Resource Guide for Pennsylvania State University
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
By: William McDonnell
2
Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Table of Contents
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Preface
a. Contents/Scope
3
b. Audience/Purpose
3
c. Guide Assumptions
4
d. Organization
4
e. Tips for Use
4
General Sources
a. Engineering Village
5
b. Catalog of US Government Publications
6
c. Statistical Abstract of the United States
7
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering specific Resources
a. Journal of Petroleum Technology
8
b. Energy Information Administration
9
c. One Petro____
10
Professional Resources
a. Society of Petroleum Engineers
11
b. Penn State E-Career
12
Closing Remarks and References
13
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Preface
Contents/Scope
This research guide for petroleum and natural gas engineering students at Penn State contains pertinent
information on conducting research, as well as professional related topics, such as job seeking. Some
research projects and job searches can seem daunting at first, and this guide is focused on helping
organize your search process to help you identify where to look for sources, and what sources to look
for. It provides descriptions of various useful resources, both general and pertaining specifically to
petroleum engineers. These descriptions provide general details of the given resource in abstract form,
and also provide specific details on how to navigate the different publications and other sources
provided.
Some resources are complicated and have many different search options. This guide helps identify the
best ways to utilize the resources provided, buy specifying which search tools to use in certain
situations, and by providing helpful hints on how to narrow or broaden your search based on certain
criteria. These tips are meant to help you find the most effective sources to complete your search as
efficiently as possible. Sometimes the most difficult thing in creating a research paper, is finding the
sources in the first place.
Audience/Purpose
This guide is intended to help aid Penn State undergraduate and graduate level engineering students
studying petroleum and natural gas engineering. Although its main focus is petroleum engineering, the
guide can also be useful to other technical fields of study that pertain to petroleum and natural gas
engineering, such as mechanical engineering, energy business and finance, or other earth science
related majors. It can also be used by students studying these topics at other universities. Some of the
technical resources covered are quite broad in scope, and can lend themselves to other scientific topics.
As long as you have a firm technical background, you will find this guide quite useful. While this guide is
mainly intended for students, it can also be useful to young professionals conducting work related
research or hoping to better themselves as a professional, as many of the resources provide access to
key information about the petroleum and natural gas industry. High school students and freshman in
college may have trouble using this guide as the resources it refers to contain information that may be
difficult for them to comprehend.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Guide Assumptions
This guide was created with the assumptions that you have a general understanding of the technical
topics regarding petroleum and natural gas engineering and key industry themes. This guide also
assumes that you have access to these resources, whether through university or their affiliated
institution. Along with access, you should have a general understanding of how to navigate a computer
and the internet, as far as being able to browse through certain links and website structures. You should
also have an adequate background in conducting basic research.
Organization
The guide is laid out very simply and is consistent in format. The table of contents details the different
sections and the resources provided in these sections. The page numbers are also specified on this page.
The resource sections are split up into general resources, resources specifically for petroleum engineers,
and professional related resources. Each resource provides the link to the website, an abstract giving a
general overview of the resource, and some additional details and helpful tips on how to effectively use
the resource.
Tips for Use
To better utilize this guide, it is recommended that you first organize how they will conduct their
research. They should define what sort of information they are looking for and how they are going to
utilize it. Once they know that, they can look through the guide to find the sections most relevant to
their situation. The abstracts will give you a general idea of what the resource can provide while the
details and tips can help specify how to conduct your search. Pay clear attention to the details provided
as they are very helpful in narrowing your search and making your research time more productive.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Index to Periodical Literature: Engineering Village (Compendex)
URL: http://www.engineeringvillage.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/search/quick.url
Abstract
One of the broadest and most useful search engines for any type of engineer is Compendex. It is a very
effective index, as it has access to over 17 million publications for thousands of different engineering
related topics, dating back to 1898. The main platform, “Quick Search”, provides the option to search for
three topics at once. You are also able to specify whether you want to search by subject, title, author,
abstract, etc. in order to narrow your search. You can also limit the search by document types (journal
article, report, conference article) and treatment types (experimental vs. general review). Once you
conduct the initial search you can narrow your search by adding a term, selecting a specific author, or
changing any of the original search specifications. This is helpful as you do not have to return to the
main search page to change the search criteria. The way the index compiles the different sources is also
very unique. Just in the preview you can see a bibliography, as well as hyperlinks to the abstract,
preview, full text, and PSU library listings. So many different types of publications and resources are
available, which makes almost any topic relating to petroleum engineering possible to find. Some of
these resources include “Petroleum and Science Technology” and “Applied Mechanics and Materials”.
You can also find references to specific fluid properties, or mechanical designs, that they would not be
able to find on a search engine specific to petroleum engineering. This is a great place to start research
projects as it has such a broad base of knowledge.
