Drilling engineers manage and plan oil-drilling operations which are highly paid job, but it requires thorough understanding and specific degrees. Among other job duties, they have to maintain and design drilling machinery and to ensure that the extraction process is efficient and safe.
It requires traveling, in some cases, on short notice, and you should have in mind that engineers tend to work in rotating shifts for approximately 84 hours on a weekly basis.
Apart from the idea that they will sleep in offshore oil rig living quarters, they will have to feature critical abilities and skills so that they can become good in the field as well as excellent oral communication skills and written skills.
Engineers have to learn how to work in a team, and to enjoy in problem-solving skills and analytical skills, which mean that they should know everything about oil rig operations and drilling programs due to extensive scientific and mathematical knowledge.
The Payscale stated that the median annual salary of drilling engineers is approximately $102 thousand in 2017.
Earn a Degree
You have to start from the very beginning, and the first step in becoming a drilling engineer is to earn an appropriate degree. You will be able to pursue a degree in petroleum engineering that will cover the principles of science, math, and engineering that will be related to production, drilling, and transportation of oil.
Courses tend to include thermodynamics, mechanics geostatistics as well as ethics and testing in engineering. Apart from classroom work, you have to engage in project and laboratory experience.
Even though it is not mandatory, drilling engineers nowadays tend to pass the competition by earning a master degree in petroleum engineering.
You should have in mind that this particular program tends to last two years and it will focus on the industrial application of knowledge and specialization in hydrogeology and reservoir engineering.
Some schools will offer you dual programs where you can earn both bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years of study.
Additional Tip For More Successful Career
You should complete an internship because as a student you will be able to enter the field of course in drilling engineering and petroleum engineering that will provide you an even bigger pile of knowledge when it comes to practical understanding.
You can have duties such as studying financial feasibility of drilling projects and the possibility of recommending improvements of the current technology, and you can also find other solutions that will help you become better in this particular industry.
Work Experience Is Vital
You should start with working during the studying if you get an internship, or after you get a degree because work experience is another thing that will provide you peace of mind when it comes to job prospects.
Most engineers begin their work under the supervision of experienced colleagues. You can start researching or gathering data until you reach the point of greater responsibility and autonomy. Have in mind that engineers tend to grow their knowledge, and you can move on the location of designing oil rigs and developing solutions for issues.
It is vital to earning SPE or the Society of Petroleum Engineers certification that will help you add the degree so that you can become better and more prominent in this particular industry. You have to pass a written exam and pass conditions that will allow you to be SPE member such as continuing education.
Check the official website: https://www.spe.org/en/ of SPE to learn more on this particuar certification and its requirements.
Get License
The third step for becoming a drilling engineer is to get an appropriate license that will allow you to conduct digging and to deal with anything on oil platforms. You have to get licensed by the state you work in, and it requires to have a bachelor’s degree as well as several years of experience.
You also have to pass Fundamentals of Engineering and Professional Engineering exams. As soon as you acquire the Professional Engineer designation, you will meet education requirement that will allow you to maintain and keep your license.
That will provide you the possibility to create a road for further career advancements that you wish to pursue. Therefore, we can say that apart from getting a degree, you should obtain working experience that will allow you to pass engineer license so that you can work on an oil rig and earn a hefty salary.
