Will AI Replace Petroleum Engineers?

Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Maintain records of drilling and production operations.

Routine cognitive or manual task with high vulnerability to automation.

Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Interpret drilling and testing information for personnel.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Coordinate activities of workers engaged in research, planning, and development.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Write technical reports for engineering and management personnel.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Evaluate findings to develop, design, or test equipment or processes.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Test machinery and equipment to ensure that it is safe and conforms to performance specifications.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assign work to staff to obtain maximum utilization of personnel.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Simulate reservoir performance for different recovery techniques, using computer models.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Design and implement environmental controls on oil and gas operations.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Supervise the removal of drilling equipment, the removal of any waste, and the safe return of land to structural stability when wells or pockets are exhausted.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Inspect oil and gas wells to determine that installations are completed.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Coordinate the installation, maintenance, and operation of mining and oil field equipment.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Take samples to assess the amount and quality of oil, the depth at which resources lie, and the equipment needed to properly extract them.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Design or modify mining and oil field machinery and tools, applying engineering principles.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Conduct engineering research experiments to improve or modify mining and oil machinery and operations.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.