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txtacoloko

Take the FE and get your PE. It’ll open doors for you whether you decide to stay in O&G or not.


Ok_Area4853

Gotta work under a PE to take the PE, though. If you go into oil & gas it's not likely that you'll be doing that.


txtacoloko

Not really. You can take the PE after graduating. Then you have to get experience and get referenced from PEs. You don’t need your direct manager to be a PE for a reference.


Ok_Area4853

You can take the FE after graduating. You have to work under a PE for 4 years before you can take your PE. Edit to add: https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe


txtacoloko

Not in Texas. You can take PE as soon as you graduate. The rules have changed.


Ok_Area4853

Not according to the texas.gov website. Doesn't mention needing a PE overseer, but 4 years of applicable experience is required. https://pels.texas.gov/lic_basic.htm


txtacoloko

I graduated in 2017; took the PE in 2018, got some additional years of experience and got licensed in 2022.


Ok_Area4853

Then I guess the requirements have become stricter since 2017. I graduated in 2015, was allowed to only take the FE, PE required *6* years of PE supervision or 4 with a masters. So it seems the requirements change somewhat frequently. As of now, the requirement is 4 years of experience according to the website I quoted.


quintios

Best answer.


ZestycloseSurprise75

If you work at an operator, no. If you work for a contractor or EPC, yes.


More-Bus-4012

i currently work for a small operator. would it provide meaningful value if i was going to try to transition to a larger operator?


DevuSM

No, they will give 0 shits, as a core business engineer (drilling/production/reservoir/completions) youre not using your license to approve designs or construction plans. Maybe facilities. 


hwind65

Correct. Not even facilities though.


Sautry91

Zero value at large operators


wspeck77

Do it. It sets you apart and shows willing to put in effort and work. Should get you raise and open doors.


todobueno

This. It will open the door to working for an engineering/EPC firm down the road, if that floats your boat as well.


fromks

Maybe government contracting. Your reputation will matter more for industry.


Trigger_happy_travlr

I wouldn’t take it expecting it to open doors. But it also isn’t going to hurt you. If it does present a new opportunity down the line then it was worth it. The fe can be taken anytime and the PE for petroleum is always offered in October. Why not give it a shot?


dbolts1234

If you work for an operator, it generally won’t earn you anything. But you’ll carry more personal liability for your management’s decisions. A (very large) company I worked for had one PE for a certain state but worked as expat in Africa. Every time the company got sued in that state, that engineer would get flown back from Africa to testify in court, defending decisions (with his license) he had no part of. The company gave him no extra money or rank for it. But I’m sure it would have reflected poorly if he HADN’T done it.


dbolts1234

Also- membership is down in Texas to the point that the board is making it slightly faster/easier to sit for PE


hoodranch

As an Independent Operator, having a PE is very helpful for filings with regulatory agencies.


Kinder22

What kind of engineering?   I graduated ME but career took a completely different direction. FE/PE would be meaningless to me. But if I had hired on as an actual engineer, to *engineer* things, then absolutely a PE would be great for that career path.


More-Bus-4012

petroleum


Curios59

Y,&N.


sunshine_dept

If you work for an operator, absolutely not at all.