Filling the Gap Between Expectations and Demand

A recent study conducted by the Petroleum Engineers College of Mexico determined that Mexico already has 20 institutions with Petroleum Engineering programs, yet less than 20% of them have the capabilities to produce highquality graduates. Luis Vielma Lobo, Directo General of CBM, claims that upon examination of the graduates that will be generated by universities like UNAM and IPN, it is clear that there will be a shortfall in meeting the needs of the industry. “Nonetheless, with a solid training strategy and investment, this obstacle can be overcome within a few years,” he believes. Vielma Lobo explains that CBM is using previous experience related to price downturns to try and promote a new kind of specialized education, which will mitigate the effects of another potential downturn. “This new educational proposal will facilitate the recruitment of engineers of any specialty, including mechanical, industrial, electrical, and chemical, among others, and convert them into specialists in one of the three core process of the exploration and production business: Reservoir Engineering, Drilling and Well Design, and Integrated Production Engineering. After more than 600 hours of technical and practical education, the program will produce a competent professional fluent in English, which is nowadays necessary to succeed within an international oil company.” After the completion of the program, Vielma Lobo asserts that an engineer should be able to design, supervise, and oversee drilling operations, and also understand rock and fluids properties, reservoir characteristics, and effective management of the reservoirs.

Vielma Lobo adds that the program will also target the extremely acute social problem related to unemployment of young professionals. “There is a number of young graduates that are currently underemployed, or that have moved abroad to find opportunities within their field,” he claims. “The program will conduct a survey with a selection process to recruit the most promising candidates available, and with the help of the Ministry of Energy, CONACYT, and a fund specially created to develop opportunities for young people, they will receive financial help to make a career in the oil industry.” The program has also engendered significant interest from private institutions, with the Yucatan Technical Institute from Merida initiating the first diploma pilot program at the end of 2015. Vielma Lobo expects the program to be developed in the University of Nuevo Leon in 2016. “The plan is to equip more institutions with an acute knowledge of the requirement of the different companies that will be starting operations in the country,” he states.