tend to work you to death. </p>
<p>Excuse the miss spellings or grammar errors. I am half asleep typing this from my tablet. Decided to wake up from a dead sleep and check out the discussion board, haha.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. How are your working days? I’ve heard they are just straight up awake/on all the time. What about the job itself? Is it difficult, do you use anything from your upper division courses? or other courses?</p>
<p>Any advice for someone that attends a school without oil recruitment? Should I be looking at taking specific classes that would help in reservoir or drilling sides?</p>
<p>Sorry wrong thread. Ignore post.</p>
<p>Working days are 40 hours a week for training. 12 hour days for 14 days straight while out in the field. Once I’m done with training my schedule will remain 14 days on, 14 days off. My job is more centered around actually managing the rig itself. Although I do have to know drilling calculations, well design, and various well completion methods it isn’t anything like college. I took a management role and love it.</p>
<p>What do you mean by your school not having oil recruitment? Do you mean it doesn’t have a Petroleum program or do oil companies not go to it at all?</p>
<p>bruthaman, your job sounds like something i’d like to do. In your senior year what type of petroleum courses did you concentrate in? and what can i do to increase my chances of getting a job managing a rig? and do you work for an oil company or a service company?</p>
<p>I basically mean we don’t have a petroleum program. The only companies that we get are schlumberger and sometimes BP. Anadarko and Chevron have given grants to the university, but don’t show up.</p>
<p>Alchemist, I focused on drilling. I work for an oil company commonly known as an operator. I work for one of the big multinationals. I stayed away from the service companies. I did interview with the service companies but the jobs they offered didn’t interest me. Also, I found their jobs aren’t of the same quality.</p>
<p>I find drilling and completions more exciting and interesting. In order to get a job as a drilling representative you have to communicate well and have management skills.</p>
<p>If you can, get on with an oil company. The benefits, pension and 401k match can’t be touched by a service company. It is pretty easy to retire with 4 or 5 million just by meeting the basic company match. The pension plan is pretty sweet as well.</p>
<p>Thank you bruthaman, that was very insightful.</p>
<p>Typically, the companies that offer drilling representative positions are chevron, exxon, bp, shell, hess, etc. I work for one of the above. Ghe competition is pretty fierce. Over 600 qualified people applied for the job position Im in. They did a screening interview at the university, a phone interview, and an onsite interview in Houston. Outside of that there was a background check, employment check, urine test, hair sample, physical, and function capacity exam. </p>
<p>If you’ve done something stupid like a dwi or anything like that they won’t hire you because you have to have a good driving record. You have to be pretty squeaky clean ro make it through the hiring process.</p>
<p>They also only hire american citizens and there isn’t any expatriate sponsorship.</p>
<p>The oil companies are pretty particular about communication skills. Know the STAR interview method and interview with every company you can to get practice. I started my freshman year and it paid off for me.</p>
<p>The oil companies take care of you. I flew first class to Houston for the on site interview. My rental car and hotel was all paid for by the company. I remember one of my buddies not having the same experience with a service company. He had to drive to Houston for his interview. Like I said, go big oil if you can.</p>
<p>^bruthaman, in your job what are the need to knows? What classes should I focus in on?(ME major here).</p>
<p>Even one traffic infraction(ticket) destroy my chances to get an internship or job in the industry? Have any experience with getting jobs in Canada?</p>