Oil Corporation

If you intend to work in a field that uses the English language, I would consider taking a good freshman writing class before you attempt any professional exam. This class should help you to write a complete thought with proper punctuation. By doing this you will have a chance at passing the written part of any professional exam you take.

Since this is a global forum, and the requirements vary depending on location, and since we have no idea where you are located, it's very difficult to help you.

And the previous comments should be taken seriously. Communication is the foundation on which all education, employment and commerce is based.

If, in the highly unlikely event, you reside in the USA you might contact the American Petroleum Institute at:

Welcome To The API Website

It depends on what part of the oil industry you want to work in. Around here in the oil fields getting a job as a roughneck or other rig work hand is as simple as filling out a job application and passing the back ground checks and drug tests.

Once you are hired just showing some signs of intelligence and good work ethics can move you up the system surprisingly fast.

Depends on the job, and where it is and whom you will be working for. If you are going to be a roughneck, then a pulse and the ability to work your arse off are the only two criteria required. If you want to be an engineer, then you'll need a four year (five actually in most cases) engineering degree. A very few jobs here in the States require a PE lisence, but most don't. In the States there are no "exams" per se, except for a PE license, just a degree. They figure you can cheat on an exam, but it is much harder to cheat enough to get through a 5 year program without learning something or getting caught.

If you can become a roughneck,you will have proven that you get back just what you are willing to give into it.

I Drilled for about 9 years,,,the other 11,,I spent as a Roughneck and Derrick hand,,,better,,$$$$ and a lot more fun working the monkey board.,,there is a hell of a lot of physical pride in being a good roughneck.And as previous said "Showing up is about 99%,,,,OTOH,,I have had a few that did not make it,,,Personality defects un-acceptable,,every mans life depends on the rest of the crew.

And to add,,In my growing up/newly married,years,,,needing good money,fast and regular. ,this worked very well.

I would tell any 17-?45? year old,,no college,,,and you have a chance to be a Roughneck,,,Give it 100% and prepare to be Awed.

Joe in Texas

I have complete respect and admiration for all Roughnecks, Linemen, High Steel workers and any of the other noble crafts that require a well focused mind and body. (I doubt if I could've mastered any of these in my youth and certainly not now.) To my knowledge though, these jobs do not require a professional exam. I'm certain that the initial apprentice position is a trial by fire exam that many do not pass. To get back to what I think was the OP's question, I'll rephrase the question.

Which jobs in an the oil drilling, exploration, and refining industries require taking a professional licensing exam? What are those exams? Similarly but more pertinent to this forum, which jobs require an Engineering degree regardless of a professional exam?

Umm, many time none is the general answer for oil, most states actually exempt oil raw product from state mandated engineering requirements. Some states like California have special licensure requirements for dealing with waste and water pollution related to petroleum, in california that would be a geologist license or Civil engineering license in many case, in all cases a civil engineering license is applicable if required by regulators. A PE license would be necessary for high importance structures or those with occupancy, but that would require civil engineering or structural engineer, exept some structures are exempted if they relate to raw product. As a general rule petroleum engineers do not have to be licensed, neither do petroleum related geologists.

Precisely what I thought. But since I do not work in this field my fantasies are just as good as... well, you know. The one aspect of the oil industry that I do believe will require at least an engineering degree if not a PE license will be the task of oil refinery design.

Certain aspects yes, may require a licensed structural or civil engineer, the power and control systems might require a licensed electrical engineer, and possibly mechanical engineer for some piping and systems. In some States a petroleum or chemical engineer with a PE might be able to fulfil the required mechanical portions, and even some of the electrical possibly some of the civil/structural.

I agree ,I my hudband has worked in the oil fields for 14 years as a bucket rig driller/hot oiler/motor man/dreik and so on .we moved to OC cal 3 month ago and its like he not qualified for the same job .we have even payed money .if theres anything you no to help please e-mail at

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Simple solution, move out of the land of fruits and nuts and return to the land of reality.

Those labor jobs have nothing to do with the State standards. Unfortunately, they have to do with the Oil Companies standards and union agreements. Well drillers for water on the other hand have to be licensed as contractors, but this is common through out most States.

That isn't the case in Texas. Of course we are a right to work state. Unions can pretty much kiss our kiester here. Besides everyone else is...

