The main goal of frac engineers is to design, execute, and optimize various frac treatments.
If you are not familiar with hydraulic fracturing, it is a well stimulation method performed on many newly drilled wells to increase the production by creating fractures in the formation that allow hydrocarbons to flow more easily into the wellbore.
Most frac engineers start their career by working in the oilfield right after graduation and then gradually move into the office.
The amount of time it takes to get into the office depends on the company you are working for and your networking skills.
For some people, it takes a year or two while for others it can be more like 5 years.
What Field Frac Engineers Do?
New grads usually spend a couple of years working in the field as frac engineers before moving into the office.
In the beginning, they are rotated between different types of frac equipment to give them hands-on training.
Most field schedules are 15 days on and 6 days off.
It is also very common for new frac engineers to spend some time in the lab learning frac chemistry.
Main Responsibilities of Field Frac Engineers
Data collection – tracking chemicals, rates, and pressures. There are software packages that can do most of the data tracking automatically but many companies still rely on Excel.
Software setup and support – making sure that frac software is ready for the job and fixing any issues that are encountered during the operation. FracPro is a very popular software package used by many frac service companies.
QC – managing frac chemicals on location. Depending on the service company, the lab is usually responsible for QC but frac engineers often spend some type testing chemicals as well.
Client support – keeping the OSR informed about technical issues and providing the client with raw data.
Onsite supervision – often after gaining some experience frac field engineers work as frac supervisors. This includes training less experienced members of the frac crew and new engineers.
Related: Working as a Frac Equipment Operator
What Office Frac Engineers Do?
After working in the field for a few years, many frac engineers move into the office.
The office environment usually provides a better work-life balance and frac engineers don’t have to be away from their homes for two weeks in a row.
Main Responsibilities of Office Frac Engineers
Frac treatment design – creating frac proposals and designing frac schedules. Frac engineers work closely with technical sales that act as a link between the completion engineers at the operator’s company and a service company.
Coordinating fluid analysis and chemical testing – frac engineers often work closely with a lab to come up with the best fluids, proppant, and chemicals for the job. They are also usually responsible for coordinating frac fluid analysis before the operation to ensure that the right chemicals will be brought to the location.
Frac monitoring (satelliting) – frac engineers are available 24/7 for technical support during active frac operations. Satelliting requires frac engineers to be watching the jobs in real-time.
They often make frac pumping schedule adjustments during the operation depending on how the formation reacts to the treatment. One of the main goals of frac job monitoring is to minimize screenouts and optimize treatments.
While satteliting the typical shifts are 12 hours on and 12 hours off. For working overtime frac engineers usually get a satellite bonus as well as additional time off.
Most of the time frac monitoring is pretty uneventful and can get boring especially when everything goes as planned.
It is also one of the reasons why some frac engineers try to get out of frac because staring at a screen for 12 hours a day is not for everyone.
Frac modeling – creating frac models with the help of various software packages like GOHFER.
Daily frac reports and post-jobs – most clients expect some type of post-job and daily updates for the frac operations.
In addition, depending on the regulations frac reports might have to be sent to the government regulating agencies that keep track of chemicals that are pumped.
Related: Oil and Gas Lab and QCs
How To Become a Frac Engineer?
Most frac engineers have a bachelor’s degree in petroleum, mechanical or chemical engineering.
However, there are also frac engineers that just have an engineering technology diploma and they usually work as frac technical specialists. When it comes to the work they do, it is basically the same as frac engineers.
GPA requirements to get a job in a service company are usually lower than getting a job with an operator.
If your grades are not that great, getting a job in a service company might be a good way to enter the oil and gas industry.
It is also very important to network as much as possible because most jobs go to people that know the hiring manager personally or know someone who can put them in contact with a hiring manager.
Many service companies visit universities to hire students and you definitely don’t want to miss those hiring events because you will have much better chances of landing a job by speaking to a recruiter in person versus sending your resume online.
It also helps if you can get a summer job or internship with a service or operator company to gain some oil and gas experience that will help you to stand out when you graduate and make it much easier for you to land a job right away.
Related: Working for Oil and Gas Operator vs Oilfield Service Company
Career Paths For a Frac Engineer
After a few years of work in an office, most frac engineers become senior frac engineers and then team leads and eventually frac engineering managers.
However, it is often easier to get into a managerial position by moving to a different service company that is looking for a team lead or a manager instead of staying and waiting until you get promoted.
Some frac engineers with good interpersonal skills move into technical sales.
Technical sales representatives work more with the client and are responsible for selling frac jobs.
These guys often have some of the highest salaries in the oil and gas industry because they get a commission from each frac job they sell.
Read next: Working In the Oilfield | Requirements, Entry Level Jobs and Work Conditions