There are numerous challenges the energy industry faces, especially oil and gas. One of the largest challenges is the transition to renewable energy. The issue lies in the complete conversion to clean energy rather than an integration and coexistence with non-renewables such as gas and coal. The expectation is to eliminate oil and gas and depend on renewables solely. The United States is often compared to countries like Germany who obtain significant amounts of energy from renewable sources. The most important factor often overlooked is that Germany designed renewable sources as secondary to non-renewables, this measure being taken to compensate for reliability issues. This reliability is one of the most important qualities our energy sources should have. We depend on energy too much in the modern world to begin having issues with reliability. Modern medicine is heavily reliant on this sufficient supply of energy to simply operate. When evaluating the effects of non-renewables the, media and Congress seem to focus on the negatives. Gas is the cheapest and most reliable source of energy we currently have. Despite this, Congress desires to create legislation eliminating the use of non-renewables. Oil and gas continue to produce energy on a cloudy day whereas solar cannot. Wind turbines depend on wind currents while oil and gas do not. There is no argument that the future should have a system incorporating renewables, but it should not depend on them entirely.
One of the challenges the oil and gas industry faces is poor publicity. The BP oil spill of 2010 is one of the most significant tragedies that many think when discussing oil and gas. Most of the public simply saw that a big oil company made a mess and it gave bad publicity for all operators alike. For many years, it was deemed those in the industry did not care for the environment and only desired to make money. Contrary to this, the modern industry contains standards that prove otherwise yet these values are not conveyed well to the public. The reality is that the industry is still recovering from this tragedy and the publicity remains. The ‘green movement’ is another contributor to this poor publicity of oil and gas. Fossil fuels are deemed ‘bad’ and renewables are deemed ‘good’. Numerous college students do not desire to work in oil and gas because of the propaganda that has been relayed. This misinformation is not only conveyed from media outlets but also by the institutions themselves. Universities that offer programs for the oil and gas sector have administrations that discourage students from obtaining degrees in these fields. These future professionals are being driven away due to an increase in propaganda. Students are taught fossil fuels are going to be eradicated and renewables are the future. These factors all contribute to a lack of interest in the oil and gas sector. The energy industry must combat this narrative as it will hinder the industry's growth if not addressed promptly.
So many people offer their input on my future college major, many saying there will be no jobs in the future because it is said to be a “dying industry”. I can not wait to prove each and every single one of them wrong. The world of petroleum is so far from a “dying industry” it is unfathomable, what people forget to acknowledge is that petroleum is a vital resource in a plethora of aspects in our daily lives. Petroleum is everywhere, of course it is in the form of gasoline, but many are unaware that petroleum is found in synthetics, plastics, pesticides, perfumes, paint, contact lenses, bandages and the list continues. It is unfathomable to imagine a world that lacks petroleum. It is a core resource that keeps our economy and society running smoothly. The environmental impacts can not be ignored but they certainly should not scare current college students out of wanting to major in an industry that needs intelligent minds so we can continue to further our knowledge and optimize the situations at hand. The importance of petroleum engineering is astronomical, but so are the new generation of students who need to grow in the field and further the exploration of petroleum. These are some of the few reasons that make petroleum engineering a passionate topic of mine. I am not sure where I want to make my mark but as a freshman with zero experience, I want to try absolutely all of it. I desire to get my foot in the door and start learning everything and anything I can. I think it is important to address environmental risks and ways to improve our systems that promote longevity of energy and our resources. We can continue to improve in safety of the oil and natural gas industry with a focus in promoting safely of the environment whilst continuing to improve extraction methods that promote the financial aspects of a company. Continuing to improve and find a balance between financial gain and longevity of the resources and environmental aspects that come into play when drilling and extraction. I have big ambitions for my future, having a managing position in an oil and gas company would be my first choice of making my mark on a company. As a woman, I want normalize females in engineering settings, and make it more common place to see women strive to be in STEM centered industries.
