Petroleum Engineer Employment

Petroleum engineers held about 14,000 jobs in 2002, mostly in oil and gas extraction, professional, scientific and technical services, and petroleum refining. Employers include major oil companies and hundreds of smaller, independent oil exploration, production, and service companies.

Most petroleum engineers work where oil and gas are found. Large numbers are employed in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alaska, and California, including offshore sites. Many American petroleum engineers also work overseas in oil-producing countries.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook