How to become a Petroleum Engineer

Plans, develops and directs the engineering work in drilling, production and formation evaluation to achieve optimal exploration, development and extraction of oil and gas resources.

Main tasks

• Plans, researches, designs and provides advice on engineering operations for the exploration, location and extraction of oil and gas
• Conducts studies to determine potential locations for drillings
• Uses computer models to determine ideal recovery processes, and simulate and predict reserve performance
• Analyses reservoir rock and fluid data to design optimum methods of controlling the flow of oil or gas from wells
• Monitors the evaluation of wells, well testing and well surveys

Ways in

• University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $182,936 a year
• About 15,500 people work in this job group now, and about 18,400 are projected by 2035. (+18.5%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)
• Chemical Engineer
• Extractive Metallurgist
• Materials Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Geotechnical Engineer

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Petroleum Engineer?

Ways in include: Engineering degrees.

How much does a Petroleum Engineer earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $182,936 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Petroleum Engineer a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 19% by 2035, from about 15,500 to about 18,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Petroleum Engineer?

Usually. 89% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Petroleum Engineer?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04