Occupation Profile

Petroleum Engineers

(SOC Code : 17-2171)

in California

Devise methods to improve oil and gas well production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice to achieve economical and satisfactory progress.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$59.23	$43.21	$53.21	$67.90

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	1,300	1,500	200	15.4	50

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Petroleum Engineer

Department of Consumer Affairs
Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
www.pels.ca.gov

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Petroleum & Coal Products Manufacturing

287

23.6%

Natural Gas Distribution

217

12.2%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering

Petroleum Engineering

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.

Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.

Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.

Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.

Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.

Interpret drilling and testing information for personnel.

Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.

Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.

Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.

Coordinate the installation, maintenance, and operation of mining and oil field equipment.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.

Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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