Meeting the World’s Energy Needs Through Innovation and Insight

Abstract

Special Section: The Value and Future of Petroleum Engineering JPT asked several active SPE members about the appeal of petroleum engineering, the significance of the work they do, and what the future may hold. Here are some of their answers. What are the most positive aspects of being a petroleum engineer? I dreamed of being a petroleum engineer as early as middle school in the 1990s. Eventually, I studied petroleum engineering in college. After spending more than 20 years in the oil and gas industry, working in numerous countries and being involved in many megaprojects, I believe the most positive aspect of being a petroleum engineer is the fact that we deal with the world’s energy needs. The task of pro-duction alone faces many challenges, but at the same time, we as petroleum engineers are responsible for a proactive approach to safety and the environment in our operations. We are heavily involved in technology, which allows us to explore and produce resources safely and minimize environmental impact. Ardian Nengkoda, Group Lead, Saudi Aramco Being a petroleum engineer means that you follow one of the most influential career paths in our society because hydrocarbon resources will continue to be the dominant source of energy for the next 5 decades, and their use will be required for the next century and beyond. Luigi Saputelli, Petroleum Engineering Consultant, Frontender I have always felt that by being a petroleum engineer I am helping people to live a better life. We make transportation possible; we keep people warm; we provide medicine and material for plastics such as cell phones, computers, and many other things that are part of the modern lifestyle. I enjoy being a petroleum engineer because in a single day you can do a huge variety of things, and over the course of a career you can change your focus from production to reservoir or drilling and face new challenges and learn more with each passing year. Through SPE we can always be learning. I have also loved the fact that in every company I was encouraged to do volunteer work in the community, from giving talks to grade schools, judging science fairs, teaching children and adults to read, planting trees, picking up trash, mentoring, and serving on a board. The ways we are encouraged to serve is endless. Joyce Holtzclaw, Senior Vice President, E&B Natural Resources