How to become a drilling engineer
How to become a drilling engineer
(OP)
I am a recent graduate from tamu with a degree in mechanical engineering. I have been working in the oil and gas industry for NOV designing oil feild equipment for 8months.
I would like to work for a major oil and gas company doing drilling engineering or production engineering type of work.
I initially thought that I should get a MS in Pete engineering, but I would rather have work experience.
How do I get employed with a major(BP, ExxonMobile, ConocoPhillips, etc.) doing drilling engineering.
What is the work life as a drilling engineer such as total hours per week? Do you work shifts? Are you on call?
I would like to work for a major oil and gas company doing drilling engineering or production engineering type of work.
I initially thought that I should get a MS in Pete engineering, but I would rather have work experience.
How do I get employed with a major(BP, ExxonMobile, ConocoPhillips, etc.) doing drilling engineering.
What is the work life as a drilling engineer such as total hours per week? Do you work shifts? Are you on call?





RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
You gotta do the time and pay some dues before you get to the cush jobs.
15-20 years should be enough, if you're good.
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
More and more finding graduates with so many qualifications but no practical experience and in some cases lack of common sense.there are some execeptions to this but few and far between ...my advice is always to get onsite/field experience first and plenty of it.
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
Between the ages of 17 and 30 I did nothing but roughneck and obtain a PetE Degree from A&M.
The center of the Oil & Gas business is in the middle of the rotary table. Pulling slips, making tongs bite, weighing mud, making up every tool that goes in the hole provides an unmatchable engineering perspective.
That being said, you are an idiot if you ever think of roughnecking. I only did it because I had to feed a wife and kid and pay for school. You can learn much faster from the books and company training; and your back and fingers will last much longer. As valuable as it can be, at this point in your life, the time required to get that "hands on knowledge" is past. As an engineer, you can always go sit on the brake with the driller, and have him pass along field knowledge until your sick of it.
If you work for NOV as a tool designer, you most likely will not get on with a major as a drilling engineer; they hire 4.0s direct out of school. The independents however are another story. With the shale boom going on, there is a huge need for engineers. You should make the most out of your A&M connections. I'm not so sure about he Placement office, but maybe. Run every trap you can for connections who are working at Oil Cos. and you should be able to land something.
If you do start with a drilling company, you will probably never be able to move to an operator. People just don't move from service cos. to operators; extremely rare. If you are deadset on being a drilling engineer, then try to get on as some sort of Field Supt./ company man, etc. The Apache's, LLOG's, McMorans, and the like are good places to start looking. It is the most fascinating business in the world, but you will spend a lot of time away from your family.
RE: How to become a drilling engineer
"People will work for you with blood and sweat and tears if they work for what they believe in......" - Simon Sinek