# Physics Getting into oil and gas with a physics degree with no geophysics courses?

1. Mar 20, 2010

### Shackleford

Is that possible? UH offers a physics degree BS with geophysics specialization. I looked at doing that a while back but decided against it. With just a BS Physics, could I get into oil and gas/energy? If so, what kinds of jobs would I be doing? I live outside of Houston, btw.

2. Mar 21, 2010

### Shackleford

Well, of course, I took a freshman physical geology course.

Anyone?

3. Mar 21, 2010

### ranger

Of course you can get into the oil & gas industry. There are tons and tons of geo-science jobs such as: Geophysicist, Petrophysicist, and Geologist.

4. Mar 21, 2010

### Shackleford

With just a pure physics degree and no geophysics courses? How difficult would learning the geophysics applications on the job be?

5. Mar 21, 2010

### ranger

Well you have already taken one course. Its better you be well prepared by taking a few extra courses in the area. Sure you will do on-the-job learning, but you will probably need a little more background. I am not discounting the fact of getting in with just Physics degree with no geoscience specialization, but you should at least have a little background in the area.

6. Mar 21, 2010

### Shackleford

Scratch that. I cannot substitute any geology courses for my physics electives. I have already used all my free electives, so if I took any geophysics courses I would have to take additional courses and graduate later than I'm planning. I'm not going to do that. Blah.

Last edited: Mar 21, 2010
7. Mar 24, 2010

### stewartcs

Yep. But you might not be doing any geological work. Lots of Oil and Gas companies will higher you as long as you have a BS in any technical field. It may require you to take a field service type job but they pay really well too.

CS

8. Mar 24, 2010

### Shackleford

What does a field service type job entail?

9. Mar 24, 2010

### 98whbf

Sounds like you don't really want it very much then!

10. Mar 24, 2010

### Shackleford

Just thinking about a decent-paying job, that's all. lol.

11. Mar 25, 2010

### Metis

You could do a masters in the topic, you'd probably be pretty employable then

12. Mar 25, 2010

### stewartcs

Depends on the company. It can be installation, commissioning of new equipment, field repairs, field modifications, 3rd party services, etc.

CS

13. Mar 25, 2010

### twofish-quant

There are lots of different jobs in oil and gas. I worked as a computer programmer in oil and gas before working as a computer programmer in finance. There are also some physics related jobs in designing instruments (neutron scattering devices, resistivity detectors, etc.)

Also there are different subdivisions in oil and gas. Geophysics is different from petrophysics for example. Geologists look at the forest. Geophysicists look at the trees. Petrophysicists look at the leaves.

14. Mar 25, 2010

### twofish-quant

Going to an oil well and babysitting instruments. It can be rather interesting if said oil well is on an offshore platform off the coast of Angola.

15. Mar 25, 2010

### observer20

what are the companies who recruit computer programmers or ppl with masters in pure physics in this oil n gas sector...???I hve done masters iin physics and now working as a computer programmer....

16. Mar 25, 2010

### stewartcs

Offshore platforms are boring everywhere! LOL!

The excitement in Angola would come from making it to and from the rig from the airport without getting kidnapped or killed. :rofl:

CS

17. Mar 25, 2010

### twofish-quant

Much of the recruitment is doing through the same set of headhunters that to headhunting for other fields. If you send in your resume to an HH in Houston, there is a good chance that an oil/gas company would be their clients. There are the big majors (Exxon, Schlumberger, Halliburton), but there are also mom-and-dad shops. The google terms are "geological software" "geophysical software" and "petrophysical software."

The thing that got me my job in oil and gas was extensive knowledge of fortran 77.

18. Mar 25, 2010

### Ryker

Sorry, this might be a bit off-topic, but did you choose to do computer programming or did you want to do something else, but couldn't find a more strictly physics-related job?

19. Apr 1, 2010

### Shackleford

What about an office job downtown Houston?

20. Apr 1, 2010

### twofish-quant

Pretty much. If someone knocked on my door and offered a tenure track position at a major university at be rather quickly gone. ..... Listens at the door for a knock ..... Nope... No one knocking this evening. So I can't get exactly what I want, so the next step is to figure out the closest thing I can get. It helps that professorship was really a second choice anyway. What I *really* want to do is to be a starship captain, but I have the problem of being born a few centuries too early.

Also computer programming and "physics job" aren't exclusive. I spent most of graduate school staring at a computer screen trying to figure out what the @#$#@$ bug is in the @#$#@$ code. What I do most of the day is to figure out what the @##@$bug is in the #@$#@\$ code.

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