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Petroleum engineering technicians work with engineers and geologists to locate sites for oil and gas extraction. They perform laboratory tests, collect geological samples, and prepare reports. They also perform tests at drilling sites and prepare accurate reports for engineers.
A petroleum engineering technician works with geologists and petroleum engineers to locate potential sites to extract natural gas and oil. Although a petroleum engineer has completed a four-year degree, an engineering technician may occasionally receive on-the-job training, but most often holds a two-year degree. Depending on the nature of the operation, a petroleum engineering technician may perform laboratory tests, collect geological samples, or perform on-site measurements. The technician can also prepare reports, enter data into a computer or perform preliminary observation operations at locations under consideration for drilling.
Testing is required at all stages of a drilling operation, from design to shutdown, and a petroleum engineering technician is often responsible for most of these. Rock samples collected at the site are subjected to laboratory tests to determine the likelihood that the oil is underground and to determine how difficult it will be to reach. The oil composition should be tested to determine impurities that will need to be removed. Test results are forwarded to the engineer, who is responsible for deciding on the precise techniques that should be used to extract the oil.
The petroleum engineering technician can also perform tests at the drilling site. For example, the technician may need to take pressure readings within the well shaft or use sonic devices to determine how much further to drill. Temperature can be an important factor in safe operations, as well as an indicator of progress; therefore, the technician may be responsible for taking temperature readings at regular intervals.
No matter how many tests a technician performs, the information is useless if it is not conveyed to the engineer in charge of operations. Technicians must prepare accurate and timely reports. These reports are usually prepared on the computer and may include tables, graphs, statistical tables and text. The petroleum engineering technician may also be responsible for entering data used by engineers to prepare their own reports.
By acting as a scout, a petroleum engineering technician can locate the most critical rocks or soils to be assessed. An accurate map is often prepared to show the topography of the area and the precise locations from which samples were collected. Each sample is carefully labeled, and while some limited testing may be performed in the field, samples are typically taken back to the laboratory for further analysis.
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