Tips
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Utilize the drop down bar once you begin to type in the search bar. It provides relevant topics
and terms for your intended search.
The “save search” feature is very helpful in keeping track of past searches and certain articles
Read the abstract before downloading the full text so you can make sure the publication is what
you are looking for before you waste any time.
Filter your search as much as possible, as some searches return hundreds of thousands of
results.
Check your “Settings” tab occasionally to make sure that there is nothing out of tune, as these
can have a negative impact on your searches.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Catalog of US Government Publications
URL: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F?RN=231569122
Abstract
This Specific catalog gives you access to search through over 500,000 US government publications (both
online and print) in various fields. The site can be thought of as a database for all US government
publications records. There are five different search methods; “basic search”, “advanced search”,
“expert search”, “browse” and “New Titles”. Each of these has different advantages in terms of the
scope and depth of your search. With such a wide array of publications and so many different methods
for searching on this site, it can seem a bit confusing at first. However, there is a “Help” tab on the far
right side of the top menu. This tab provides a detailed description of how to use the different aspects of
the search engine to better suit your needs. This section is also very well organized as it has hyperlinks at
the top to help navigate throughout the sections. With simple search of “petroleum engineering”, we
receive over 200 results for government documents pertaining to this subject. These documents give
great insight to different government agencies reports and statistics on various petroleum engineering
related topics and events.
When searching “petroleum engineering”, an interesting article towards the top of the search list was
“BP’s Atlantis oil and gas production platform: an investigation of allegations that operations personnel
did not have access to engineer-approved drawings.”, published by the United States Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement Investigations. This article gives key insight into
details of the BP oil spill. It details documentation errors on behalf of BP in regulating their outsourced
production facility. Documents like this are important when considering organization of key design
criteria or other facility related information. As petroleum engineers, one must know the importance of
complete, thorough, and organized documentation. Especially in this case, as it ended up costing BP
about $50 billion dollars.
Tips
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Do not be afraid to use the help section. It provides very valuable information and details on
how to conduct specific searches. It can really help you narrow down what you’re looking for.
Beginners should stick to the “Basic” search function. If you format your search correctly you
should not have any problem finding the information you require. “Browse” is also helpful.
The Bookshelf feature is very helpful in keeping track of all your sources and records viewed.
Citation for Catalog Record:
"BP’s Atlantis Oil and Gas Production Platform [electronic Resource] : An Investigation of Allegations
That Operations Personnel Did Not Have Access to Engineer-approved Drawings." U.S. Dept. of the
Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, Investigations and Review
Unit 0671-C (online).I 72.2:AT 6/2 (2011): 1-48. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Web. <http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo5259>.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Statistical Abstract of the United States
URL: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
Abstract
The US Statistical Abstract is a yearly publication which condenses thousands of statistical publications
from different organizations across the US government. Dating from 1878 through 2012, it provides
details on data in regards to politics, economics, and industry. You can browse through yearly
publications, or use the search bar to search through all publications for a specific topic. There is an
advanced search, but it does not allow you to narrow down a search by much except the file type (pdf,
word, etc.). Although the information is more facts and figures than technical machinery or reservoir
analysis, it is still useful when analyzing business patterns or production results for certain time periods
or locations. One of the best resources provided is their data on business performance. The abstracts
here give details about quarterly crude oil production, refined products, and profits. This information
can be helpful in backing up certain technologies or methods by supporting the effects for certain
companies. The Census Bureau is known for their wide ranging and thorough research, so it can be
assured that their data is almost always accurate and unbiased.
The topic section provides various sub-topics based on two digit codes, and these topics have further
sub-topics based on codes reaching to six digits. For example the Business topic provides data for
various sectors including construction, government, and mining. Under these sections are sub-topics
with different 3 digit codes, and the oil and gas extraction code is 211, under the mining section. This
sub-topic also has sub-topics ranging up to six digit codes, such as “crude petroleum and natural gas
extraction” 211111. This then gives you various sources and their descriptions, as well as how often the
abstract is updated and when it was last updated. Before clicking on the source you can hover their
mouse over the question mark logo and get a short description of the sources data. If you click on the
source you can also read an abstract and see example documents to gauge the source’s usefulness.
Tips
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I would stick to the 211 industry digit or “Oil and gas extraction” as it is broad yet specific to
petroleum engineers. It gives access to 9 different sources pertaining to the specific field.
The “Quarterly Financial Report” is specifically useful when looking at results for different
types of companies and comparing the two.
“Statistics of US Businesses” is also helpful for looking at industry growth based on
employment numbers and payroll.
