Civil engineers sweat the details to make sure that every road, utility corridor, wall and office is laid out, designed, and built exactly as planned.
For the facilities to exist they must first be built, including having roads, utility corridors and water retainment systems developed. Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction, maintenance, and decommissioning of a variety of structures and facilities.
Civil engineers may specialize in areas, such as foundation analysis, building and structural inspection, surveying and geomatics or hydraulics and water management.
These engineers often work in a multidisciplinary environment and acquire knowledge and skills through work experience that may allow them to practise in a variety of associated areas including management. Civil engineers working on energy-related infrastructure projects may be hired by the project owner or operator, but often are employed by an engineering, procurement and construction company (EPC).
I'm interested in a career in
- Sub-sector Exploration and production, Oil and gas services, Pipelines, Offshore, Oil sands
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary $67,000 to $125,000
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
In this occupation activities may include:
- Undertaking preliminary analysis, system/layout optimization, energy assessments and project economics to determine the best site development scenario.
- Strategizing to ensure key issues are identified early so that the project development can addresses major technical factors to gain approvals, meet adequate quality and performance requirements and be economic.
- Undertaking foundation and superstructure design for civil structures including wind towers, substations, buildings, bridges, weirs, intakes and dams.
- Preparing engineering designs from conceptual and detailed design through to tender and construction documents.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
Licensing
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional Requirements
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant codes and standards
- Experience with engineering software applications such as SFRAME, STAAD, RISA
- Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a creative problem-solver and are also logical. You have a strong understanding of mathematics, science and construction. You also have strong interpersonal skills and can collaborate with a number of other professionals.
The industry is only as strong as the infrastructure it uses to explore, produce and refine. You play a key role in the day-to-day function of each and every facility.
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Laws and Regulations
- Understanding Risk
- Writing, Technical Writing, Document Production
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Technology Design
- Coordination
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Sub-sector Engineering, design and procurement
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as a civil engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the engineering, design and procurement project life cycle phase of industrial construction and maintenance in energy.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Undertaking preliminary analysis, system/layout optimization, energy assessments and project economics to determine the best site development scenario.
- Strategizing to ensure key issues are identified early so that the project development can addresses major technical factors to gain approvals, meet adequate quality and performance requirements and be economic.
- Undertaking foundation and superstructure design for civil structures including wind towers, substations, buildings, bridges, weirs, intakes and dams.
- Preparing engineering designs from conceptual and detailed design through to tender and construction documents.
In addition to the requirements below, specific requirements in industrial construction and maintenance may include:
- Familiarity with computer-aided design and drafting software, such as AutoCAD, CADD, or Civil 3D. (engineering, design and procurement)
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
Licensing
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional Requirements
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant codes and standards
- Experience with engineering software applications such as SFRAME, STAAD, RISA
- Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to industrial construction and maintenance include:
- Primarily indoor/office work (engineering, design and procurement)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (engineering, design and procurement)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (engineering, design and procurement)
- Transition to a similar level (engineering, design and procurement)
- Urban location (engineering, design and procurement)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a creative problem-solver and are also logical. You have a strong understanding of mathematics, science and construction. You also have strong interpersonal skills and can collaborate with a number of other professionals.
The industry is only as strong as the infrastructure it uses to explore, produce and refine. You play a key role in the day-to-day function of each and every facility.
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Laws and Regulations
- Understanding Risk
- Writing, Technical Writing, Document Production
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Technology Design
- Coordination
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as a civil engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the LNG facility operation sector.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Undertaking preliminary analysis, system/layout optimization, energy assessments and project economics to determine the best site development scenario.
- Strategizing to ensure key issues are identified early so that the project development can addresses major technical factors to gain approvals, meet adequate quality and performance requirements and be economic.
- Undertaking foundation and superstructure design for civil structures including wind towers, substations, buildings, bridges, weirs, intakes and dams.
- Preparing engineering designs from conceptual and detailed design through to tender and construction documents.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
Licensing
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional Requirements
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant codes and standards
- Experience with engineering software applications such as SFRAME, STAAD, RISA
- Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to LNG include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Temporary/project-to-project work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Transition to a similar level
- Urban location
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a creative problem-solver and are also logical. You have a strong understanding of mathematics, science and construction. You also have strong interpersonal skills and can collaborate with a number of other professionals.
The industry is only as strong as the infrastructure it uses to explore, produce and refine. You play a key role in the day-to-day function of each and every facility.
