Internet Resource Guide for Petroleum Engineering Majors

Christian Smith English 202CFeb. 12th, 2015

Table of Contents

1 Front matter1.1Audience of this Guide31.2Whats in this Guide.3 1.3What this guide Assumes31.4Tips for using the Guide42Where to start.5 2.1 Society of Petroleum Engineers ..62.1.1Petroleum handbook: PetroWiki82.1.2Discrete Drillstring Analysis.93 Government Databases.103.1U.S. Government Publications.112.3The Statistical Abstract of the United States..124Other Resources.13 4.1 Oil History..144.2Penn State Extension....154.3Careers at Chevron16

1.1 Audience of this Guide

As the title of this guide suggests; this guide is written for petroleum engineers looking for reliable sources of information about the industry. While any petroleum engineer can use this guide, this guide is geared towards undergraduate students enrolled in the petroleum engineering program at Penn State students and have an interest in the drilling process. When pursuing a Bachelors degree in Petroleum Engineering, engineers take a wide range of courses and currently it is not required for students to choose a concentration. This guide will focus on directing the reader to websites that can aid students in discovering what the drilling process entitles and serve as great references when conducting drilling research.

1.2 What is in this Guide

In this guide you will find links to journals, databases, job outlooks that will paint the picture of what of what drilling engineers do and the technology they use. For each link this guide provides an abstract detailing what the benefits of each link and potential drawbacks.

1.3 What this Guide Assumes

This guide will assume that readers are petroleum engineering students/ professional engineers. In order to effectively use the websites provided readers should be familiar with the basic terminology of oil and gas industry which are covered in the core classes.

1.4 Tips for using this guide

A quick read of the entire guide is recommended so you can see if one source may be of more help than another Use the table of contents to quickly relocate the source you want to use after the preliminary read through The tips listed under each link can potentially eliminate some headaches when using the websites

2 Where to start

This section provides information on a website which can be the single greatest tool at the disposal of a petroleum engineer. Talk to anyone within the industry and they will surely be able to tell you how this website played a big role in their career path.

2.1 Society of Petroleum EngineersOnline periodical

Location: www.spe.org

Abstract

The Society of Petroleum Engineers is commonly referred to as SPE and is the go to reference for petroleum engineers. To collect, disseminate, and exchange technical knowledge concerning the exploration, development and production of oil and gas resources This is part of the mission statement of SPE that outlines what the purpose of the SPE that normally you wouldnt read when using this site. This international society has more than 124,000 members in 135 countries which includes 37,000 student members. This means that the information that SPE has collected adds up to more than 90,000 technical papers written by professional engineers. This wealth of knowledge is what makes this the perfect starting point for any research related to the drilling process because technical papers are constantly being reviewed and updated. For example if you want to learn about the new technologies that are becoming available such as the different drill bits used for different formations you can come to this site and see what professional around the world have found to work and which they have no had success with.It will become evident minutes after opening this link that this society will cost you. Dues are $50-$90 a year for college graduates and student dues are $10-$15 a year depending upon the region you live in. This might seem like a disadvantage to this site but membership dues grant you access to so much potential that as a petroleum engineer you will surely get your moneys worth. Along with access to all the technical papers you also receive discounts on textbooks, workshops, and of course the chance to network with all the other engineers in SPE.

Tips Take the time to familiarize yourself with this website as you will mostly likely use this site a lot Drilling papers can be found under publications followed by technical papers and than type drilling in the search bar for simply drilling to bring up documents Browse the bookstore under publications for some great discounts on your drilling texts

2.1.1 PetroWikiOnline handbook/encyclopedia

Location: www.petrowiki.org

Abstract

This website is a search based online encyclopedia for the oil and gas industry. This website is very similar to Wikipedia but it only contains information about the oil and gas industry. At some point we all have read a textbook before and not completely understood a some it because of one term. Instead of trying to Google it, PetroWiki should be your go to website. Need to look up what drillstrings do, need more information on the process of tripping a well PetroWiki can answer that for you. This website is free to everyone but the major difference from Wikipedia is that not everyone can edit the pages. Only the SPEs professional engineers can edit the pages. This means that those engineers out in the field that are working with the different equipment actually drilling wells are the ones who are going to be editing the page giving you the up to date information. PetroWiki is based off of a series of documents containing 7 handbooks. By combining these together into one internet site information and ideas can be tweaked to perfect and the topics already present can be expanded on from people all over the world.

Tips Use this website rather than Google for trust information about the industry. There are weekly topics that are useful to pick of small bits and pieces about techniques and technologies that perhaps you might not learn about from class. If your feeling adventurous use the random page button to bring you to a random page that can make for some very interesting reads. When reading journals or articles it would be a good idea to have PetroWiki open so you can quickly search any term you dont know or any process that you need more information on

2.1.2 Drillstring Analysis with a Discrete Torque/Drag ModelOnline journal

Location: www.onepetro.org/journal-paper/SPE-163477-PA

Abstract

This is a journal is one publication from the series of the Petroleum Technology Journal sponsored by the SPE. After looking up what a drillstring is on PetroWiki you have an idea of what they do and now in this journal you can read all the specifics of what is being done in the industry to produce profitable wells. You will learn all about how the drillstring transports down the hole to be used as a lubricant and to transport all the cuttings out of the well. You will see that it is not so easy to spin a drill that is 8,000 feet in the ground, it requires a great amount of horsepower and needs to be able to stand very high temperatures. You will learn about several difficulties that drilling engineers face and read the thought process used to conquer these problems.

Tips Before reading this youll want to know that this is a very technical paper so it is suggested that you have PetroWiki open when you read this. Its not important that you understand everything in this journal right now more so get the main ideas behind it.

