You are here:

About Petroleum Engineering

What do petroleum Engineers do?

Apart from its obvious use as an energy source for power generation and transportation, petroleum is used to create thousands of products, from most plastics and synthetic textiles to cosmetics and even medicines. Without the continued discovery and production of petroleum, the world would be a very different and harsher place.

A degree in petroleum engineering opens the door to an exciting, challenging and rewarding career. Petroleum engineers work all over the world, on land and offshore, to extract oil and gas supplies. It is an industry rich in history the excitement of discovery and on the cutting edge of todayÕs technologies.

The Program creates graduates that

• Are practical, employable and qualified petroleum engineers that can successfully pursue careers in the oil and gas production and services industries or other similar pursuits.
• Understand the fundamental principles of science and engineering behind the technology of petroleum engineering, in order to keep their education from becoming outdated and to give them the capability of self-instruction.
• Serve society by encouraging the ideals of ethical behaviour, professionalism, and environmentally responsible use of natural resources.

Where do petroleum Engineers work?

Being a Petroleum Engineer is not a single job. You could, for example, be a reservoir engineer using sophisticated computer models to determine the optimal petroleum recovery process and plan the number, type and location of wells. As a drilling or well completions engineer, you may be working with geoscientists and contractors in designing novel, high-tech wells or in supervising drilling operations. As a facilities or production engineer, you The University could be designing or managing a new development project (possibly located at the fabrication site of a foreign contractor) or maintaining and optimising existing production operations. Whatever the nature of the job, the scholarly achievement. The University of Adelaide has chances are that you will be part of a multi-million dollar project, designing or using state-of-the-art technology.

You could be a manager, an entrepreneur, an economist or an environmentalist. As well as the potential to work for oil and gas companies and their major suppliers, you could find rewarding opportunities in such fields as teaching, consulting and government services.