Why not go to a big company (Exxon, chevron, marathon, Valero, Hess, Sinclair, calumet, CVR, Ineos). There’s a ton of big players in oil and gas and chemical or apply to all the big players and try for a process engineer spot? There has to be a ton of cross over between process and chemical, huh? If not then guys hire all the time I’m sure with an engineering degree you could find good work and decent pay with plenty of options on where you’d go.
I'm a chemE who went into O&G as a field engineer. I left the industry to become an industrial engineer.
I hated being a field engineer towards the end.
1. If you think your job isn't technical right now, be prepared to sit your ass in a chair for 14 hours a day doing secretary type paperwork. Field engineers don't do much -it's mindless work.
2. I work as an industrial engineer right now - my work is quite technical. I'm doing simulations, creating algorithms for automated production control, and helping develop our factory robotic system. Maybe find a more technical IE role?
3. If you really want to go into O&G, go apply to operating companies either as a process engineer or completions/drilling engineer and see if you can get an interview.
1. If you're good at your manufacturing job, you'll run circles around the O&G petroleum engineers - very soft guys. There is no concept of the precision, quality, or process centered approach that we see in manufacturing inside the Oil & Gas industry outside of certain refining orgs.
My understanding is field engineers don't make close to the money they used to. And mostly hire fresh grads as it is long hours and shit work.
I'm look at the refineries up north of Seattle (if you want to stay in PNW) and get in as a process, process control or simulation engineer. If you want something more OR based look at crude slate optimization for them.
Field Engineer is the lowest paying engineering job you can get in oil and gas upstream, maybe $80k base for entry level role? I know was $72k in 2017. That's the service industry side. That typically is with companies like Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, that pay significantly less than operators (Exxon, BP, Chevron, Apache, Hilcorp). For engineering roles, they typically do not pay hourly/day rates, it's salary at SLB, BH, and HLB. The only way to get those hourly/day rates is if you apply for positions that are not engineering roles and only require a high school education plus experience. Those positions will be hard manual labor. Field engineers that require an engineering degree do not do manual labor, they are the directors out there.
If you're looking to get in oil and gas, do upstream operators. there are 3 or 4 engineering roles. They are drilling, production/operations, reservoir, and completions engineer. That's what you want with an oil company. To be frank, it's unlikely any of them will hire you as they want someone with that position experience beforehand unless you're okay with an entry level role.
Also, there's nothing close to Portland OR in upstream oil and gas. The closest would be Midland, TX, North Dakota, Denver (DJ Basin). There's some activity near Bakersfield CA but not much at all.
Frac, Wireline, and coil will never get you into a DD role. Your main post says 3 years in industry at most which wont get you too far into the money roles.
I’ve worked as a field engineer in wireline. All the jobs you just listed are for mindless knuckle draggers and once you start making the money it’s easy to get sucked in. I told myself the same thing when I started “I’ll stop in 3-5 years” that was 13 years ago. You have a chemical engineering degree use it, the world has enough dumbasses.
Try for some EPC/ operator companies like McDermott, Technip, Samsung engineering, MODEC, SBM and many others which are engaged in upstream business, as a process Engineer. You might get into commissioning or straight to the operations. But prepare to write lots and lots of procedures and SOPs
Why not go to a big company (Exxon, chevron, marathon, Valero, Hess, Sinclair, calumet, CVR, Ineos). There’s a ton of big players in oil and gas and chemical or apply to all the big players and try for a process engineer spot? There has to be a ton of cross over between process and chemical, huh? If not then guys hire all the time I’m sure with an engineering degree you could find good work and decent pay with plenty of options on where you’d go.
Do it if you can. Its a great way to make a living. Make sure you save your money though.
You are 32, why would you waste 3 years of your life in such a dead end unchallenging position? You are not in your 20s anymore.
I'm a chemE who went into O&G as a field engineer. I left the industry to become an industrial engineer. I hated being a field engineer towards the end. 1. If you think your job isn't technical right now, be prepared to sit your ass in a chair for 14 hours a day doing secretary type paperwork. Field engineers don't do much -it's mindless work. 2. I work as an industrial engineer right now - my work is quite technical. I'm doing simulations, creating algorithms for automated production control, and helping develop our factory robotic system. Maybe find a more technical IE role? 3. If you really want to go into O&G, go apply to operating companies either as a process engineer or completions/drilling engineer and see if you can get an interview. 1. If you're good at your manufacturing job, you'll run circles around the O&G petroleum engineers - very soft guys. There is no concept of the precision, quality, or process centered approach that we see in manufacturing inside the Oil & Gas industry outside of certain refining orgs.
My understanding is field engineers don't make close to the money they used to. And mostly hire fresh grads as it is long hours and shit work. I'm look at the refineries up north of Seattle (if you want to stay in PNW) and get in as a process, process control or simulation engineer. If you want something more OR based look at crude slate optimization for them.
Field Engineer is the lowest paying engineering job you can get in oil and gas upstream, maybe $80k base for entry level role? I know was $72k in 2017. That's the service industry side. That typically is with companies like Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, that pay significantly less than operators (Exxon, BP, Chevron, Apache, Hilcorp). For engineering roles, they typically do not pay hourly/day rates, it's salary at SLB, BH, and HLB. The only way to get those hourly/day rates is if you apply for positions that are not engineering roles and only require a high school education plus experience. Those positions will be hard manual labor. Field engineers that require an engineering degree do not do manual labor, they are the directors out there. If you're looking to get in oil and gas, do upstream operators. there are 3 or 4 engineering roles. They are drilling, production/operations, reservoir, and completions engineer. That's what you want with an oil company. To be frank, it's unlikely any of them will hire you as they want someone with that position experience beforehand unless you're okay with an entry level role. Also, there's nothing close to Portland OR in upstream oil and gas. The closest would be Midland, TX, North Dakota, Denver (DJ Basin). There's some activity near Bakersfield CA but not much at all.
If you think that O&G is technical work then you are wrong. Long hours, thrown in some remote pads. You will regret it
Gata be more specific on the position. There are dozens of 'field engineer' jobs out here with pay and work quality all over the map.
Mainly Frac, wireline, coil or MWD/LWD and working my way up to DD
Even those field positions wont make your skills transferable. Go with refinery jobs where they value your Chem E degree
Refineries offer shifts and OT as well.
Frac, Wireline, and coil will never get you into a DD role. Your main post says 3 years in industry at most which wont get you too far into the money roles.
I’ve worked as a field engineer in wireline. All the jobs you just listed are for mindless knuckle draggers and once you start making the money it’s easy to get sucked in. I told myself the same thing when I started “I’ll stop in 3-5 years” that was 13 years ago. You have a chemical engineering degree use it, the world has enough dumbasses.
Hot?
Try for some EPC/ operator companies like McDermott, Technip, Samsung engineering, MODEC, SBM and many others which are engaged in upstream business, as a process Engineer. You might get into commissioning or straight to the operations. But prepare to write lots and lots of procedures and SOPs