Oil and Gas Best Careers and Certifications

The Petroleum Industry

The Oil and Gas industry generates billions of dollars annually. Also, it provides hundreds of thousands of jobs around the world in its three key sectors: upstream, midstream, and downstream. We mean by upstream (exploration) the search for oil and gas fields, including the drilling, exploration, and any other related tasks and jobs. For the midstream, it involves the process after finding the oil and gas such as transportation, storage, and the processing of the oil and gas. Finally, we have the downstream which is the phase of filtering the raw materials of oil and gas, including the distribution, selling, until it reaches the final consumer.

The world consumes around 30 billion barrels annually, mostly by developed nations. Therefore, workers are always needed and in great demand to fill this gap. And in the oil and gas industry, it is not only a limited number of jobs, it is a whole integrated series of jobs and degrees. Hence, in this article, we are going to review together the subfields of oil and gas, the degrees needed as well as the skills. Furthermore, we are going to enlist the most distinguished jobs you can possess in this field, and of course, we did not forget the section of polishing your skills and abilities by obtaining the best certificates by the best training providers.

Oil and Gas Most Wanted Degrees

• Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum engineering is a field by which engineers focus on the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons. Lying in the sector of upstream, petroleum engineers deal with the raw form of oil and gas (crude oil or natural gas). Petroleum engineering is considerably the most wanted degree, for it depends on the core of the oil and gas industry, which is exploration and looking for these substances.

• Petroleum Geology

Petroleum geology is a specialty where geologists study the origin, occurrence, movement, accumulation, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels. Hence, geologists’ job, after careful study of the structure of the earth, rocks, and minerals, is to determine where to drill and look for oil and gas wells. As the demand on new oil and gas drilling site increases, this degree is becoming one of the wanted degrees in the industry.

• Chemical Engineering

A chemical engineer is a professional who applies the principles of chemical engineering in order to convert raw materials such as crude oil or natural gas to a variety of forms and products. Therefore, chemical engineering lies in the downstream sector and is highly demanded in the oil and gas industry. Also, chemical engineers are a critical factor because they ensure petroleum and oil materials go directly into the gas tanks as well as ensuring the use of correct chemicals to changing crude oil into a usable form.

• Mechanical Engineering

A mechanical engineer is a professional who applies engineering, physics, engineering mathematics, and materials science principles to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. In oil and gas industry, mechanical engineers are responsible for designing and implementing large projects, including constructions of refineries, pipelines and offshore oil platforms.

• Energy Engineering

Oil and gas energy engineering is a recent engineering discipline to emerge. It is concerned with efficiently dealing with energy, energy services, facility management, plant engineering, environmental compliance, and alternative energy. Energy engineers are also employed in the oil and gas extraction industry for what they of abilities in maintain oil rigs and facility management in general.

• Mining Engineer

Mining engineers apply science and technology in the extraction of minerals from earth. They are associated with many other fields such as mineral processing, exploration, excavation, geology, and geotechnical engineering. Therefore, mining engineers are highly needed for the extraction of oil and gas.

Oil and Gas Skills

• Data Analysis

Data analysis is a crucial skill you need to possess in the oil and gas industry. As a worker in this field, the answers to the questions of why, what if, and how come are a must. You need to analyze the information you have, understand and translate it in order to be able to make decisions.

• Soft Skills

In this kind of busy fields, soft skills are of great importance. Skills such as management, interpersonal and communication skills lead to effective teamwork that is needed to better the outcomes of the work.

• Geology Skills

Given the nature of this field, the knowledge of geology is a must not only to geologists, but also to engineers. Therefore, engineers and other workers should have a basic background about geology, too.

• Mathematics and Computer Skills

Using technology is the core of this field, therefore, knowing how to deal with computers will facilitate your job a lot. Also, having impeccable mathematical skills is a must, because mathematics is needed when reading and interpreting the data you have.

• Innovation and creativity

The problems encountered by workers in this field are endless. Therefore, you always need to be ready to find creative solutions in such cases. Also, in order to distinguish yourself and always be more advanced, you need to be innovative in terms of the tools you use, the thoughts you have, the procedures you take etc.

