Studies & Degrees in Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering Study Programs
Petroleum engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with finding and producing oil and natural gas. In the words of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), petroleum engineers devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production. They design the facilities that bring oil and gas up from reservoirs deep underground, plan the drilling of wells, analyse data to improve recovery, and work with geoscientists to explore rock formations.
The same knowledge of the subsurface is now applied beyond oil and gas. Texas Tech University describes petroleum engineers as the people who design and oversee the drilling and completion of wells for oil and gas production, carbon dioxide sequestration and geothermal energy extraction.
Students start with mathematics, physics, chemistry and general engineering. The BLS notes that bachelor's programmes usually combine academic, laboratory and field work in subjects such as engineering principles, geology and thermodynamics. Later years cover the three classic specialities of the field: drilling, production and reservoir engineering.
Qualifications and levels
Bachelor's degree. This is the usual entry qualification. Its length depends on the country:
- United States: the B.S. in Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech University has 133 credit hours over four years.
- Ecuador: the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Guayaquil awards the title Ingeniero en Petróleos after eight semesters of on-site study. The Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN) in Quito awards the title Ingeniera/o en Petróleos after nine academic periods.
- Austria: Montanuniversität Leoben teaches a BSc in Geoenergy Engineering in English. It takes six semesters plus one practice semester and has 210 ECTS credits. Students can specialise in drilling, petroleum production and reservoir engineering.
Master's degree and doctorate. A master's deepens one speciality and is the route into research. Texas Tech University offers a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering, and an accelerated route that lets qualified students begin graduate courses in their final undergraduate year. The Pennsylvania State University teaches petroleum and natural gas engineering as an option of its M.S. and Ph.D. in energy and mineral engineering. Leoben lists an International Study Program in Petroleum Engineering among its master's programmes.
Accreditation and licences. According to the BLS, employers may prefer graduates of an engineering programme accredited by a professional association. A licence is not required for entry-level posts in the United States; experienced engineers can obtain a Professional Engineer (PE) licence. The rules differ in every country, so ask the school which accreditation its degree holds.
Where to study it
Our directory lists 17 active schools for this subject. Six are in the United States. Iraq, Brazil and Ecuador have two each, and Ethiopia, Colombia, Russia, Austria and the United Kingdom have one each.
The language of instruction follows the country: English in the United States and in the Leoben bachelor's programme, Spanish in Ecuador and Colombia, Portuguese in Brazil. Spanish-speaking students therefore have full degrees in their own language in Latin America, at ESPOL, the EPN or the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Students can join the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), a nonprofit professional society with 129,900 members in 148 countries, which offers a student membership.
Careers
Graduates work as drilling engineers, production engineers and reservoir engineers. Leoben also names geothermal project developer among the careers of its graduates. ESPOL describes the profession as the exploration, development, optimisation and sustainable management of hydrocarbon resources.
Official figures are available for the United States. According to the BLS, petroleum engineers held about 18,500 jobs there in 2025, and oil and gas extraction companies employed 33 percent of them. The median annual wage was $144,910 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations, with about 1,000 openings a year. The work can involve travel to well sites, offshore or abroad, sometimes for long periods.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a petroleum engineering degree take?
Four years in the United States, for example at Texas Tech University. In Ecuador it takes eight semesters at ESPOL and nine academic periods at the EPN. The Leoben bachelor's degree has six semesters plus a practice semester.
Can I become a petroleum engineer with another engineering degree?
Yes. The BLS states that petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, such as mechanical, civil or chemical engineering.
Can I study petroleum engineering in Spanish?
Yes. Our directory lists universities in Ecuador and Colombia that teach the degree in Spanish.
What are the job prospects?
In the United States the BLS projects 2 percent employment growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 1,000 openings a year. Drilling and reservoir skills are also used in geothermal energy and carbon dioxide storage.