Help with life decision for college major: Petroleum Engineering

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>The reason I suggest to avoid the service companies is for the fact that there work hours and work environment for field engineers are pretty horrible. They don’t seem to treat there personnel all that well. I interviewed with Halliburton and I didn’t get a good impression. I was turned off by it. I also seen a presentation from Baker and I wasn’t motivated to apply. </p>

<p>My experience may be different but to each their own. I don’t know what you are trying to say with the training reference. If you want to be a production engineer you can’t necessarily do that with a service company. You also can’t run a well site at a service company. They do offer a more technically oriented focus, however that was not a priority for me. You can learn drilling services but you won’t be operating the well or calling the shots. In my opinion joining a service company is like playing the bass guitar in a band. The lead guitarist gets all the attention. </p>

<p>What you stated about the largely integrated service companies is true. Anadarko, EOG, and others have been making some very nice discoveries. I think that has more to do with their approach and company culture than anything else. However, you can’t even compare an Anadarko or EOG to a service company like Halliburton, etc.</p>

<p>My general impression of everyone I’ve ever met that worked for a service company was they hated their job. That goes for engineers all the way to entry level operators. Also, the majority of people who work for a service company tend to want to work for an operator eventually. I also never heard the words from my classmates when I was in college that their first choice was a service company. Usually they took it if it was their only option. That is my experience, I don’t know about yours.</p>

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<p>There is a lot of news coming out about the oil industry hitting a possible bust. What do you guys think? One is these articles is based off of tamu’s prediction</p>

<p>[Could</a> Oil-Fed Enrollment Boom Lead To Bust At U.S. Colleges? - Forbes](<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2013/06/25/could-oil-fed-enrollment-boom-lead-to-bust-at-u-s-colleges/]Could”>Could Oil-Fed Enrollment Boom Lead To Bust At U.S. Colleges?)</p>

<p><a href=“SD Bullion - YouTube”>SD Bullion - YouTube;

<p>[Video</a> - WSJ In Depth: Surviving North Dakota’s Oil Boom–If the Bakken Stops Rockin’ - WSJ.com](<a href=“http://live.wsj.com/video/north-dakota-oil-rush-if-the-boom-goes-bust/7CBC6A33-3803-4AD7-8377-9497B1FC4A3B.html]Video”>http://live.wsj.com/video/north-dakota-oil-rush-if-the-boom-goes-bust/7CBC6A33-3803-4AD7-8377-9497B1FC4A3B.html)</p>

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<p>The number of students enrolled in petroleum engineering may have increased by over 50 percent, but that only represents a small fraction of the students who will actually graduate with a degree in Petroleum engineering. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be 5,100 new petroleum engineering jobs by 2020. </p>

<p>[Petroleum</a> Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm]Petroleum”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm)</p>

<p>Even the article you posted admits that because of the lack of petroleum engineering graduates in the late 80’s, there will very soon be a need for new petroleum engineers as older ones retire.</p>

<p>So what if the North Dakota oil boom is a bust? That might be a problem for unskilled laborers, but for a petroleum engineer that is no problem at all. There will always be new booms somewhere else. Shell is already looking into offshore drilling in the Alaskan Arctic. Petroleum engineers are meant to travel and find new treasures of oil. When one source is depleted we just go find the next one.</p>

<p>[Shell</a> in the Arctic - Shell Global](<a href=“http://www.shell.com/global/future-energy/arctic.html]Shell”>Energy and Innovation | Shell Global)</p>

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<p>The computer industry is known for big booms and busts. However, all job market sectors have their ups and downs; none is risk-free.</p>

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<p>“The number of students enrolled in petroleum engineering may have increased by over 50 percent, but that only represents a small fraction of the students who will actually graduate with a degree in Petroleum engineering”.</p>

<p>It should actually say:</p>

<p>The number of students enrolled in petroleum engineering may have increased by over 50 percent, but only a fraction of those students will ever graduate with the degree.</p>

<p>For example, the 4 year graduation rate for 2008 cohort was 50%.
<a href=“http://dars.tamu.edu/dars/files/ee/ee2a3d0b-38cf-4a0b-addc-847d802aee7b.pdf[/url]”>http://dars.tamu.edu/dars/files/ee/ee2a3d0b-38cf-4a0b-addc-847d802aee7b.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Re: <a href=“http://dars.tamu.edu/dars/files/ee/ee2a3d0b-38cf-4a0b-addc-847d802aee7b.pdf[/url]”>http://dars.tamu.edu/dars/files/ee/ee2a3d0b-38cf-4a0b-addc-847d802aee7b.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Page 168 of that document indicates that, for Texas A&M’s 2006-2012 cohort, the six year graduation in the same major rate for petroleum engineering was 53.2%. This is actually the highest retention in major to graduation rate of any of the engineering majors.</p>

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<p>OP: what makes you say “I love PetE”? I’m merely curious because your statement seems pretty passionate for someone who hasn’t taken a single PetE class (or had any real-world experience) yet.</p>

