<p>Hey, Please Answer This questions only if you're PE or knowing a PE.
I am currently majoring in EE but I don't like my major much, I prefer to study chemistry so I picked PE instead of EE so my questions are:
1) How hard to get a decent job after graduation in the oil industry? as I heard most of jobs requires experience</p>
<p>2) (most important question) I love traveling, I wanna travel the world but I won't stand working in places like down Africa..etc. so Traveling for PE is optional or mandatory?
Like can I say no I don't want to travel, so someone else go instead of me and take the extra money, or If I say no to going to Filed I'll be fired?</p>
<p>1) Getting a job totally depends on you. Go to the career fairs, sign up for interviews, apply for places, Join SPE and network. Well, NETWORK and you can get something I’m sure. It all depends on you. But understand there are risks involved. A PE is pigeon holed into the petroleum and mining industry. So we don’t have a lot of options… that I’m aware of at least.</p>
<p>2) You will be forced to travel my friend. Don’t have a choice. After a couple of years of experience you can choose how much you travel and where you go but starting out. You do what they tell you to do. Of course it all depends. I’m still learning all of this stuff myself.</p>
<p>Lastly, petroleum engineering isn’t related to chemistry at all. Its more of a mix of mechanical, civil, and geology. If you want to do chemistry go into chemical engineering with an emphasis on petroleum. Can’t go wrong with that. I know a few chemical engineers who is in the Oil industry. plus you will have more options. But thats my opinion</p>
<p>jujuub, I am curious to what your sources are? I have read other PetE’s experiences with PE and yours does not coincide with theirs. It has been explained to me that traveling is optional but preferred if you want a raise. It’s possible to hold a 9-5 job and never have to travel with PE.</p>
<p>It depends on the company and the focus of the company. There will always be some travel: conference, recruiting events, yearly review, going to the field, etc. If you don’t want to go to Africa, don’t go work for a company that has operations in Africa. You can always turn down travel opportunities, but it will be limiting on your career (and I suppose you could eventually find a way out of a job).</p>
<p>And I think that “petroleum engineering isn’t related to chemistry at all” is obviously a bit of a hyperbole. Chemistry is littered all over petroleum engineering (especially reservoir engineering).</p>
<p>As far as getting a job, jujuub nailed it. That is exactly what I would have said.</p>
<p>It depends on which company you work for. If you are a drilling engineer or work for a service company then travel is mandatory. However, what i mean by travel is maybe going off to the gulf for a few weeks and coming back home. Reservoir not so much, at least to my knowledge. Production I don’t know much on.</p>
<p>My info comes from recruiters at my school. But again, I’m mostly thinking of service companies. Operators are different and I can’t say much on at the moment.</p>
<p>And I like to add chemistry is actually indeed everywhere. It’s just that you MIGHT not do any hard core chemistry stuff normally assigned to chemists or chemical engineers as a petroleum engineer. I know a one petroleum guy who have had assignments focused on chemistry at his internship so anything is possible.</p>