Petroleum Engineers
Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.
18,060 people do this job in the US. $144,910 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 67%
- 22%
- 11%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 3%. Today's estimate: 5%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 23 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | Stays with people | |
| Simulate reservoir performance for different recovery techniques, using computer models.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 3.3 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | 0%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Design and implement environmental controls on oil and gas operations.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 3.3 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | 0%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 11% | 3.3 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | 0%Half by Sep 2028 | |
| Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | Stays with people | |
| Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Evaluate findings to develop, design, or test equipment or processes.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Conduct engineering research experiments to improve or modify mining and oil machinery and operations.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 2.5 work weeks | Stays with people | |
| Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Coordinate the installation, maintenance, and operation of mining and oil field equipment.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 2.5 work days | 8%Half by Sep 2027 | |
| 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.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | Stays with people | |
| Design or modify mining and oil field machinery and tools, applying engineering principles.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 2% | 3.3 work days6.7 h to 1.7 work weeks | 0%Half by Sep 2028 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).