Gouanet 1Cedric GouanetProfessor DingeeEnglish 1301February 23, 2014Petroleum Engineering Petroleum engineering is a field of engineering concerned with the activities related to the production of crude oil or natural gas. Crude oil is a truly nontoxic, natural, and biodegradable product. It is the most important natural resource of the industrialized nations. It can generate heat, drive machinery and fuel vehicles and airplanes. Its components are used to manufacture almost all chemical products, such as plastics, detergents, paints, and even medicines. According to Carlyle Ryan, oil is a widely-traded, high-competitive commodity market; this explains why oil companies are some of ...view middle of the document...
S., roughly two-thirds of the oil consumed each year is burned on the nation's roads. Worldwide, motor vehicles number over 750 million, and that figure is expected to triple by 2050" (77). Also, statistics from Zachary Smith and Katrina Taylor show that the petroleum consumption in the U.S. from 2000 to 2005 has increased from 19,701.08 to 20,802.16 thousand barrels per day (192). Oil is about as important to the developed world as agriculture. It's truly a condition for the continued existence of most of humanity today.It goes without saying that petroleum engineering is a challenging and interesting job with advantages and disadvantages. According to Carlyle Ryan, "the industry has made huge strides in safety improvements over the past few decades by increasing automation, providing comprehensive safety training, and changing the work culture. This has made the accident rates to drop steadily since the 1990s"(32). In addition to this, the total recorded injury rate for rig operations is lower than that for real estate. This industry has many other advantages; petroleum engineers have many opportunities to travel all over the world and live in far-off locations. They work as a vital part of a team, interacting with a diverse group of people. The job is intellectually challenging, requiring creativity and problem solving-skills. However, this industry has some disadvantages. Crude oil is a limited resource; we are almost at the limit of the oil reserves of conventional sources in the world. Moreover, by extracting and processing, oil production contributes to environmental pollution and as a non-renewable resource, once consumed, it cannot be replaced.There are some requirements and career options for people who wish to enter the petroleum field. Petroleum engineers should have natural abilities to make them successful. Personal attributes include strong mathematics and analytical skills to design equipment and solve problems in drilling. Creativity is also essential for the job, because petroleum engineers design different types of equipment to extract oil and gas in different environments. For most entry-level positions, petroleum engineers need a bachelor's degree in engineering, but sometimes a master's is required for research position. Also, typical engineers take courses in general engineering, math, design, and social science. It is a four-year program; often the first two years focus on core curriculum and the last two years are engineering-based. Rather than seeking a four-year bachelor's degree, some petroleum engineers may choose to seek an engineering technology degree. These programs focus mostly on hands-on training in m...
