Oil and Gas Engineer Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established April 10, 1969

Scope:

This series specification describes four Oil and Gas Engineer classifications used by the Department of Conservation.

Definition of Series

The Oil and Gas Engineer series describes work concerned with the technical supervision of oil, gas, and geothermal resource exploration and development operations through well permitting and field surveillance procedures to protect life, health, property, and natural resources. Principal work assignments include the evaluation of proposed projects and well operations for engineering soundness and determination of potential hazards; technical responses to proposals specifying requirements for compliance with State laws; the performance of tests and inspections of facilities, operations, and materials; monitoring ongoing operations for legal compliance; taking legal enforcement actions; petroleum and geothermal engineering and subsurface geological studies; investigations of operations; preparation and dissemination of technical and statistical information; the development and implementation of well programs to prevent or correct damage; or the supervision and administration of these activities.

Work assignments are varied and may be comprised of field and office engineering work.

Entry Level

Entry into this class series is typically at the Associate Oil and Gas Engineer level. One year of experience as an Energy and Mineral Resources Engineer, Range C, or equivalent permits entry into the Associate Oil and Gas Engineer class.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Level of difficulty, variety, and complexity of assigned duties; independence of action and decision; degree of supervision received; nature of public contacts; and at the Senior and Supervising levels, the degree of administrative responsibility assigned serve as differentiating factors between individual classes.

Definition of Levels

Associate Oil and Gas Engineer

This is the journey level. Incumbents independently perform assignments that require a high degree of skill in hydrocarbon or geothermal technology, difficult engineering work, including the technical evaluation of proposed oil, gas, and geothermal projects, and well operations to determine possible hazards to life, health, property, and natural resources; monitor and investigate the legality and advisability of proposed operations; prepare technical and legal directives, and advise operators of preventive or corrective actions required for compliance with protection or conservation laws and sound engineering practices; prepare permits documenting technical requirements for operation; conduct complex studies of operations and reservoirs; make complex calculations, such as oil and gas reserve calculations; prepare and interpret complex technical data, maps, and statistics; write reports on investigations and studies for publication or regulatory use; may direct and review the work of other engineers and technicians in a lead capacity; may witness well tests and perform field inspections; and may make presentations on division programs before various groups.

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Specialist)

This is the staff specialist level of the series. Positions are characterized by assignments that require the most highly skilled practitioners who serve as prime resource persons and innovators in specialized areas of hydrocarbon or geothermal resource management programs. Positions in this class may function as leadpersons over subordinate staff and team members.

The class of Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Specialist) is distinguished from the Associate Oil and Gas Engineer classification by the assignment of projects characterized by complexity and sensitivity of work assignment and high skill level necessary to determine the feasibility, impact, or potential impact of a variety of hydrocarbon and geothermal operations, projects, or proposals on a statewide or regional basis.

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor)

This is the first full supervisory level. Incumbents have charge of activities of a small district; or assist in directing activities of a larger district; or direct a major technical or administrative program of divisionwide significance; prepare technical directives for oil field operations; direct and review the work of staff and train and evaluate their performance; represent the division at administrative and legislative hearings and meetings; prepare material for administrative hearings and assist in the preparation of legal actions; and prepare and review technical articles for publication.

Supervising Oil and Gas Engineer

Incumbents have charge of the activities of a large oil and gas district and may coordinate activities for several districts; or direct more than one technical or administrative program of major importance within the division; represent the division at administrative and legislative hearings and meetings; supervise the preparation of technical directives for major program or field operations; prepare material for administrative hearings and assist in the preparation of legal actions; and review technical articles for publication.

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

Possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. (Applicants who do not possess the license will be admitted into the examination but must secure the license prior to appointment.)

Associate Oil and Gas Engineer

Either I

Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Energy and Mineral Resources Engineer, Range C. (Applicants who have completed six months of service performing the duties of an Energy and Mineral Resources Engineer, Range C, will be admitted to the examination, but they must satisfactorily complete one year of this experience before they can be eligible for appointment.)

Or II

Experience: Four years of progressively responsible experience as a professional engineer or geologist in oil, gas, or geothermal resource drilling or production operations, or in the technical inspection of such operations, exploration, or development work. (A graduate degree in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field of engineering may be substituted for two years of required nonspecialized experience.) and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field. (Registration as a senior in a recognized college will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be appointed.)

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Specialist)

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Associate Oil and Gas Engineer.

Or II

Experience: Three years of experience in the California state service performing hydrocarbon or geothermal resources engineering duties in a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to the class of Associate Oil and Gas Engineer.

Or III

Experience: Five years of progressively responsible experience as a professional engineer or geologist in oil, gas, or geothermal resource drilling or production operations or in the technical inspection of such operations, exploration, or development work. (A graduate degree in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field of engineering may be substituted for two years of required nonspecialized experience.) and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field. (Registration as a senior in a recognized college will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be appointed.)

