Overview

The work of production engineers and surface facilities engineers begins upon completion of the well—directing the selection of producing intervals and making arrangements for various accessories, controls, and equipment. Later the work of these engineers involves controlling and measuring the produced fluids (oil, gas, and water), designing and installing gathering and storage systems, and delivering the raw products (gas and oil) to pipeline companies and other transportation agents. These engineers are also involved in such matters as corrosion prevention, well performance, and formation treatments to stimulate production. As in all branches of petroleum engineering, production engineers and surface facilities engineers cannot view the in-hole or surface processing problems in isolation but must fit solutions into the complete reservoir, well, and surface system, and thus they must collaborate with both the drilling and reservoir engineers.