Final answer:
Petroleum engineers often work in the upstream sector of oil and gas production, which includes the exploration and drilling of new wells to extract fossil fuels. This field is tenacious, dealing with challenges such as deepwater drilling and adhering to environmental regulations. The upstream sector is fundamental for the initiation of the petroleum supply chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Petroleum engineers can work in upstream production, which focuses on the very onset of exploration with the drilling of exploratory wells and subsequent development and production of the field. This involves the process of locating and extracting crude oil and natural gas from beneath the Earth's surface. Once exploration has successfully located a viable source, development and production follow, which include drilling wells and establishing the necessary infrastructure to extract, process, and transport the fossil fuels.
The upstream sector is crucial because without the discovery and development of oil deposits, there can be no further steps in the petroleum industry. This sector poses various challenges, including operating in deep water environments where rigs must be designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, and comply with regulations aimed at preventing environmental damage.