Oil and Gas Industry Challenges for the Next Decade: Strategies to Face Them From the Education of Future Petroleum Engineers

Abstract

Hydrocarbons are one of the most important sources of energy globally. The processing, use, and commercialization of these resources are the basis of the world economy, even in an era of energy transition like the one experienced today, in which alternative energies are developing rapidly. Activities carried out in the hydrocarbon industry contribute a large amount of energy-related CO2 emissions, in addition to other environmental risks such as hydrocarbon spills, soil and groundwater contamination, and fires. As a result, the importance of the industry has been overshadowed, even though because of these same activities, engineering and scientific advances have been achieved to optimize the production of hydrocarbons to satisfy global demand. Consequently, it is expected that the oil and gas industry will face challenges in the environmental, operational, and social context during the next decade.