Many abstracts have helpful graphs of other visual aids available. Simply type “graph” after
your search topic to include these in your results.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Journal of Petroleum Technology (JPT)
URL(to journal’s website): http://www.spe.org
Abstract
The Journal of Petroleum Technology highlights new technologies, key industry topics, and important
economic developments for members of the Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE). This journal keeps
students and professionals in the energy or petroleum industry up to date on current events and
technological advancements pertaining to exploration and production. It contains articles from
professional writers with industry experience, as well as interviews and articles from industry
professionals. To get access to this journal (online), you must first become a member of the SPE, which is
very beneficial as the society also opens up access to many other helpful resources. To receive a print
version, you must subscribe, which cost about $20 per year for students. The Journal’s website is laid
out very well and is quite easy to navigate. The home page features headline stories about the industry,
and key stories with a technology focus. The “Issues” tab provides .pdf versions of the print journals,
dating back to 1997. You can select an issue from any month throughout those years and read through
the different articles and headlines. It is very interesting to see the titles pages of earlier versions versus
the title pages now, as the different technologies and current events focused on change dramatically.
While articles currently focus on shale production and falling gas prices, articles from several years ago
focus on “going green” and rising gas prices. Another helpful portion of this journal’s website is the
“Technical Papers” tab, as it provides very in depth and well done professional papers completed in the
recent months.
Tips
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One drawback of the journal’s website is that it does not have a very effective search tab. So
make sure you know what you are looking for and be prepared to look through a few issues or
scan through a few papers before finding what you need.
Save the pdf versions of useful issues. This way you can access them without having to look for
them again and downloading them.
Subscribe to the journal. It has some great articles and reading a hard copy is always a nice
change of pace from staring at a computer screen.
Read articles not just pertaining to the technical aspect of your research. The economic and
industrial aspect plays a key role in how technology impacts the world, and it gives you a better
understanding of the larger role your research plays. This journal is particularly good for that.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
URL: www.eia.gov
Abstract
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is one of the US government’s programs for energy related
topics. The website provides weekly reports for the various energy markets, such as petroleum, natural
gas, coal, and renewables. It also provides various data, such as storage levels, price trends, residential
area consumption, dating back to . One section entitled “This Week in Petroleum”, details a general
analysis of the crude oil market and provides pricing information on US gasoline. It also has various
sections on other crude oil products such as propane and distillates. Another huge aspect of the website
is its access to the thousands of government reports about the energy industry. Under the “Models and
Documentation” category, there is direct access to various archives about energy market models,
monthly refinery outputs, and other technical documents. This gives you pertinent information about
the logistics and economics of the energy industry. Information like this can be used to support and
elaborate upon technical topics from a business perspective.
Tips
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The natural gas and petroleum storage reports are helpful for looking at production and storage
trends throughout the past several decades.
o When looking at these pages, focus on columns such as “net change” or “%change
versus 5 year average”.
Every year the administration produces a “Petroleum Market Model”. This details global
production levels, supply chains, and general analysis about the year’s crude oil production and
distribution.
Under the “Geography” section and “Maps” tab there are unique animations and field maps
that detail production locations, production volume, and distribution lines for certain regions.
o One particularly interesting one is the “Eagle Ford shale drilling and production”
The Index page (which can be found at the bottom of each page) is very helpful when searching
for articles or reports relating to certain topics or terms.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
One Petro
URL: https://www-onepetro-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
Abstract
One Petro is a website containing a database of many different indexes about oil and gas production.
The site has 18 publishing partners, including the American Petroleum Institute and the Society of
Petroleum Engineers. It also has access to over 160,000 publications, dating back to 1885. The main
search page is simple. You can enter a search term, choose whether it is peer reviewed, and choose the
date range. It also shows a list of most recent and most downloaded publications. An advanced search
allows you to search by author, specific journal, or institution. This search index is structured mostly
around technical based documents, specifically in the upstream section of petroleum and natural gas
engineering. It provides technical answers to many questions or research topics for the most important
aspect of the industry.
Tips
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The “Journals” section can help you with broad access and depth into a specific topic if you need
to narrow your focus.
The Conference proceedings also have great papers structured around specific subjects based
on the type of conference.
The “Search syntax help” gives good advice on how to narrow and optimize your search.
You can search within specific journals and conferences by filtering your results.
Sort your results by “highest rated”. This ensures that other users have found the publication
helpful also.
