Last updated: September 2026
Plains All American Pipeline owns 18,370 miles of pipeline and handles over 9 million barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the largest crude oil pipeline operators in North America. Ranked #120 on the Fortune 500 with $44.3 billion in revenue, Plains offers internships across 16+ business groups from its downtown Houston headquarters. Summer 2027 internship postings went live in late August 2026 on ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and Indeed, with a confirmed start date of May 17, 2027. With a median intern salary of $27/hr base ($32/hr total) across 13 Glassdoor salary submissions and a 3.8/5 company rating from 330 reviews, the opportunity is live and the window is open now.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | plains.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Plains. Follow Plains on LinkedIn for role-specific posting alerts |
| Application window (2027–28) | OPEN NOW. Summer 2027 postings live since late August 2026. Based on prior cycles, expect window to close November–December 2026 |
| Rolling? | Not stated as rolling. Prior cycle had a December 11, 2025 deadline. Apply early; Plains encourages applying to both the general posting and role-specific postings as they appear |
| Eligibility | Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree; US work authorization required (no visa sponsorship) |
| Duration | 10–16 weeks (May–August); start date May 17, 2027 (confirmed) |
| Compensation | ~$27/hr median base, $32/hr total including bonuses (Glassdoor, 13 salaries); base range $20–$37/hr |
| Locations | Houston, TX (HQ, primary); Midland, TX (Permian Basin); Calgary, AB, Canada (year-round co-op cycles) |
| # Programs | 16+ business groups: Engineering, Accounting, Commercial, HSE, Finance, IT, Legal, Land, HR, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Tax, Investor Relations, Government Affairs, Communications |
The two numbers that matter: applications are OPEN right now (posted late August 2026), and the prior cycle closed December 11, 2025. Apply within the first two weeks for the best odds at this small-class midstream employer.
Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you finish a real project with a real company. The EIC Energy Transition VC Market Research Externship and the HP Tech Ventures Deal Sourcing Externship build exactly the energy-sector analysis and deal evaluation evidence a Plains application needs. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Plains All American Pipeline Internship?
A Plains All American Pipeline internship is a paid, 10–16 week summer placement at a Fortune 500 midstream energy company (NASDAQ: PAA/PAGP) that transports, stores, and markets crude oil and NGLs across 18,370 miles of pipeline. Ranked #120 on the Fortune 500 with $44.3 billion in revenue, Plains operates under CEO Willie Chiang with approximately 4,000 employees. Interns work across 16+ business groups from Engineering to Commercial/Business Development to IT at the downtown Houston headquarters, with some roles in Midland, TX and Calgary, AB. High-performing interns can enter the Commercial Emerging Talent Program (PCET), a four-year rotational analyst track with guaranteed permanent placement, or the Engineer in Training (EIT) program. Glassdoor rates Plains 3.8 out of 5 from 330 reviews, with intern-specific reviews averaging 5.0/5 from 3 reviews.
When Do Plains All American Pipeline Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
Plains’ Summer 2027 internship postings are already live as of late August 2026, making this one of the earliest-posting midstream companies in the current cycle. Based on the Summer 2026 cycle (application deadline December 11, 2025, start date May 18, 2026), the application window runs approximately August through December, with role-specific postings appearing alongside the general “Summer 2027 Internship Opportunities” listing. The internship starts May 17, 2027 and runs 10–16 weeks at the Houston headquarters and select field locations. Plains encourages students to apply to both the general posting and specific role postings as they become available on the Workday portal.
Applications for summer 2027 are OPEN. Plains posted its “Summer 2027 Internship Opportunities” in late August 2026 on ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and Indeed. Apply now through the Workday portal at plains.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Plains. Plains encourages students to apply to the general posting and to role-specific postings as they appear.
Role-specific postings for Engineering, Accounting, and Internal Audit & AI Innovation expected to appear alongside the general posting. 100% of Glassdoor-reported intern interviews came through campus recruiting, so attend career fairs at Texas and Oklahoma universities for maximum visibility.
Expected application deadline based on the prior cycle (December 11, 2025). If you have not applied by November, seats may already be filled for competitive tracks.
