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The differences between drilling engineers and reservoir engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a drilling engineer and a reservoir engineer. Additionally, a reservoir engineer has an average salary of $124,309, which is higher than the $101,225 average annual salary of a drilling engineer.
The top three skills for a drilling engineer include cost estimates, well design and data analysis. The most important skills for a reservoir engineer are spotfire, material balances, and economic analysis.
| Drilling Engineer | Reservoir Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $101,225 | $124,309 |
| Hourly rate | $48.67 | $59.76 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 25,035 | 17,430 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A drilling engineer specializes in planning and overseeing a gas and oil company's drilling operations. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis, coordinating with other experts and contractors, examining and evaluating the quality of drilling sites, and liaising with external parties. Furthermore, as a drilling engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of operations and lead the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and safety regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
A reservoir engineer is responsible for evaluating the amount of fluid mechanics in underground reservoirs. Reservoir engineers should have excellent analytical and geological knowledge to determine the location of fuels using advanced technology systems and applications. They also verify the cost of oil and natural gas by analyzing market trends and consumer demands, especially for investment and drilling ventures purposes. A reservoir engineer should have excellent communication skills to write reports and strategize efficiency on drilling processes.
Drilling engineers and reservoir engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Drilling Engineer | Reservoir Engineer | |
| Average salary | $101,225 | $124,309 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $155,000 | Between $90,000 And $170,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | Reno, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | Range Resources |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a drilling engineer and a reservoir engineer in terms of educational background:
| Drilling Engineer | Reservoir Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Petroleum Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between drilling engineers' and reservoir engineers' demographics:
| Drilling Engineer | Reservoir Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |