Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University a look back and a look ahead Stephen A. Holditch February 26, 2015.

Petroleum Engineeringat Texas A&M University

a look back anda look ahead

Stephen A. HolditchFebruary 26, 2015

Petroleum Engineering – Some Thoughts• PETE’s are bound together by one

strong bond – the oil and gas industry

• Being an Aggie Petroleum Engineer puts you in a unique group that is global

• We know who our graduates are, and in most cases, where they work and live

• PETE former students keep in touch and support the department

More thoughts about the industry• Oil prices vs. time• PETE graduates vs. time• Recent oil production in USA• Decline rate of new shale wells• What does it mean?

1956

1959

1962

1965

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

2004

2007

2010

2013

2016

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Petroleum Degrees Granted in USA

BS PE

MS PE

PhD PE

Academic Year

Nu

mb

er

of

De

gre

es

Cummulative Degrees GrantedBS 46,360MS 10,489PhD 1,674

2015 BS 17671983 BS 1529

Summary of current situation• PETE graduates in the next few

years will have to look for a job – this is where good grades help

• Shale wells decline rapidly• The oil price will rebound more like

late 2000’s vs. 1980’s• There are a lot of folks who will be

retiring – so there will be opportunity

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

Early Years at Texas A&M • 1860’s – federal and state

government passes laws to set up land grant college

• 1871 – governor picks site offered by local Bryan businessmen for the college

• 1876 – classes began with 5 professors

• 1880 – first engineering degree in Civil Engineering – only had Civil and Military

• 1903 – Mary and Sophie Hudson received Civil Engineering Degrees

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

Impact of World War II• Enrollment

19406,534 19416,679 19426,544 19432,205 19442,152 19452,718 19468,651 19478,418

Impact of World War II• 1941 – Engineering had 3,342

students• March 1943 – all juniors and

seniors in the Corps of Cadets were called to active duty

• 1942-1944 – Major activity was war training. Army and Navy sent others to be trained

• Less than 50 degrees/year were awarded

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

College of Engineering• One of 12 colleges at TAMU• COE currently has 15 departments• 1883 only had Civil and Mechanical• 1903 added Electrical• 1907 added Chemical• 1911 School of Engineering

Formed• 1928 added Petroleum• 2014 added Materials

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

Petroleum Engineering History• Established in 1928• We have had 12 department heads

in 87 years• 2 of them served a combined 40

years• We have occupied 3 buildings

Halbouty Geosciences Building Doherty Building – from 1960’s Richardson Building- from 1990’s

Harold J. Vance1934-1953

Robert L. Whiting1953-1976

William Douglas Von Gonten1976-1991

SPE Student Chapter – PETE Club• In 1967 listed at the PETE Club in

the Aggieland• In 1969 listed as the SPE Student

Chapter• Started sending students to

regional paper contest in the 1970’s

• We have had a lot of success – because we work at it

Student Paper Contest History

• In-house Student Paper Contest started in early 1970’s by Dr. Dick Morse

• Further developed from the mid 1970’s by Dr. John Lee into the competition we have today

• Our students have an impressive record of winning at the Regional and International levels (more than any other university) Regional contests held for more than 50

years International contests began about 15

years ago

Student Paper Contest History

Regional Student Paper Contest

Data since 1993 (20 years)

  1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place

BS 11 11 12

MS 12 9 4

PhD 12 11 3

Chapter Awards from SPEI

2014 Gold Standard Chapter2013 Gold Standard Chapter2012 Gold Standard Chapter2011 Gold Standard Chapter2010 Gold Standard Chapter2009 Outstanding Chapter2007 Outstanding Chapter2006 Outstanding Chapter2004 Outstanding Chapter2003 Outstanding Chapter2002 Outstanding Chapter1996 Outstanding Chapter1995 Outstanding Chapter

We have had 8 SPEI Presidents• Wayne E. Glenn '39 – 1960• Richard A. Morse '69 - 1962• John C. Calhoun, Jr. - 1964• H. J. “Hank” Gruy '37 – 1968• Robert H. McLemore '33 – 1970• M. Scott Kramer '43 – 1972• Stephen A. Holditch '69 – 2002• Jeffrey B. Spath '84 - 2014

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

Petroleum Engineering - Now

• TAMU Undergraduate - 41,866 Masters - 5,541 Doctoral - 4,439 Total - 51,846

• COE Undergraduate – 9,832 Master’s – 1,719 Doctoral – 1,453 Total – 13,004

U. S. Petroleum Engineering Enrollments

One of the Largest Petroleum Engineering Program in U.S.

• Fifth largest undergraduate enrollment 666 undergraduate students (does not

include freshmen)• Largest graduate enrollment

282 resident graduate students 122 Ph.D. students 155 Distance Learning students

PE Undergraduate Enrollment

Note - 2014-15 does not include Freshmen numbers as now admitted to College

Graduate Enrollment

Research Expenditures

Current Faculty Status• 40 Total Resident Faculty

26 Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty 14 Lecturers/Professors of

Engineering Practice/Visiting Professors

• 4 Joint Faculty• 7 Adjunct Faculty

Outline• Early Years at Texas A&M• Impact of World War II• College of Engineering • Petroleum Engineering History• Petroleum Engineering Now• Keys to Success for graduates• Questions

Keys to Success in Petroleum Industry• Technical vs. Management• Become an expert – read• Become an expert - do and write• Stay active in SPE• Be tactful – but say what you mean• Surround yourself with good

people

Keys to Success in Petroleum Industry• Outwork everyone else• Don’t just work - take time to think• But do not neglect your family• You should always be a student• Stay busy – real busy• Remember things change – so

adapt

Questions ?

Additional slides

Technical vs. Management

• The best engineers usually get asked to become managers

• Early on concentrate on technical proficiency

• Take on tough problems and solve them

• Take business courses or get an MBA after first becoming the best engineer in your group

Become an Expert - Read

• To become an expert is a technical area, just pick the area and read 1 technical paper a day – for 2-3 years. After reading 600-900 papers, you will be an expert. Then pick another topic and do it again. This also works on other subjects, like bass fishing.

Become an Expert - Do

• To understand the industry, it is best to go to the field and Drill wells, Complete wells, Fracture treat wells, etc.

• The ‘thing’ that pays for everything is the oil and gas we produce from wells

• With out production, there is no need for offices, trucks, research, etc.

Become an Expert - Write• Do not limit your activities to just

reading and doing. • You should also publish articles on

the technical areas that you choose

• Try to write 1-3 papers a year and make presentations at technical conferences, both internally in your company and in professional society meetings.

Stay Active in Professional Societies

• Join SPE (AAPG, SPWLA, SPEE) and volunteer to serve on a committee – right out of school. Stay active in your professional society your entire life.

• Become a registered engineer

Be Tactful – but Say What You Mean

• Keep everything on top of the table and always say what you mean – without offending anyone. Be sure everyone knows what you think and there are no hidden agendas. Be careful and do not make enemies as they can harm your career down the road.

Surround Yourself with Good People

• Once you become a supervisor, surround yourself with good people. The first criteria is that someone should be nice, friendly, honest and able to get along well with fellow workers. The second criteria is that the person should be technically competent , followed by the third criteria that the person should have a strong work ethic. The 2nd and 3rd criteria are worth nothing if the person cannot get along and work with the other members of the team.

Don’t Just Do Things - Think

• Take time to think. So much of the time you will be so busy working that you do not take the time to think about better solutions or what is really going on.

Outwork Everyone Else

• You will have to work more than 40 hours a week to be successful. Working 8-5 from Monday-Friday will not allow you to out work everyone else in your group. You are in competition for promotions, raises and bonuses. If you succeed, you will need to work a few nights and weekends.

But Do Not Neglect Family

• But – do not neglect your family while focusing on your career. Make time for T-ball, soccer and dance recitals. Your children will grow up and leave home before you know it, and you will regret not being there when they are growing up if you do not make the time to be with your family.

You Will Always Be a Student

• Never stop studying, doing homework and taking tests.

Stay Busy – Real Busy

• Keep a lot of balls in the air. • The busier you are, the better you

will do in life.

Summary

• Entering the oil and gas industry now is a great choice – lots of wells to drill globally due to shale revolution

• If you want to see the world, our industry will provide that opportunity

• Enjoy your career, as it will be over before you know it

• Never stop learning.

Thank you