Some of the publications have to be purchased. Make sure to read the abstract thoroughly
before purchasing to make sure it is what you are looking for.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
URL: http://www.spe.org
Abstract
The Society of Petroleum Engineers is a free and easy to join society for students and professionals
interested in the petroleum industry. It is the largest worldwide member organization in the oil and gas
industry. Not only does the website for this society provide important access to info on new
technologies, but also contains thousands variety of peer-reviewed publications, dating back to the
1920’s. It also provides access to databases, technical reports, and online education and training. If
interested in getting involved in the SPE community, you can find information about important events
and conferences for the various segments of the oil and gas industry. Signing up is as simple as going to
spe.org, and filling out a quick survey. Once signed up the website is rather self-explanatory and easy to
navigate. One of the most useful tabs is the “Publications” tab. It provides peer-reviewed journals
written and edited by the SPE on various topics in the upstream oil and gas industry; such as, “Drilling
and Completion”, “Production and Operations”, and even business related topics like “Economics
Management”. This tab also provides access to various magazines, an online bookstore, technical
papers, and technical reports. Another useful tab is the “Resources tab” this provides access to many
different databases and online libraries. This is helpful to people who are looking to access petroleum
engineering specific search engines. One of the last and most unique aspects of this website is the
“Training” tab. It provides SPE members with the ability to take online courses, search through other
course catalogs, and even to attend webinars hosted by the society. This is a very special opportunity for
petroleum engineers to tap into educational benefits that are not easily available on other platforms.
Tips
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Subscribe to the society. It is free and makes navigating the website and gaining access to its
various resources much easier.
Read through some of the headline articles. Even though they may not seem to have pertinent
information. They give you good general knowledge of the industry, and can help point you in
the right direction.
Browse the online bookstore. You don’t have to buy the book, but you can check if it is in a local
library. Books are not used as often, but are still very valuable resources when used correctly.
Order one of the magazines. They have great articles and it is a good way to keep up to date on
the industry’s current events.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Pennsylvania State University Career Services Management System (Ecareer)
URL: https://eng-psu-csm.symplicity.com/students/
Abstract
One of Penn State’s greatest aspects is its career resources, and The College of Earth and Mineral
Sciences and the College of Engineering provide excellent access to job opportunities through their
Ecareer website. The website provides access to almost one thousand job postings and company events
across various industries specific to engineering majors. It even includes companies that do not attend
the Penn State career fairs. You can create a personal profile to add your education and contact info,
and upload resumes and transcripts under the “Documents” tab to be professionally reviewed by the
career resources staff. Students can search for jobs under the “Jobs” tab and filter results based on their
major, grade year, industry, or position type. Petroleum engineering students can narrow their job
search down to jobs they specifically qualify for instead of wasting their time searching through jobs in
other industries that do not interest them. The links to the job pages provide custom descriptions
tailored towards Penn State students. You can sift through the information, which is well organized in
consistent format, see if the job is a good fit for them, and simply upload their resume or cover letter
and click “apply”.
The website is a great way to organize all of your job applications and your career search. There is a
calendar tab, which allows you to add information for certain companies you are interested in. If a
student is offered an interview by a company on the website, it automatically uploads the interview
time and location to add to your calendar. On the home page you can keep track of all the companies
you have applied to and requested interviews for. The home page also provides recommended job
postings specifically tailored towards your profile and past interviews. Searching for a summer job or Coop can be hectic, and there is no better way to help organize and spur your job search than using Penn
State’s Ecareer.
Tips
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Upload multiple resumes tailored towards specific types of jobs and or specific industries. The
more specific a resume is, the more likely you will be to get an interview.
Use the advanced search option to narrow down searches related to your major and desired
industry, but do not use the “interviews only” option. All applications offer interviews if you
qualify, but those ones schedule them exclusively through the website.
Apply to as many jobs as you have time for. The more you apply to, the better chance you have
of getting an interview. It is so easy to apply, and only takes 15 seconds for some applications.
Go to the career resources department and get help building your resume, preparing for the
career fair, and practicing interviewing. It’s little things like this that go a long way.
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Research Guide for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Students
Closing Remarks
The resources described in this guide provide a solid overview of how to utilize the internet during
college for petroleum engineering majors at Penn State. It gives many helpful resources and describes
there uses, content, relevance, and helpful tips to use them more efficiently. This guide will be able to
assist students in completing research papers, conducting job searches, and other various technical
pursuits while at school and beyond. While this guide is helpful getting people started in the right
direction for research and other academic or professional pursuits, there are hundreds of other websites
and indexes just as helpful, and one shouldn’t be limited to using only a handful of different resources.
Resources
Catalog of US Government Publications
URL: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F?RN=2315691222
Index to Periodical Literature: Engineering Village (Compendex)
URL: http://www.engineeringvillage.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/search/quick.url
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
URL: http://www.spe.org
Journal of Petroleum Technology (JPT)
URL(to journal’s website): http://www.spe.org/jpt/
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
URL: https://www.eia.gov
One Petro
URL: https://www-onepetro-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
Pennsylvania State University Career Services Management System (Ecareer)
URL: https://eng-psu-csm.symplicity.com/students/
Statistical Abstract of the United States
URL: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/