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Laws and Regulations
- Understanding Risk
- Writing, Technical Writing, Document Production
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Technology Design
- Coordination
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as a civil engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the petrochemicals and refining sector.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Undertaking preliminary analysis, system/layout optimization, energy assessments and project economics to determine the best site development scenario.
- Strategizing to ensure key issues are identified early so that the project development can addresses major technical factors to gain approvals, meet adequate quality and performance requirements and be economic.
- Undertaking foundation and superstructure design for civil structures including wind towers, substations, buildings, bridges, weirs, intakes and dams.
- Preparing engineering designs from conceptual and detailed design through to tender and construction documents.
In addition to the requirements below, specific requirements in petrochemicals and refining may include:
- Familiarity with computer-aided design and drafting software, such as AutoCAD, Revit or SCADA.
- Obtaining the Certified Energy Manager designation.
- Certification in sustainable environmental design such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or LEED AP.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
Licensing
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional Requirements
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant codes and standards
- Experience with engineering software applications such as SFRAME, STAAD, RISA
- Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to petrochemicals and refining include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Temporary/project-to-project work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Transition to a similar level
- Urban location
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a creative problem-solver and are also logical. You have a strong understanding of mathematics, science and construction. You also have strong interpersonal skills and can collaborate with a number of other professionals.
The industry is only as strong as the infrastructure it uses to explore, produce and refine. You play a key role in the day-to-day function of each and every facility.
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Laws and Regulations
- Understanding Risk
- Writing, Technical Writing, Document Production
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Technology Design
- Coordination
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Sub-sector Solar, Wind
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Less than oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading Minor
-
Refocus
A civil engineer considering a career change from oil and natural gas to the solar or wind sub-sectors of renewables may need to complete some minor upskilling to make a successful transition. Workers may expect to earn an average salary range lower than that in oil and natural gas and may find there are some differences in the role and work environment. The engineering is less complex, as it takes on a geotechnical focus, rather than oil and natural gas operations and facilities and pipeline structures.
In addition to the activities below, other activities in renewables may include:
- Evaluating structural loads and preparing foundation designs for solar array support structures and equipment. (solar | wind)
- Performing structural design of wind turbine foundations including calculations, preparation of drawings and specifications. (wind)
- Designing and overseeing large construction projects. (wind)
- Implementing environmental protection measures, such as developing erosion and sediment control plans and modelling and analyzing reinforced concrete elements and soil/structure interaction. (solar | wind)
- Verifying all applicable Canadian federal and provincial codes and standards to ensure design meets or exceeds minimum requirements. (solar | wind)
In this occupation activities may include:
- Undertaking preliminary analysis, system/layout optimization, energy assessments and project economics to determine the best site development scenario.
- Strategizing to ensure key issues are identified early so that the project development can addresses major technical factors to gain approvals, meet adequate quality and performance requirements and be economic.
- Undertaking foundation and superstructure design for civil structures including wind towers, substations, buildings, bridges, weirs, intakes and dams.
- Preparing engineering designs from conceptual and detailed design through to tender and construction documents.
In addition to the requirements below, specific requirements in renewables may include:
- Familiarity with energy industry technology (turbines, balance of plant, etc.) and contracts (construction, supply, operations, interconnection, offtake, and/or asset management contracts). (solar | wind)
- Understanding of typical construction methods. (solar | wind)
- Familiarity with computer-aided design and drafting software, such as AutoCAD, CADD, or Civil 3D. (solar | wind)
- Ability to use state-of-the-art finite element modelling software. (solar | wind)
- Certification in sustainable environmental design such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), or LEED AP. (solar | wind)
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
Licensing
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
- Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.
Additional Requirements
- Extensive knowledge of all relevant codes and standards
- Experience with engineering software applications such as SFRAME, STAAD, RISA
- Specific health and safety certifications may be required, determined by location of work and company requirements
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to renewables include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (solar | wind)
- Travel required (solar | wind)
- Primarily indoor/office work (solar | wind)
- Less formal organizational structure (solar | wind)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (solar | wind)
- Safety-sensitive environment(solar | wind)
- Transition to a lower level (solar | wind)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a creative problem-solver and are also logical. You have a strong understanding of mathematics, science and construction. You also have strong interpersonal skills and can collaborate with a number of other professionals.
The industry is only as strong as the infrastructure it uses to explore, produce and refine. You play a key role in the day-to-day function of each and every facility.
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Laws and Regulations
- Understanding Risk
- Writing, Technical Writing, Document Production
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Technology Design
- Coordination
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