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor)

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Associate Oil and Gas Engineer.

Or II

Experience: Five years of progressively responsible experience as a professional engineer or geologist in oil, gas, or geothermal resource drilling or production operations or in the technical inspection of such operations, exploration, or development work. (A graduate degree in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field of engineering may be substituted for two years of required nonspecialized experience.) and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field. (Registration as a senior in a recognized college will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be appointed.)

Supervising Oil and Gas Engineer

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Specialist) or Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor).

Or II

Experience: Broad and extensive (more than five years) experience as a professional engineer or geologist in oil, gas, or geothermal resource exploration, production, or development work, at least two years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. (A graduate degree in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field of engineering may be substituted for two years of the nonsupervisory experience.) and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in petroleum engineering, geology, or a closely related field. (Registration as a senior in a recognized college will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they can be appointed.)

Knowledge and Abilities

All Levels:

Knowledge of: Principles, methods, equipment, and terminology of petroleum engineering and geology; methods and equipment used in drilling, maintaining, and operating oil, gas, and geothermal wells; California laws and regulations concerning the drilling, maintenance, operations, and abandonment of oil, gas, and geothermal wells; well operations; principles of effective supervision and safety practices; the organization, policies, and objectives of the division and its operating units; advanced engineering technologies and trends in hydrocarbon or geothermal resources management problems in California; principles of research, design, and analytical techniques used in hydrocarbon and geothermal resources studies; principles of electronic data processing; principles of program planning and evaluation; social and economic aspects of hydrocarbon or geothermal resources development; principles of environmental planning and impact assessment; principles, practices, and trends in public policy development and evaluation; formal and informal aspects of the legislative and administrative regulation processes; Federal, State, local government, and private agencies involved in hydrocarbon or geothermal resource development and regulation; recent research projects and literature on hydrocarbon or geothermal resources; principles of effective communication.

Ability to: Reason logically and creatively in solving complicated hydrocarbon or geothermal resources problems; interpret and analyze scientific and engineering data; perceive impacts of findings and present ideas and information effectively; develop and utilize a variety of analytical and technological research techniques to resolve complex resource management and conservation problems; develop and evaluate alternatives and make recommendations; consult with and advise management, staff, and high-level government and industry personnel on hydrocarbon or geothermal issues, problems, and needs; gain and maintain the confidence and cooperation of others; represent the division before the Legislature and professional groups, at hearings, and at meetings with government and private agencies; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; act as a team or conference leader; utilize interdisciplinary teams in the conduct of studies and projects; establish and maintain project priorities.

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Specialist)

Knowledge of: All of the above, and reservoir engineering; resource assessment; exploration and development technology; subsurface geology; analysis and evaluation of regulatory requirements; resource price control; resource information systems; environmental assessments; public resource management policy development and evaluation; intergovernmental resource management; special government task forces; safety and legality of proposed operations; methods of monitoring production; injection and development including estimation of reserves; efficiency of production operations.

Ability to: Do all of the above, and perform difficult and specialized engineering work of the division which requires the exercise of analytical skill, creativity, and critical judgment; utilize technical expertise to provide consultative services and advice on the feasibility, impact, or potential of a variety of operations, projects, or proposals; advise top management, staff, legislative bodies, governmental entities at all levels, and industry representatives on hydrocarbon or geothermal resources or resource management programs.

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor)

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles and techniques of personnel management, labor relations, and supervision; the organization's affirmative action objectives and a manager's role in meeting those objectives; oil, gas, and geothermal reservoir characteristics and behavior; safety and legality of proposed operations; methods in monitoring production and development, including estimation of reserves and efficiency of production operations.

Ability to: Do all of the above, and effectively plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and evaluate the work of others; motivate and supervise technical and professional engineers; apply the laws regulating oil, gas, and geothermal operations to specific proposals and form valid conclusions regarding safety and adequacy of operations; prepare technical directives and administrative orders to assist in proper oil field operation and good conservation policies and practices; act as a team or conference leader; utilize interdisciplinary teams in the conduct of studies and projects; establish and maintain project priorities; prepare, review, and edit written reports and proposals; effectively contribute to meeting the organization's affirmative action objectives.

Supervising Oil and Gas Engineer

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles of fiscal management, budgeting, and other administrative functions; organization and objectives of the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources and of other conservation and regulatory agencies in the resources field; administrative hearing procedures and case preparation for processing legal actions.

Ability to: Do all of the above, and coordinate the activities and develop uniform policies and procedures of the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources or for a statewide division program.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

Senior Oil and Gas Engineer and Above

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a professional engineer or geologist issued by a California State Board of Registration is preferred for appointment as a Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor), (Specialist), or above in the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources.

Class History