3 Government Databases

In section of the guide you will read about 2 databases containing thousands upon thousands of entries. You will see that each database has a specifically defined scope of information it contains, one serves as source of factual ideas the other provides numerical facts about the industry.

3.1 U.S. Government PublicationsGovernment Database

Location: www.catalog.gpo.gov/F

Abstract

Dont let the cover webpage fool you because it can open up loads of useful articles by searching the right keywords. Included in this database is more than 500,000 online and printed government publications dating back to July 1976. The website is in the process of expanding its collection back to the 1800s but for now if you are looking for documents pre dating 1976 the monthly catalog of the United State Government Publications is where you should look. This database pulls information from all 3 branches of the government; legislative, executive, and judicial.Trends in Hydraulic Fracturing Distributions and Treatment Fluids is one of the articles you can find on this database written by Tanya J. Gallegos. This fracking article at first doesnt seem to be relevant to drilling but as you read it you will see it contains a wealth of knowledge about drilling. You will discover that there are different techniques and fluids used to drill wells with low-permeability versus high permeability. The formation can affect the type of proppant used depending upon the viscosity needed to effectively remove all the cuttings. Articles like this provide great research references as well as serve as a great cross reference to drilling lectures.

Tips Make use of the expert and advance search tools if your looking for specific information. Multiple word searches can increase the number of documents displayed. If you find a document that you want to save either add it to your bookshelf or email it to yourself. Be careful when using the bookshelf because once you leave the website your bookshelf is deleted3.2 Statistical Abstract of the United StatesGovernment Database

Location: www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

Abstract

Published in 1878 this database is the perfect place to look for numerical statistics about all sections of petroleum engineering. The mission of this database is To provide quality data about the nations people and economy and to provide the best timelines and relevant data. The data report on this website comes from the Census Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of economic Analysis, as well as several other federal agencies. As you have probably guessed already this database is solely relevant to the activities that occur here with the United States. This website provides maps, geographic data, developer tools, surveys, and even current events that are taking placeBy searching Drilling Oil and Gas you can bring up census data such as the cost of building a well and getting it ready to produce from it. You can see on average what a drilling engineer makes a year and even facts about oil and gas imports.

Tips This website is good for looking up numerical facts about the drilling industry. Try using the tabs on the left side of the website first before trying the search bar. If you are having technical problems or you are skeptical if the database has information on the topic your looking for take a look at the FAQ section located at the top right of the page.

4 Other Resources

This section contains links to historical data, current events taking place, and presents an example of one of the many job outlook opportunities available to you as a petroleum engineer.

4.1 Oil HistoryOnline website

Location: www.petroleumhistory.org/OilHistory/pages/intro.html

Abstract

This website will make you familiar with the ideas on which current oil exploration and production processes are based upon. Unless you are researching historical events of crude oil this website is necessarily for research. I like to think of this website as good link to have open to read concurrently well doing your research. For example suppose you are researching drilling bits; reading Oil History along with your research youll find out that we need tough drill bits because most of the conventional formations have been depleted. This is what brought about the demand for unconventional formations, which are found deep within earth under extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Knowing the history of the business is a good idea so you know what well for the industry in the past and what has not gone so well. History tends to repeat itself Which is why it is important to learn about some of the accidents in the oil industry, some of which are described here, to prevent them from happening again. The techniques talked about in this website are not differently used in todays oil production but it is at the core of the technology used today. You can see how this old ideas were expanded to meet current needs which may help you to envision how to adapt for the future. There are few tabs off to the side which will open up some valuable information on early drilling operations. These are some highly recommended documents to look at to learn about the basics.

Tips This is a very basic website design layout so to easily navigate use the tabs on the left hand side Once you click on a tab you will open up an article which contains even more sub category tabs off to the left side which is sometimes easy to miss

4.2 Penn State ExtensionOnline website

Location: http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/natural-gas

Abstract

This is a Penn State website that provides access current events taking place primarily in the state of Pennsylvania. You will see that one of the repeated topics appearing in the events is the Marcellus shale play. This has become a major unconventional play that has drastically increased the supply of oil and gas and contributed to the drop in gas prices. This website provides details and links to contests such as the Shale Gas Innovation Contests and even the SPE technical paper contest. Both of which can provide you with some great experience and possible some extra money to put toward your education.Under the videos tab there is a video entitle An illustrated Guide to Shale Gas Drilling Equipment & Practices in Pennsylvania. This video talks about how to located the Marcellus shale from drilling logs and about the horizontal drilling technique that is used to maximize production. A lot of the videos here are produced by Penn State professors who have had field experience to back up their knowledge of the varies techniques.

Tips There is a variety of tabs on this website and taking the time to quickly explore them will help you navigate the website easier when conducting research. The search bar on this website has been custom made by Penn State using advanced Google search options which generally link back to a Penn State website

4.3 Careers at ChevronOnline website

Location: www.careers.chevron.com/disciplines/index_of_disciplines/engineering/internships.aspx

Abstract

Chevron is one of the worlds largest oil producer which if you are enrolled in the Penn State petroleum programming you have probably already know a little about them. Chevron is a huge cooperate sponsor of Penn States petroleum engineering program because they are trying to prepare Penn State students to work for the Chevron cooperation. On Chevrons website you can get the run down of what their drilling engineers have to do on a daily basis. On the main website you can click on either internships or career paths to see what Chevron expects you to know and the activities that you will have conduct as part of the job. For example designing wells, preparing cost estimates, optimizing the technology available, and supervising the overall operations are tasks that Chevron lists under the job description of drilling engineers.

Tips Read the full job description for drilling engineering at Chevron. Its a good idea to look at the other disciplines of petroleum engineering to see how it ties together with the drilling process Make use of the student and recent graduates tab to find events hosted by Chevron. Check out the internship tab because it never hurts to have background experience when applying for a jobResearch guide 16