Engineering the Future of Petroleum Engineering and Geoscience Graduates
Authors: Ershaghi Iraj , Paul Donald L. 
Published: October 2020

Petroleum Engineers and Geoscientists are trained to offer substantive expertise in engineering the development of subsurface natural resources and the management of their production for commercial use. These professionals, by their educational training and experience, have specialized knowledge of subsurface geology, drilling, well completion, subsurface reservoir characterization, reservoir management, and production operations. They are the most qualified to take on the tasks of locating, mapping, selecting, monitoring, testing, and managing such operations. These professionals have experienced the pains and rewards of past several price cycles of oil and gas. The dependence of their employment opportunity on the inherent volatility of oil and gas prices has created extended periods of employment and career uncertainty, Adams-Heard, Rachel and Saraiva, Catarina: (2020). However, as we look to the future, new opportunities may be evolving for these professionals. In this paper, we will frame our discussion of the evolving nature of the career opportunities for petroleum engineers and geoscientists in the context of three key dimensions:

– The Digital Transformation of the industry. – Changing educational requirements for petroleum engineering and geoscience. – Expanding career opportunities for petroleum engineers and geoscientists.

The transformation taking place in oil and gas operations by digital technologies is perhaps the clearest example of both new opportunities and new challenges being presented to petroleum engineers and geoscientists. The content knowledge, specific expertise, and experience are essential for the successful application of rapidly advancing digital technologies, while at the same time displacing many traditional technical functions. The ongoing energy transition will alter the mix of future energy sources, and changes in supply and demand will like to continue the era of price volatility; however, hydrocarbons will continue to be a primary source of supply for the world's fuel and power needs. Critical domain expertise will continue to be needed for developing, operating, and abandoning oil and gas resources for many decades to come. The transformation of the energy supply chain will also create new opportunities, such as the re-purposing of subsurface structures to make them suitable for the storage of energy products or for the safe disposal of waste. The expertise need will heavily rely on this brand of graduates.

This includes issues related to subsurface storage of natural gas, oil, and compressed air, hydrogen, and disposal of carbon dioxide and further focuses on the recovery of geothermal fluids as a non- hydrocarbon source of energy. Additionally, these subsurface specialists can help with managing the recovery of fresh subsurface waters for many communities. The future is also like to see the use of hydrocarbons as feedstocks for advanced industrial materials. In this study, we also discuss the role that the companies and government organizations can play to ensure attracting talent and maintaining the educational institutions essential for the professional development of subsurface experts who can address these important and evolving areas.