Gas production engineer

Description

Gas production engineers develop methods to optimise the extraction and production of gas for energy and utilities. They design systems for gas production, supervise production operations and develop improvements on existing systems.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to gas production engineer:

gas production engineering expert
gas production engineering specialist
gas production technology engineering consultant
gas production technology engineering adviser
gas production technology engineer
gas production engineering consultant
gas production engineering adviser
petroleum production engineer
gas production technology engineering specialist
gas production engineers
gas production technology engineering expert

Minimum qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as gas production engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Gas production engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

Gas production engineer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to gas production engineer.

gas distribution engineer
test engineer
production engineer
steam engineer
flight test engineer

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of gas production engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of gas production engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of gas production engineer.

Production processes: Materials and techniques required in the production and distribution processes.
Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
Gas dehydration processes: The processes used to remove water from natural gas such as the absorption process using glycol or activated alumina.
Manufacturing processes: The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.
Natural gas liquids recovery processes: Be aware of common processes used to separate heavier hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane and butane from the methane, which is the finished product of the gas processing plant. Be aware of oil absorption techniques, cryogenic expansion processes, and other relevant processes.
Gas contaminant removal processes: The processes used to remove contaminants such as mercury, nitrogen and helium from natural gas; the techniques such as activated carbon and molecular sieves and the recovery of the removed material if it is commercially viable.
Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
Natural gas: The various facets of natural gas: its extraction, processing, constituents, uses, environmental factors, etc.
Gas chromatography: The principles of gas chromatography used to analyse and separate specific compounds which go to vaporisation without decomposition.
Natural gas liquids fractionation processes: Have an understanding of the processes used to separate natural gas liquids or NGLs into its constituents, including ethand, propane, butane, and heavier hydrocarbons. Understand the workings of the deethaniser, depropaniser, debutaniser, and butane splitter.
Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
Fuel gas: The various qualities, hazards and applications of gaseous fuels, such as oxy-acetylene, oxy-gasoline, oxy-hydrogen and others.
Industrial engineering: The field of engineering concerned with the development, improvement, and implementation of complex processes and systems of knowledge, people, equipment, etc.
Hydraulic fracturing: The gas extraction technique in which high-pressure fluids are injected into deep water surfaces in order to release natural gas, petroleum, or other non renewable resources.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of gas production engineer.

Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
Design utility equipment: Design equipment which is used for the provision of utility services, such as heat, steam, power, and refrigeration, in order to improve efficiency and sustainability in the provision of utilities to facilities and residential properties.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Use technical drawing software: Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
Test gas purity: Test the purity of the gas using specific testing equipment.
Design natural gas processing systems: Design equipment and procedures to remove impurities from natural gas in order to ensure the by-products comply to regulations and can be used as fuel.
Approve engineering design: Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of gas production engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Gas consumption: The factors which are involved in the calculation and estimation of gas consumption in a residence or facility, and methods which can reduce the consumption of gas, or make it more efficient.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of gas production engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Monitor utility equipment: Monitor equipment which provides utility services such as power, heat, refrigeration, and steam, in order to ensure they are functional, operate according to regulations, and to check for faults.
Optimise production processes parameters: Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure.
Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
Ensure correct gas pressure: Ensure the necessary, usually constant, pressure of gas which is part of a machine or tool, such as torching equipment, used to process metal workpieces during metal fabrication processes.
Develop scientific research protocols: Develop and record the procedural method used for a specific scientific experiment in order to enable its replication.
Test chemical samples: Perform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schemes.
Manage chemical testing procedures: Manage the procedures to be used in chemical testing by designing them and conducting tests accordingly.
Operate gas extraction equipment: Operate the equipment used for oxygen and nitrogen extraction equipment such as compressors, fractionating columns, heat exchangers and purifying towers.
Use chemical analysis equipment: Use the laboratory equipment such as Atomic Absorption equimpent, PH and conductivity meters or salt spray chambre.
Ensure equipment maintenance: Ensure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or flaws.
Operate hydrogen extraction equipment: Operate the equipment used in hydrogen extraction and processing.

ISCO group and title

2145 – Chemical engineers

 

 


 

 

References
  1. Gas production engineer – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022