To work as a reservoir engineer, you must have a thorough understanding of the oil and gas industries, as well as specific engineering principles for extracting oil and natural gas from reserves all over the world. To obtain this knowledge, most of these positions require you to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in specific engineering disciplines. Experience shadowing reservoir engineers during an internship can also be beneficial. Another requirement for becoming a reservoir engineer is the ability to communicate complex technical concepts and data.
In the field of reservoir engineering, having the right kind of education is crucial. A bachelor’s of science or bachelor’s of engineering degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or petroleum engineering is typically the first step in this engineering education. Any of these subjects will provide you with the practical knowledge needed to manage high-level reserve extraction operations effectively.
When you work as a reservoir engineer, one of your responsibilities will be to calculate the costs of using one technique over another and to assess the risk involved in a particular reservoir simulation exercise. As an undergraduate engineering student, you can learn how to perform these tasks, but you should also consider pursuing a master’s degree. Getting your master’s degree in engineering will help you gain a better understanding of reservoir engineering. Independent study and lab dissertation projects will also enable you to work on real-world projects.
Having experience in the field can be extremely valuable when looking for jobs as a professional reservoir engineer, whether you finish your education at the undergraduate level or continue on to a graduate level program. Universities will typically assist you in locating internship opportunities with well-known oil and gas companies all over the world. Many oil and gas companies offer special internship programs for top graduate and undergraduate engineering students.
You will need to develop a keen sense of business communication skills in order to become a reservoir engineer who is trusted by both managers and clients. You’ll need to be able to explain complex technical scenarios to field operators who may not be familiar with engineering jargon or terminology. As a key member of the reservoir team, you’ll need to combine your engineering knowledge with your interpersonal skills to ensure that everyone involved in the field project is kept informed about your progress.