Topic – Education
State – National
Sector – Engineering

Chemical Engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with designing, constructing, controlling, supervising, installing, and operating equipment and plants used to manufacture chemicals. It also deals with the development of new methods or ways of production. It is one of the most versatile engineering fields. and this specialization has made contributions to the study of pharmaceuticals, generating electricity using various energy sources such as gas and oil, and even providing immense knowledge and understanding in the science of nuclear reactors. 

Petroleum Engineering is the branch of engineering that is involved in the activities associated with the production of various hydrocarbons like natural gas or petroleum. The discipline is concerned with the design and developmental processes of transforming the physical and chemical state of a substance to suit commercial needs and drill, recover, produce and distribute petroleum and natural gases respectively.  A petroleum engineer is well equipped with the skills and knowledge of everything pertaining to extracted mineral oil and gas from the earth’s core. It is one of the highest-paid branches of engineering and has evergreen job prospects.

Available Job Roles:  Chemical Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Petrochemicals Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Production Engineer, Reservoir Engineer, Pipeline Engineer, Lecturer/Professor.

Key Skills Required:  Problem Solving, Teamwork, Communication, IT Literacy, Management, Domain Knowledge, Scientific Knowledge, Numerical Aptitude, Critical Thinking, Interpersonal Relationship, Innovative, Detail Oriented.   

What to study?

Students intent on pursuing Chemical & Petroleum Engineering can explore the following pathways:

  • Path 1: Class XII with Science Stream with Maths; BE/B.Tech (Chemical Engineering/Petroleum Engineering); M.Tech (Petroleum Exploration/Petroleum Technology); Ph.D.
  •  Path 2: Class XII with Science Stream with Maths; Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) in Chemical Engineering; Ph.D.

Where to study?

Some of the best colleges of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering in India and abroad are listed below: 

India Abroad
  • Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai   
  • Indian Institute of Technology, Multiple Locations
  • National Institute of Technology, Multiple Locations
  • Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani
  • Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gujarat 
  • UPES, Dehradun
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
  • Imperial College London, United Kingdom
  • Nanyang Technological University, Singapore  
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale of Lausanne, Switzerland  
  • China University of Petroleum, China
  • Tsinghua University, China                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Pros & Cons

  • Pros: Highly rewarding, Varied work environment, Plethora of career opportunities.
  • Cons: More laboratory work, Unstructured office hours.

Top Recruiters

Some of the top recruiters of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering graduates are: Indian Engineering Services, State Public Service Commission, OIL, ONGC, Indian Armed Forces, National Thermal Power Plant Corporation, ISRO, BARC, BHEL, GAIL, NRL, Govt Engineering Colleges, Assam Gas Company, Assam Petrochemicals Ltd, Reliance Industries Ltd., HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd., Adani Energy Industries, Schlumberger, Pidlite, Asian Paints, Pharmaceutical Companies, Essar Group, Bharat Petroleum, Private Engineering Colleges, Thermulon, Aqualumos, Chemical Partners India, Thyssenkrupp Innovations, Process Risk Consulting, Energivo Oil and Gas etc.