2144-NOC

Petroleum engineers

(NOC 2145)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$110,107
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
100

Career Overview

Petroleum engineers:

  • Carry out studies for the exploration, development and extraction of oil and gas deposits
  • Plan, design, develop and oversee projects for the drilling, completion, testing and reworking of oil and gas wells
  • Work for petroleum producing companies, consulting companies, well logging or testing companies, government, and research and educational institutions

Duties

Petroleum engineers:

  • Carry out feasibility studies for developing new oil and gas fields
  • Direct and monitor oil and gas drilling operations
  • Develop drilling programs, select sites and specify drilling fluids, bit selection, drill stem testing procedures and equipment
  • Direct and oversee the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing and well surveys
  • Design and select artificial lift machinery and well and surface production equipment and systems, and specify programs for corrosion control and oil or gas treatment
  • Develop specifications for and oversee well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery
  • Analyze reservoir rock and fluid data to design the best recovery methods and to predict reservoir performance and reserves
  • Monitor and forecast oil and gas reservoir performance and recommend oil recovery techniques which extend the economic life of wells
  • Design, develop and co-ordinate the installation, maintenance and operation of subsea well-head and production equipment

Special duties

Petroleum engineers may specialize in drilling, production, reservoir analysis or subsea operations.

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$110,107

Provincial Hourly Rate

HighN/A
MedianN/A
LowN/A
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

200

% Employed Full Time

43%
Source: 2016 Census

Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office or school, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions. Also, work locations in this field are inherently treacherous and are potential sources of injury. Such work locations include construction sites, underground sites, erected support structures and marine environments.

Career Pathways

There is mobility between petroleum engineering specializations at the less senior levels. Engineers also often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in associated areas of science, engineering, sales, marketing or management.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Investigative
Investigative

Job Titles

Engineer, exploitation - oil and gas
Engineer, logging - oil wells
Engineer, mud - petroleum drilling
Engineer, offshore drilling rig
Engineer, production - oil and gas
Engineer, subsea equipment

Education, Training and Skills

  • A bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
  • A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
  • Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
  • Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Electrical, Electronic & Communications Engineering
  • Engineering Science
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

76%
Critical Thinking

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

75%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

72%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

71%
Writing

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

70%
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.

70%
Science

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

66%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

66%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

63%
Numeracy

Using mathematics to solve problems.

60%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

200
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo N/A 0.0%
Kootenay N/A 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 160 55.0%
North Coast and Nechako N/A 5.0%
Northeast N/A 5.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 20 10.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast 60 22.5%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

100
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo N/A N/A
Kootenay N/A N/A
Mainland/Southwest 70 1.2%
North Coast and Nechako N/A N/A
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 0 4.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 0 2.9%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction12,000
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Manufacturing49,200
Public Administration49,200
Construction72,700
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources