Anyone with an interest in subsurface energy, including fossil fuels, CO2 sequestration, and geothermal energy, should consider the possibility of a career as a petroleum engineer. Petroleum engineers seek out oil and natural gas reservoirs beneath the earth's surface, design subsurface carbon capture projects, and are frequently involved in deep geothermal energy projects. They develop the safest and most environmentally friendly methods of bringing these energy resources to the market.
Many petroleum engineers travel the world or live in foreign countries - wherever their explorations take them to find and recover valuable petroleum reserves. These travels can lead to the deserts, high seas, mountains, and arctic regions of the world in order to find untapped sources of energy for the world's population. Petroleum engineers also tend to quickly assume leadership roles, handling large projects with high levels of responsibility.
Because of the increasing demand for types of energy and carbon management beyond fossil fuels, there has been an accompanying increase in the demand for petroleum engineers in areas such as CO2 sequestration and geothermal energy.
As a petroleum engineering student, you will study the technology of oil and gas drilling, production, reserves estimation, and the prediction of future production. You will also study various techniques for evaluating the characteristics of subsurface formations and their fluid contents, which is crucial for all subsurface energy operations.
Petroleum Engineering is an independent degree program offered under the department of geological sciences and engineering
Mission Statement
The petroleum engineering program at Missouri S&T educates engineers and prepares leaders for the worldwide petroleum industry, and performs meaningful research that advances oil and gas recovery. Students graduating from the petroleum engineering program will be prepared to serve the industry through their technical knowledge, ethical commitment and participation in professional societies. Two particular strengths of the S&T petroleum engineering program are that students are given strong grounding in geosciences and they take a two course sequence in finite element modeling and mechanical earth modeling to better understand the importance of geomechanics in modern petroleum engineering.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the program will exhibit proficiency and excellence in the following attributes:
- Skills to use modern engineering tools and techniques to identify and solve technical problems associated with the production and management of oil and gas resources
- Knowledgeable about the techniques and tools of mechanical earth modeling to solve petroleum engineering problems
- Able to appreciate and function within economic, environmental, societal and ethical constraints
- Able to create, assimilate, synthesize and communicate knowledge effectively
- Able to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams in diverse environments and who exhibit effective communication skills
- Able to adapt to change through life-long learning

