Fueling a New World

“Petroleum Engineering was never one of my great fascinations, and to be truthful, I never considered studying it in my future years. However, after a day at the Petroleum Engineering Convention, I was exposed to a variety of everyday things we seem to take for granted. The most beneficial part of the day was my realisation that all petroleum engineering companies need more than just petroleum engineers. They rely on sales, marketing, public relations, analytical services, logistical services to name but a few. Although the boys and the girls went on different trips, we all experienced similar activities throughout the day. We were exposed to exhibitors at numerous stands (representing both oil providers and oil services) educating us on their career paths and their personal experiences within the petroleum engineering industry. There were also some presentations by current engineers, including some women, which motivated many of the girls, proving to them that women can also work in this male dominated field. We interacted with each other and the volunteers by taking part in a quiz, and carrying out an experiment to investigate the porosity of rocks. After a day at the convention centre, I left knowing that I could be part of the continuously developing industry, without necessarily pursuing a career as an engineer. It was an insightful and helpful day, which was appreciated by all who attended”.

Tamara Kawash, Year 12