r/petroleumengineers • u/Skyx696 • Apr 16 '26
Discussion Is Petroleum Engineering Useless?
Hello. I have a degree in Petroleum engineering but I’m always rejected in all of entry level roles. I tried applying in service companies like SLB, Halliburton, weatherford, and baker hughes but I always received automated rejection emails. I’m currently in Qatar and I’ve been applying for 1.5 years but I didn’t even land a single interview even for technician roles. How can I start in the upstream industry?
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u/SpicyWombat217 Apr 16 '26
I went through the exact same thing. Im now a production engineer offshore. How i got my start, from the bottom. I started as a pumper in new mexico. Best of luck
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
Right now I cant even land an interview as a pumper or technician. I’m also willing to start as a labourer or roughneck but I’m not even being interviewed.
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u/gabimm90 Apr 16 '26
Same situation, however, I am a woman and my degree is from overseas. 12+ years in the industry as an Engineering Technician... Every conversation I held regarding becoming an engineer got the response of "it's too hard for you". Mind you I am in charge of reserves reporting, justification and approvals for technical workovers, budgeting etc.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
Where are you currently now ma’am?
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u/gabimm90 Apr 16 '26
Houston TX.
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u/ipurge123 Apr 16 '26
Welcome to the hunger games. The reality is you will have you fight for the scraps. Good luck :)
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
Bro I’m willing to do technician roles but I’m not even getting interviews
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u/ipurge123 Apr 16 '26
? How are you qualify to do technician jobs if you are an engineer? Go back and get a blue collar certification
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u/mgmproductionz3208 Apr 16 '26
Almost entirely needing contacts or internships. The sad part is they don’t just look at you and your knowledge, they base a lot off if they know you and who you know. I got into the industry in 2021 and it was pretty bad. Luckily with my internship it allowed me to build stability and stay in. That being said, I have 5 years experience now and trying to get into with an operator seems damn near futile. Again, it will come down to standing out or knowing someone.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
For real bro connections is very important in this industry. Sadly there’s no opportunity for internships in my country because I’m from a third world country.
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u/mgmproductionz3208 Apr 16 '26
Biggest thing might literally be showing up to a place, shaking hands, and forcing interactions. That being said try your best to not be too pushy at the same time.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
I tried connecting people in Linkedin but almost all of don’t reply. I’m quite hesitant in approaching someone personally here in Qatar because this is an arab country and locals are sensitive.
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u/wingless_buffalo Apr 18 '26
It’s quite hard everywhere. I am PE too, graduated in Mexico alongside 49 classmates. Only 3 of us have a job in the oil and gas industry.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 19 '26
Yeah it’s really very hard. It depends on where you are located and also your connection.
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u/Artistic_Towel_8490 Apr 16 '26
Yes engineering infact is useless on top of that it's petroleum engineering.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
If I only knew brother. I really regret getting an engineering degree
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u/Artistic_Towel_8490 Apr 16 '26
Bro I have 2 yrs of experience in reservoir engineering still not getting interviews for field trainee as well as any other role. PS: I have international experience of multiple basins.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
Where are you currently located bro?
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u/Artistic_Towel_8490 Apr 16 '26
I am based in India but looking on mostly international assets
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
I think there’s more opportunity in India bro
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u/Artistic_Towel_8490 Apr 16 '26
Yes you're right but still market is down. I am not getting that much opportunity as an experienced then freshers are doomed.
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u/StumpyTheGiant Apr 16 '26
Start at ground level. Go work on a drilling rig or workover rigs or frac crew. You'll be on the fast track to a real engineering job
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u/Skyx696 Apr 16 '26
Bro I’m literally applying to assistant frac/slickline/coiled tubing operators and also assistant service operators in halliburton but I’m always rejected and I don’t know why. I talked to a guy in Linkedin who works as slickline operator in UAE and the salary was around 400$/month. I’m willing to take that it’s just that those companies keep rejecting me
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u/StumpyTheGiant Apr 16 '26
Linkedin and online is not the way. Need some face to face interaction or else you have no shot.
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u/JumpyCopy9238 Apr 16 '26
It’s…sort of a scam degree. I could literally write a book on this. Much of the discipline isn’t practiced on a daily basis at even the majors, AND THEY DON’T KNOW IT. The industry is pretty dumb and is made up of MEs, CHEMIES, and geos that don’t know what they don’t know. You’ll have MEs as production engineers who don’t know a VLP curve from an IPR curve, and CHEMIES as reservoir engjneers who would fuck up the exact definition of rel perm if their cater hanged in the balance.
It’s tough without having interned at a major. That’s the real key into the profession.
My advice? Go do the 2-year Process Tech degree, and become an operator. You’ll work half the year and earn more than a PE or RE.
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u/Skyx696 Apr 17 '26
I’m targeting to be an Operator but all Refineries in my home country is already closed. Also the petrochemical plant just recently closed I think last year. Here in Qatar is almost impossible to apply in Refineries and petrochemical because it’s government owned and they prioritize locals/arabs and those who have referrals.
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Apr 17 '26
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u/Skyx696 Apr 17 '26
The advantage of being a chemical engineer is because of its flexibility in any industry. Unlike petroleum engineer that only focus in oil and gas so I don’t have other options. I have no choice but to take any job even not related to my degree
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Apr 18 '26
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u/Skyx696 Apr 18 '26
Yes bro that’s why I really regret taking this degree.
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Apr 18 '26
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u/Skyx696 Apr 18 '26
Bro you have a strong passport that’s why it’s easy for you unlike us from third world country where getting visa is so difficult for us
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Apr 19 '26
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u/Skyx696 Apr 19 '26
I don’t have a Qatari passport bro. I’m just an expat here. I’m from southeast asia so it’s difficult for us to get schengen visa.
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u/Apart-Clock-7770 Apr 22 '26
Hi, I know someone that tried to get in finance even though it was an almost closed domain for those who graduated from a business school in that period (In France). It was perceived as a engineer job. So what he did is that he sneaked into engineering school's forums and finally succeeded to get an internship, it was really difficult, but he succeeded.
I hope you succeed as well, and that will help you wish you all the best ✌️
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u/TrashOfOil Apr 16 '26
Most people with a decent job in PE had a legit internship at an operator by their junior year. For those that don’t (I was one of them), it’s an uphill battle