<p>Ok, I am a junior chemical engineering major, and I am planning to get an internship this summer. I cannot decide either going to the Petroleum or Biotech industry..</p>
<p>My dad has been working for Chevron since he graduated from college, and he asked me to do summer internship at Chevron. However, my professor recommended me to do internship at Genentech. My professor is used to work an Genentech, and she can help me to get a summer internship position there. She told me Biotech industry will be a big thing in the future.</p>
<p>I am interested in both, but I am leaning toward petroleum industry due to my family and big salary..</p>
<p>Is it true biotech industry will be a big thing in the future? How about the salary? How long the petroleum industry will last?</p>
<p>My first job out of college was at Genentech, and it's a great place to work. However, if you have no interest in biotech than go with Chevron, I'm sure it's a great place too.</p>
<p>Biotech IS big now. Salary is good. Oil industry will be around for a long time. Technology development, however, will side with biotech. Even renewable alternatives to oil are rooted in biotech. The future of energy will be a cross between current oil technologies (mostly processes) and biotech.</p>
<p>Biotech may be more compatible with your innate talents and motivations. When the market was strong, some biotech stocks were among the better bets. You can't go wrong with biotech IF you're properly motivated and can manage the requirements.</p>
<p>Biotech is the future. I would say the big salaries are more likely to be biotech. Just think about all of the pre public companies, the windfall is much more likely.</p>
<p>Petroleum Engineer being PE? Yes, they can, via biofuels. In fact, biofuel and biochemical industries are attracting engineers from both biotech and petroleum since it's part fermentation science, part refining and part distillation.</p>
<p>The Oil Industry is going to last until will pull every last ounce of it out of the ground. We have 2/3rds of all the oil in the world still left in the ground. 3/4ths if you include nonconventional resources like tar sands and oil shales. Don't fall for what the media tells you on TV. The oil industry is going to out live everyone in this forum.</p>
<p>I don't know about PE's going into BioTech. Chemical Engineers can specialize in that, but there is nothing about my major that would allow me to be a bio engineer. That is not something I would like to do with my life anyway. It would be a good job though. As always, you have to like what you do. I could always go back an study that particular field. Quite frankly, if your an engineer you should be able to learn just about anything.</p>
<p>forever lsu knows what he's talking about, an upperclassman at LSU, actually majoring in the subject.</p>
<p>The only reason we're even talking about this alternative energy ******** is because the past election. All of the candidates were talking **** to get into the House or should I now say "da" house. It was political hype. They had to talk about immediately implementing alternative energy to get votes. When a politician opens his lips; he's lying. lol especially obama; he'll fall right on his face. George Bush handled these tough times, taking 100% of the mostly false criticism, making no time for excuses, but took it like a man, doing what he thought was best even though he knew his approval rate was going to hit rock bottom. Obama's is going to have no one to blame.</p>
<p>On a side note, oil will continue to produce 80 percent of the worlds energy through 2030. So, what I say is, do some research in undergrad in biotech. You should actually be able to specialize in it depending on your school. Get into oil while you are young and make your money. Then, if you get bored with oil, you'll have a biotech specialization and can switch over if you want to. Another note, bio tech is not going to have higher salaries than oil companies will be throwing out. Especially, since 50 percent of the oil engineering professional will be retiring in the upcoming years. It all comes down to what you want to do.</p>
<p>We don't have to worry about any legislation. The oil companies are smarter than everyone thinks. The government makes too much money on oil as it is. They are not going to phase out anything that makes them a profit. Plus, why you think the oil companies aren't even touching the land given to them by good congress. First, the price is not where they want it. Secondly, that is money in the bank. That is why instead of investing in new fields, you see companies like BP and ConocoPhillips buying 200 million dollar platforms. Were waiting, lol.</p>
<p>Listen people, anyone who works in the oil industry knows we have highs and lows. The recession has us in a slump. Once we pull out of this recession oil will shoot through the roof again. Notice how no one is talking about renew ables and car companies making eco friendly/electric/hybrid cars with gas being $1.70-1.80 at the pumps. That is the beauty of the American people. We complain for about the prices for 6 months or so and now you don't here anything about it. People just go back driving there big suvs and diesel trucks. It will soon all catch up with us and the oil companies know this. We can consider this recession as a blessing from god really as crazy as this may sound. The reason I say that is America, if we play our cards right, we actually have a chance to change the energy situation for the better. We can implement more renewable energy resources to keep oil at a reasonable level and keep everyone happy. Beware though, if the government or the people don't address this issue we are in a load of trouble. And the oil companies are going to be the ones smiling all the way to the bank. Another note, the investment to return ratio on a producible well is $2-3 dollars for every barrel. How does that grab you? So, its not like big oil isn't making money people. Especially with the technology being implemented. Watch those Exxon Commericals, instead of watching the news, maybe you should watch the exxon commericals. Always puts a smile on my face.</p>
<p>Exactly, McCain and Palin KNEW what the hell they were doing...</p>
<p>Palin's husband is a damn oil man himself for gods sakes and palin was the govenor of the largest oil producing state in America. The answer is drilling on the coast closer to the shore where the REAL oil is. oil companies don't won't anything to do with the parts they were given, due to not having **** in the ground. they're not worth drilling for because they are not economically feasible. </p>
<p>Obama is a putz, foreverLSU, I hope there aren't any hippies aka democrats on this forum...</p>
<p>I was just watching one of those commercials just a minute ago during my daily showing of Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. They were talking nothing about solar, wind, and at the end a brief glimpse of oil. :)</p>
<p>edit: america needs to get rid of it's dependence on FOREIGN oil. Right now we depend on 70% from other countries, reduce this down to 20% and you'll never hear another complaint about prices again.</p>
<p>They want you to believe there is nothing out there, lol. Sure, most of it is off the inner coast, but there is still a good bit way offshore in the land congress appropriated. It is all a waiting game my friend. You going to be seeing a lot of those commericials as long as prices are low, lol. They are just going to invest in every form of energy, so they can please everyone and the world can be a happy place.</p>
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lol @ BioTech vs. PE turning into pathetically justifying Palin as a VP. LOL.
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I'm not surprised actually. Politics does have a great effect on the engineering industries. IMO, engineers should be more involved in public policy than we actually are. I've met plenty who don't know what's going on in the world around them when it could have a significant impact on our careers. </p>
<p>P.S. I am an Obama supporter, mainly for his infrastructure policies. Just wasn't satisfied with McCain in this area.</p>