Employment of geological and petroleum technicians is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. High prices and growing demand for natural resources—especially oil and natural gas—are expected to increase demand for geological exploration and extraction in the future. Historically, when oil and natural gas prices are low, companies limit exploration and hire fewer technicians. When prices are high, however, companies explore and extract more. If oil prices remain high over the long run, the demand for geological and petroleum technicians will remain high as well.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition