Career pathway

Petroleum Engineer

ANZSCO 233612

Employed

2,400

Part-time share

10%

Female share

18%

Median age

39 yrs

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia · ABS 2021 Census of Population and Housing.

Salary and some workforce figures are suppressed for this occupation because Jobs and Skills Australia / the ABS do not publish estimates for small populations (typically fewer than 50 employed people) or because the figures have been perturbed for privacy. They are shown as unavailable rather than zero.

About this career

Petroleum Engineers plan and direct the engineering aspects of locating and extracting petroleum or natural gas from the earth.

What they typically do

Conducts preliminary surveys of petroleum and natural gas deposits with prospectors, geologists, geophysicists, other scientists and engineers to determine the resources present, the feasibility of extracting the reserves, and the design and development of the extraction process.
Prepares operation and project cost estimates and production schedules, and reports the progress, production and costs compared to budget.
Assesses the natural, technical, financial and safety risks associated with the phases of the project development, construction and operations.
Co-ordinates the utilisation of labour and equipment consistent with efficiency targets, statutes, safety guidelines and environmental conditions.
Conducts research and provides advice on engineering operations for the exploration, location and extraction of petroleum and natural gas.
Determines location for drilling.
Decides on types of derrick and equipment including seabed platforms.
Devises methods of controlling the flow of oil and gas from wells.

States and territories

Share of workers by location

61.1%

QLD

20.9%

VIC

7.6%

6.1%

NSW

3.8%

0.6%

TAS

0.1%

ACT

Qualification pathways

These accredited qualifications can lead to a career as a Petroleum Engineer.

No qualification pathways published on training.gov.au yet.