Engineering Training Needs for the New Millennium

Abstract

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThe roles service company engineers play in the oil and gas industry have changed drastically over the last decade. Prior to 1990, the engineering staff employed by the operating company did most reservoir and production history analysis. The last decade has seen this situation change. During the 90's, while seeking to streamline their own operations, many operating companies began to depend much more heavily upon service company engineers to do the background work described above. Working relationships evolved to the point that service company engineers are often stationed at the operating companies' facilities while performing duties that had previously been the responsibility of the operating companies' reservoir or production engineering departments. This creates an atmosphere of increased service company accountability. Directly proportional to this increase in accountability is the degree of service company engineer responsibility. No longer does the service company engineer simply design treatments based upon the request of the customer.To meet these demands, service companies have had to implement t raining programs that equip their engineering staffs with the tools to perform these new job responsibilities, including reservoir, drilling and completions engineering functions. This paper will describe a grid curriculum structure developed to meet the needs of pressure pumping service company engineers. A vast array of classes, some of which were never before available to service company engineers from within, have been viewed as essential to the success of the operating/service company partnerships.As we move into the next millennium, the curriculum structure must be flexible enough to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry. How will these individuals' roles change over the next decade? No one knows for sure. If the changes are as profound as the last decade, the training program's scope and flexibility are crucial for its future success.