U.S. Petroleum Engineering Manpower Supply and Demand

Abstract

SPE Members Abstract Results of the 1992 SPE Petroleum Engineering Manpower Supply and Demand Surveys are outlined. The supply/demand situation for new petroleum engineering graduates is forecast to worsen in the next two years. Total engineering employment in the upstream sector by large producing companies is expected to decrease by around 15% from 1991 to 1992 and then remain fairly flat through 1994. Employment by the independent and service company sectors is projected to remain flat to slightly increasing, but accounts for a small fraction of total on-campus petroleum engineering hiring. The number of petroleum engineering graduates in 1992–93 is forecast to increase by 30% over 1991–92, during a time when the supply/demand situation is already tightening. Introduction Each year the SPE Manpower Committee reports on the results of petroleum engineering manpower supply and demand surveys as a means to keep SPE members informed about hiring patterns of engineers in the petroleum industry and the supply of graduates from U.S. petroleum engineering schools. The 1992 Demand Survey was sent to selected employers of petroleum engineering graduates, including major companies, independents, and service companies. A total of 26 companies responded with usable surveys. Companies were asked to report on the following four items (graduates refer to B.S. M.S. and PhD level students):*Total engineering graduates employed at year-end*Petroleum engineering graduates employed at year-end*Total engineering graduates hired on-campus*Petroleum engineering graduates hired on-campus For each of the above items, companies reported an actual figure for 1991 and forecasted values for 1992-94 on a calendar year basis. The years 1993–94 also included high and low forecasts. The 1991–92 Supply Survey was sent to all petroleum engineering programs in the U.S., including those offering petroleum engineering options within other degree programs. A total of 20 schools responded to the survey, representing around 85% or the petroleum engineering enrollment in the U.S. Each school reported for the academic years (Sept. 1 - Aug. 31) 1991–92 (actual) and 1992–93 and 1993–94 (forecast):BS, MS, and PhD graduates, in total and those seeking employing anda breakdown of employment of 1991-92 graduates by type of employer. It was assumed that 1991-92 academic year graduates would be hired in the 1992 calendar year, etc. Students not seeking employment included international students returning home and students entering graduate school or the military. DEMAND SURVEY Producing compares responding to the Demand Survey were divided into a large company and small company groups on the basis of their engineering employment. Companies with 150 or more engineers employed were considered large companies. This group corresponds to the top 14 oil and gas producers on the basis of equivalent U.S. daily oil production.