Well there are unions in Texas too. I have a friend who went to Texas to get into the Electricians Union there and get training, as she was from Arizona which has essnetially no unions. The unions in Texas are just in select industries, such as construction.

When one of the local electrician's unions needed a new union hall, they used non-union labor to build it. They said Union labor was too expensive. Whoda thunk?

Spent 4 yrs as a rough neck an experience that will not be forgotten. The hands on the rig become a family, in that everyone got to have your back. You don't fit in you will not be there long. If you don't pull your share of the work you will be gone also.

For a test got carry buckets of water to the water table and water it.

Throw a chain with out getting your finger wrapped up in them.

Learn how to polish aluminum hard hat so it looks like chrome plate.

as stated it depends where you are in the world and what type of job you would like to do. As yet most of the replies have been for rig work, if that is the area you would like then follow the answers already given, if you are more technically bias, then you need to find a branch/company that can give you what you want. As a suggestion you might try Schlumberger (www.slb.com) they have vast opportunities in many fields from cementing & wireline to artificial lift. Two things you will need is good english... spoken and written, and a good qualification in higher education if not a degree.

One job very few know about is wireline well logging. Schlumberger is the big player here. Twenty five years ago when I got out of the field, the major companies would take most any 4 year degree in an engineering field. I can't say who the other major players are anymore, as a lot of combining of the companies I worked for has occured since I left the industry.

If you are single, able to re-locate frequently, and able to stay awake for several days at a time, it is a very good paying job, and you will pick up quite a bit of electronic instrumentation knowledge, as this job involves running a string of instruments down a well borehole and recording the physical parameters of the rock formations encountered in the borehole on a programmable computer system.

The loggers have found that it is far easier to teach someone with electronic knowledge a little geology, than to try to teach a geologist a lot of electronic theory.

Yep, geotechs (geophone/seismic technicians) are in high demand too. And the same applies, it is easier to teach someone the geology than it is the electronics.

The last person who gave me an oil-job said she was studying art history. Not sure how true that was, I didn't know her all that well.

Following graduation in Mech Eng I started work in production of electronics. I was hired direct from a UK University by one of the largest American Electronics Companies and was assigned positions in the Far East. On completion of initial 3 year contract the industry was in one of its major turndowns. I applied for, and got a job, designing Fired Heaters and Catalytic converters for oil refineries. What was needed -

1) They needed people who could work out concepts and design

2) In making the change of industry, I looked for one that was growing, was interesting and paid reasonably well.

I stayed in the industry for a numer of years, then transferred to a company making large components/mechanisms for the electrical power, tunnnelling and offshore industries. Why?

1) They needed people who could work out concepts and design

2) In making the change of industry, I looked for one that was growing, was interesting and paid reasonably well.

Some years later I got work in the subsea ioil/gas ndustry where I still work, because:

1) They needed people who could work out concepts and design

2) In making the change of industry, I looked for one that was growing, was interesting and paid reasonably well.

I guess you will have the message now.

The only thing is, you may not be able to go direct into Exxon or Chevron or BP (still a top rate company) etc but you will find their suppliers are very keen on accommodating good new starters. Usually they expect some sort of engineering degree. Degrees with oil related options are favoured.The more experience the better. But in general they will take people and train them to suit requirements, then you can move around within the company or the industry. There are a number of courses but they tend to specialise so you should know the job you are going for before you do the (expensive) course.

You might try people like Cameron, Dril-quip, GE (Vetco) in Houston, There are many companies in Oklahoma, Texas and California. UK - London or Aberdeen but you will need a vias if you are not from the European Union. Same applies to Australia. Most other places require people with a lot of experience.

It is worth considering how long you think the current oil boom will last. You do not want to finish training in a slump, so try to make sure what you learn is transferable to other industries.

OTOH,,,,,,,if you are BROKE,,,,and you are willing to work hard,,

physically hard,,,and can take orders without answering ,,,why?,(or anything else),,You can make 10X,,MacDonald$$,A Drilling Rig is a manufacturing plant.It makes Hole.

Roughnecks job,,,Feed/control the Beast.,,24/7,,365 or till Total Depth,and pipe run into hole.Move on to the next one.

Joe in Texas

Seems I can no longer Log In here;result of a popular named Anti-Viris program 2+ hour ,,,,repair,,,,,,,,new laptop for Christmas!

Judge