• Other Oil and Gas Skills You need

Decision making, writing, knowledge in equipment maintenance, instructing, persuasion, time management, and equipment selection.

Oil and Gas Job Opportunities

There are a lot of job opportunities in the oil and gas industry. As a matter of fact, this industry employs millions of people around the world and different job titles and positions. Here is a list of some of the jobs in the oil and gas industry.

• Drilling Engineer
• Energy engineer
• Geochemist
• Mechanical engineer
• Geologist
• Petroleum engineer
• Mining engineer
• Mudlogger
• Wellsite geologist
• Field workers, operators, and laborers
• Truck drivers
• Millwrights and machinists
• Heavy equipment operators
• Steam-ticketed operators
• Production managers

Best Certifications in the Oil and Gas Industry

• Certified API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspectors

Pressure Vessels Inspector Certification Program is a certification provided by the American Petroleum Institute (API). This certification program aims to improve management control of process unit operation, repair, and maintenance. Also, it offers an advanced level of safety through the use of highly specialized and experienced inspectors. Moreover, it works on reducing the potential for inspection delays.

• Petroleum Engineering Certification

The Petroleum Engineering Certification enables you to design equipment and develop techniques for extracting oil and gas from specific sites. As a certified petroleum engineer, you can work with geologists and sub-surface surveyors in finding oil and gas deposits underground, analyzing the ground, designing the right equipment and using the best efficient methods. By obtaining Petroleum Engineering Certification, you can tell your employer that you are serious about the job in petroleum engineering.

• API 580- Risk-Based Inspection

API 580- Risk-Based Inspection is the best choice for inspectors, engineers, and petrochemical industry professionals among API’s programs. Obtaining this certification proves that you have a wide knowledge, full understanding and a high level of proficiency in Risked Based Inspection (RBI) profession. In order to have this certification, you need to meet the requirements set by API and pass the formal exams at an authorized API examination center.

• Certified Petroleum Geologist

This certification will enhance your career and help you stand out between your colleagues. Also, it will increase your knowledge in dealing with natural reserves on both land and sea and measure how much combustible fuel can be extracted. Moreover, as a Certified Petroleum Geologist, you will learn how to use sophisticated technology, including satellite and sonar devices; to locate and analyze these reserves.

• IWCF Drilling Well Control Certified Program

IWCF Drilling Well Control Certified is a four-level program and certification. It is provided by the International Well Control Forums (IWCF). This program offers you the amount of knowledge to build crucial skills and abilities as an individual working in the oil and gas field or as an individual seeking to obtain a job in this field. The four levels take you through the process of learning and understanding how well control and drilling work, drilling features and fundamentals, the stages of well closure and controlling the process successfully, and finally, teaching you the supervision roles.

• Certified in PowerPathway Gas Pipeline Welding

Certified in PowerPathway Gas Pipeline Welding is suitable for those willing to start a career as an industrial welder. The holder of this certificate is qualified under the standards set by the American Welding Society, Mechanical Engineers and American Petroleum Institute to become welders. This certificate requires basic competence in mathematics, good eyesight, and physical stamina. Moreover, high school students can enroll.

• Basic Reservoir Engineering Training Course and Certification

This training course and certification is provided by Petroskills and aims to enrich participants develop a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of oil and gas reservoirs. It will demonstrate the definition, delineation, classification, development, and production of the reservoirs. The course will also introduce basic reservoir engineering equations and emphasizing on parameter significance and understanding on the result.

• Geodesy and Cartography – GEOM

Avoiding incorrect geodetic parameters is so important in terms of avoiding causing major errors in positions of wells, pipelines, and seismic survey. Therefore, Petroskills’ Geodesy and Cartography will teach participants how Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS work, as well as the resultant accuracies obtainable using various receiver types and data processing techniques.

• Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller

Certified Vertical Closed Loop Driller is designed to advance your knowledge in geothermal technologies. CVCLD by the National Groundwater Association (NGWA) guides you to how properly use the geothermal drillers.