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<p>^Well, to tell you the truth, I found out about PetE through this forum only. That was about two years ago. Then I began to really delve deep into the field. I began reading about their classifications and even read powerpoints and papers concerning drilling such as the hydraulic fracturing techniques, effects of underbalanced drilling, how well performance affects current demand etc. I was excited about this field and still am. I may not have real world experience, but who does when they apply to college? We all love something and we want to do it for the rest of our lives. Anyways, that is how I became interested. Good question haha.</p>

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<p>Ah, I forgot to factor in the retention rates. Thanks for the reminder ucbalumnus.</p>

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<p>Thanks for reminding me about the retention rates. It is a very important factor in the job market. Thanks again alchemist007</p>

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<p>Frugal, if you like Petrol for the love of Petrol you are setting yourself up for success. I see a lot of people on here going for petrol because of salary.</p>

<p>You should do well if you hit the books and get into the right program. One of the first questions I was asked for the job I just obtained as a drilling manager was why I wanted to be in this field. Realize that companies want people who not only have the petroleum degree but they want to know why you studied it in the first place.</p>

<p>I told them my interests were tied to geology and to the industry in general. Most of my family worked for big oil and I wanted to follow in their foot steps. My father did drilling and my uncle did production. I was constantly amazed by the sense of discovery and technological development utilized by oil companies to find new reserves. I told them I wanted to be at this forefront of technology. They realized I didn’t go into it for money, I did it because I enjoy it.</p>

<p>As far as the future of the industry. Oil is global and anyone thinking that oil is going away is foolish. North Dakota is a drop in the bucket in terms of the global market.</p>

<p>The only thing that could hamper oil development would be a large global economic collapse or if someone invents the “miracle” fuel. First, there are too many developing countries that are coming online for demand not to be there. Secondly, even if someone was to develop the cure it would take decades for the infrastructure and technology to be put in place to facilitate it. Even then we are still grasping at the air.</p>

<p>In case anyone doesn’t know. Oil companies don’t do 1 or 2 year plans. They project and plan for decades. If you ever get to interview or get hired by a major oil company you will see what I am talking about. In fact, most of them do 50 year outlooks and adjust their focus to prepare in advance.</p>

<p>When they hire, you don’t get hired to fill a hole that someone left open. Your hired to be a generational employee. They want you for 30-35 years and they will take care of you. You are in for the long haul. I can honestly say that petroleum engineers are valued.</p>

<p>You will have dips, you will have rough patches but that is every industry. What people fail to realize is that energy is the life blood of an economy. It is the fuel of society. Energy falls, the world goes with it.</p>

<p>It is a great industry to be in and it offers a unique lifestyle and perspective. I will get to travel all around the US in my first 5 years. I will also have overseas opportunities. Not only do I get to travel for work but I get to supervise drilling operations to increase my companies overall bottom line. One drill bit at a time.</p>

<p>I love it. Not to mention I get half the year off. Name another profession that brings in the kind of salary that I received and has that kind of lifestyle?</p>

<p>Outs</p>

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<p>Outside of petroleum engineering I probably would have never did engineering. I probably would have been a petroleum geologist. If you like rocks, discovery, and math there is a good chance you would like petroleum engineering.</p>

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<p>Meanwhile A&M is sending out warning letters. Texas Tech have is currently constructing a $22.8M PetE building that’s suppose to be ready for the Fall '13. </p>

<p>And their Dept is talking about “U.S. Oil Predictions Inspire Next Generation of Petroleum Engineers” [Texas</a> Tech University :: Whitacre College of Engineering :: Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering](<a href=“http://www.depts.ttu.edu/pe]Texas”>http://www.depts.ttu.edu/pe)</p>

<p>I got full tuition for Tech, can’t complain, boom or bust. Good luck all.</p>

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<p>Just a final question. How much does the color of your skin matter in the energy industry? I thought it would be relatively diverse, but many people close to me are warning me because frankly speaking, I am Indian. I still want to pursue this field, but my mother has been haggling me about for almost a year. What do you guys think?</p>

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<p>Even if it is disadvantageous, I will still pursue this field. I just want to know what I am getting into.</p>

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<p>I also don’t have citizenship despite living in the U.S. for almost 11 years. Will that prove to be an issue? I have an EAD which won’t require sponsorship and am expecting my green card hopefully in 3-4 years.</p>

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<p>The color of your skin doesn’t matter, whether your indian, pakistani, chinese or russian. What matters to engineering companies is the value you can provide them through your communication and technical skills.</p>

<p>As long as you are a permanent resident before you graduate, you shouldn’t have any problem finding a job.</p>

<p>One of my Indian friends just got an engineering job with a well known semi-conductor company. He isn’t even a US citizen.</p>

<p>Don’t sell yourself short.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the boost alchemist007. It was just that I had conversed with someone currently employed at one of the “Big Five” who expressed such an opinion. Nevertheless, I am glad to see that it shouldn’t be a problem. Thanks once again.</p>

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<p>What factors play into retention of undergraduate students? Are they just not as dedicated or can’t handle the engineering courses?</p>

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<p>Retention and graduation rates tend to be higher at more selective schools.</p>

<p>This is no surprise, since students with stronger high school preparation are:</p>

<ul>
<li>Less likely to fail courses.</li>
<li>Less likely to need remedial courses.</li>
<li>More likely to be able to handle full course loads.</li>
</ul>