<p>I was accepted to Penn State as a Petroleum Engineering major, however I am hesitant to officially declare. I have a couple of concerns and was hoping you guys could help me out.</p>
<p>First, just how damaging is oil extraction to the environment? Does the most environmentally friendly forms of extraction still have negative effects? I genuinely care about the environment and do not want to cause unnecessary/excessive harm to our planet and its wildlife while making a living. I also know there are environmental-extremists that tend to overexaggerate these effects.</p>
<p>Another reason I am hesitant to declare is because the largest consumer of petroleum on the planet is the Department of Defense. The US Military consumes 360,000 barrels of oil PER DAY, which is mind-blowing to me. I am somewhat of a pacifist and the thought of extracting the crude used to fuel aircrafts/ships that kill people around the world is frightening; I dont care how much I am being paid.</p>
<p>Are these issues ones that I can help change as Petroleum Engineer? You know, like fixing things from the inside-out? Or should I avoid this field entirely? Because I don’t think I can truly put my heart into a job that harms our Earth and is the life-blood of the military.</p>
<p>There are so many variables associated with the oil industry and I am just trying to wrap my head around everything to make this decision.</p>
<p>The damage to the environment mostly occurs during gas flaring and oil spills like the recent BP oil spill. I don’t think you should be worried about the environment let EPA & the government worry about the environment (thats what we pay taxes for). I am not promoting a nonchalant attitude towards the environment I simply think refusing to join an industry is not going to make said industry more cautious of the environment. Instead you should vote for government officials that will ensure that EPA does a good job of imposing proper regulations. </p>
<p>Crude oil allows for the kind of transportation and mobility we have today and has more applications besides jet fuel for the military. </p>
<p>As selfish as it sounds you should think of yourself first, not the environment or the US military. The question you should ask is “Do I have the skills to be a P.E?”, “Do I want to be a P.E ?” and “Can I be better off in another industry?”.Here is what i can tell you about the field (keep in mind that I am not a PE but my mum works for a prominent oil company)</p>
<p>1)Be prepared to travel especially if you would like to work for one of “Supermajor” oil companies as they tend to operate in different continents. You can always find companies that have most of their operations in the US.
2)Long hours are not on usually on the rig especially for oil servicing companies
3)If you work for a “supermajor” there may be little chances for advancement in the company (this tends to be the problem with big companies)</p>
<p>I’m looking at going into the oil industry myself. I’m Nigerian and PE is the most lucrative job over there… so I don’t really have a choice (crude oil makes up over 80% of the GDP). However, from all indications it seems you are American and I think you can go into any engineering field you please and still make a decent leaving. Do something you think you will be good at…something you have a passion for . Even if it pay less…if you are exceptionally brilliant at it, pple with notice and pay you above the market price for your services</p>
<p>First, consider the fact that the oil industry NEEDS engineers, but they also need GOOD engineers. Unfortunately, there are always negative environmental effects and risks with any oil extraction process. If this is a primary concern then Petroleum Engineering would not be for you. Of course, this is why they also tend to cooperate with Environmental Engineers. One field to just get the damn stuff out and the other to keep the stuff where it belongs. It’s not always successful nor efficient but engineers will keep tackling those problems.</p>
<p>As for the government problem… I can’t help you on that. Whatever the government does with the oil they buy is their damn business.</p>
<p>But apparently, your hesitance might actually point to P.E. just not being the field for you. The field, as I said, desperately needs workers that are willing to do their job.</p>
Would you mind elaborating on this? Why would it be difficult to move up in a large corporation, with (presumably) numerous ranks above the entry-level position?</p>
<p>If you are concerned about the environment, then you NEED to be a Petroleum Engineer. My friends (mostly environmental engineers) ask me, “How could someone like you (an environmentally conscious person) become a petroleum engineer?” The answer I tell them is that I want to be on the front lines to ensure that the drilling is done right with the most amount of respect to the environment. I also want to look at using alternative energies to supplement oil drilling (read the article below). In other words, I am the perfect person for the job.</p>
<p>The argument that drilling for oil supplies the Defense Department is very shortsighted. By the same token, one could argue that they don’t want to pay their taxes, because taxes directly support the defense department and the ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. </p>
<p>There are problems with the system. You need to decide what role you will play in fixing those problems. </p>
<p>MedWell, there are more opportunities for talented employees to be noticed and promoted in small companies than in big ones. I’m at cooping with a relatively small company ($700 million in revenues). At the end of each semester I get to make a 10 minuted presentation in front of engineers and senior management (including VP of technology). This will give me an opportunity to make an impression and if I come on board full time I am sure this will factor into the decision they make in terms of my career advancement with them. This will almost never be the case in big companies…I probably would not have such an opportunity to showcase my work and would have to work harder to get noticed because 1) My contribution maybe so insignificant (in the grand scheme of things) that the presentation will be so boring 2)I will have to go above so many people before getting before reaching management 3) There are probably 100 co-ops just like (intense competition). You get the picture</p>
<p>^ Actually, I’m currently interning with a top 25 Fortune company (~$80 Billion in revenue) and I get to do something very similar, except my presentation is an hour long. The company has a clear-cut promotional track with opportunities for growth in all departments, and emphasizes their “promote from within” culture, through which hard work is rewarded through quick promotions. I’ve met engineering managers that have been with the company ~7 years. </p>
<p>It’s not an oil company, though, so my question was for emoyewole (or others familiar with the oil industry, like you<em>of</em>eh) on whether competition in oil is greater than in other industries in general. It wasn’t a big company vs. small company question.</p>
<p>Go into Petroleum with the mindset to fix the environmental problems. You’re going to school to become a professional. Go into research about protecting the environment and develop better methods. Just because you’re a PE doesn’t mean you’re going to be the reason the earth dies.</p>
The company has a clear-cut promotional track with opportunities for growth in all departments, and emphasizes their “promote from within” culture, through which hard work is rewarded through quick promotions. I’ve met engineering managers that have been with the company ~7 years. </p>