The energy and petrochemical sectors involve the use of potentially hazardous machines and materials in the exploration, production, refining and distribution of various products. Process safety engineers are responsible for ensuring that procedures, tools, processes and facilities can be operated safely and to minimize the risk to people and equipment.
Process safety engineers analyze and evaluate risk potential in operations processes and facility planning and construction, and develop procedures to mitigate those risks to people, equipment and operations.
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- Sub-sector Exploration and production, Oil sands, Offshore
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Limited
In this occupation, activities may include:
- Conducting hazard analysis, consequence analysis and risk calculation during facility construction, start-up, operations, maintenance and decommissioning.
- Identifying issues, designs and controls to ensure safety process implementation in plant and facility planning, construction and operations.
- Providing engineering advice and solutions to address process safety management technical requirements.
- Developing and delivering training on safety policies, standards and procedures.
- Participating in front end engineering and design (FEED) processes leading to the develop and construction of oil, natural gas and petrochemical facilities.
- Reviewing and ensuring compliance with relevant process safety codes, regulations and legislation.
- Leading process safety hazard audits.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in chemical, mechanical, Chief Power or industrial engineer is required.
- A master’s or doctoral degree in a related discipline may be required.
Certifications
Depending on the employer, the following may be required:
- Functional Safety Certification
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
- Over 10 years of experience in engineering, operations and maintenance is typically required.
Depending on the company and responsibilities, typical requirements may include:
- PHA Pro software familiarity
- Familiarity with Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) and associated Safety Instrumented System (SIS), Cause and Effect Charts, Control System Narrative and Safety Integration Level (SIL)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Minimal or no travel
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Administration
- Chemistry
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Security of People and Property
- Laws and Regulations
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physics
- Production and Processing
- Understanding Risk
- Promotion of Occupational Health and Safety
- Interpreting Documents/Plans
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Attention to Detail
- Leading / Living The Vision And Values
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Limited
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as a process safety engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the petrochemicals and refining sector.
In this occupation, activities may include:
- Conducting hazard analysis, consequence analysis and risk calculation during facility construction, start-up, operations, maintenance and decommissioning.
- Identifying issues, designs and controls to ensure safety process implementation in plant and facility planning, construction and operations.
- Providing engineering advice and solutions to address process safety management technical requirements.
- Developing and delivering training on safety policies, standards and procedures.
- Participating in front end engineering and design (FEED) processes leading to the develop and construction of oil, natural gas and petrochemical facilities.
- Reviewing and ensuring compliance with relevant process safety codes, regulations and legislation.
- Leading process safety hazard audits.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in chemical, mechanical, Chief Power or industrial engineer is required.
- A master’s or doctoral degree in a related discipline may be required.
Certifications
Depending on the employer, the following may be required:
- Functional Safety Certification
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
- Over 10 years of experience in engineering, operations and maintenance is typically required.
Depending on the company and responsibilities, typical requirements may include:
- PHA Pro software familiarity
- Familiarity with Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) and associated Safety Instrumented System (SIS), Cause and Effect Charts, Control System Narrative and Safety Integration Level (SIL)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to petrochemicals and refining include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Minimal or no travel
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Administration
- Chemistry
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Security of People and Property
- Laws and Regulations
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physics
- Production and Processing
- Understanding Risk
- Promotion of Occupational Health and Safety
- Interpreting Documents/Plans
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Attention to Detail
- Leading / Living The Vision And Values
- Environment Primarily indoor/office work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education Post-secondary degree
- Career Demand Limited
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as a process safety engineer in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the LNG facility operation sector.
In this occupation, activities may include:
- Conducting hazard analysis, consequence analysis and risk calculation during facility construction, start-up, operations, maintenance and decommissioning.
- Identifying issues, designs and controls to ensure safety process implementation in plant and facility planning, construction and operations.
- Providing engineering advice and solutions to address process safety management technical requirements.
- Developing and delivering training on safety policies, standards and procedures.
- Participating in front end engineering and design (FEED) processes leading to the develop and construction of oil, natural gas and petrochemical facilities.
- Reviewing and ensuring compliance with relevant process safety codes, regulations and legislation.
- Leading process safety hazard audits.
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in chemical, mechanical, Chief Power or industrial engineer is required.
- A master’s or doctoral degree in a related discipline may be required.
Certifications
Depending on the employer, the following may be required:
- Functional Safety Certification
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
- Over 10 years of experience in engineering, operations and maintenance is typically required.
Depending on the company and responsibilities, typical requirements may include:
- PHA Pro software familiarity
- Familiarity with Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) and associated Safety Instrumented System (SIS), Cause and Effect Charts, Control System Narrative and Safety Integration Level (SIL)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to LNG include:
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Minimal or no travel
- Primarily indoor/office work
- Work not physically demanding
- Administration
- Chemistry
- Design Creation
- Application of Engineering Design and Technology
- Security of People and Property
- Laws and Regulations
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physics
- Production and Processing
- Understanding Risk
- Promotion of Occupational Health and Safety
- Interpreting Documents/Plans
- Managing Material Resources
- Operations Design Analysis
- Systems Evaluation and Analysis
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Professional Judgment and Decision Making
- Attention to Detail
- Leading / Living The Vision And Values