Interviews and offers. Glassdoor reports an average 25-day application-to-hire timeline. Expect a social event the night before your interview followed by a one-on-one conversational interview covering your background and industry knowledge.
10–16 weeks starting May 17, 2027, across 16+ business groups at Houston HQ. Some engineering roles may place at Midland, TX near Permian Basin operations. Canadian internships run year-round from Calgary.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
Plains posted its Summer 2027 internships in late August 2026, earlier than many midstream peers. 100% of Glassdoor-reported intern interviews came through campus recruiting, meaning the company recruits heavily at career fairs in the fall semester. The Summer 2026 cycle had a December 11 deadline, giving a roughly 3–4 month application window. With 16+ business groups but approximately 4,000 employees, the intern class is small relative to the company’s scope. Apply in the first week the general posting is live, AND apply to specific role postings as they appear. Submit resume, cover letter, AND transcript — Plains explicitly asks for all three, and most applicants skip the cover letter. The Glassdoor interviewer feedback is clear: “they probably already know you are competent — just be approachable and conversational.” Arrive with midstream-specific talking points and you will separate yourself from generic applicants.
Which Plains All American Pipeline Internship Programs Should You Target?
Plains offers multiple pathways for early-career talent, from focused summer placements to multi-year rotational programs. Which one to target depends on your academic timeline and whether you want a department-specific project or a broad leadership-development experience.
| Program | Focus | Duration | Key details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Internship (16+ tracks) | Department-specific project work across Engineering, Accounting, Commercial, HSE, IT, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, and more | 10–16 weeks | Paid; primarily Houston HQ; individual project + daily tasks; mentor and coaching support |
| Commercial Emerging Talent Program (PCET) | Four-year rotational analyst program across business groups with guaranteed permanent placement upon completion | 4 years | Post-graduation; for high-performing interns; annual rotations through different analyst roles |
| Engineer in Training (EIT) | Engineering rotational program for recent engineering graduates | ~2 years | Post-graduation; engineering track; rotations across pipeline engineering, project engineering, and operations |
See all openings on the official Plains All American Pipeline careers portal. The summer internship is the primary entry point for current students, while the PCET and EIT programs suit graduates looking for structured multi-year career development.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Plains has published clear eligibility criteria for its Summer 2027 internship postings:
• Enrollment: currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at an accredited university.
• GPA: not published as a hard requirement. The Early Careers page asks for “solid academic credentials along with significant extracurricular involvement,” suggesting a holistic review.
• Work authorization: US work authorization required. The Summer 2027 posting explicitly states the position is not eligible for employment-based visa sponsorship.
• Availability: full 10–16 weeks, May through August 2027. Start date May 17, 2027 (confirmed).
• Pre-employment requirements: drug and alcohol testing and criminal background check required. Standard for pipeline companies regulated by PHMSA/DOT.
• Technical skills: proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint (listed as a qualification, not just preferred).
• Application materials: resume, cover letter, AND transcript. Plains explicitly requests all three documents.
Does Plains All American Pipeline Require a Minimum GPA?
No published cutoff exists. Plains asks for “solid academic credentials along with significant extracurricular involvement” but gives no number. This could mean holistic review or an unpublished floor. What matters more in practice is midstream industry knowledge, analytical skills, and shown initiative. If your GPA is below 3.0, compensate with a strong cover letter that demonstrates understanding of the crude oil midstream value chain and meaningful extracurricular leadership. The company’s emphasis on “significant extracurricular involvement” is rare explicit language for pipeline companies and signals that leadership activities carry real weight.
What Skills Does Plains All American Pipeline Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Plains sits at the center of North America’s crude oil logistics network, and its intern hiring reflects the breadth of a 16+ business group operation. Across job descriptions, interview reports, and the Early Careers page, the pattern is clear: MS Office proficiency and communication skills appear in every track, while midstream industry knowledge and self-starter initiative are the cultural differentiators. Engineering tracks demand technical depth, while Commercial and Accounting tracks reward financial and analytical fluency. What does this tell you? Plains hires people who can operate independently, communicate clearly, and demonstrate genuine understanding of the midstream value chain.
What Plains All American Pipeline looks for in interns
Skills across 5 Plains All American Pipeline intern & analyst job descriptions · Summer 2027 job descriptions (4 postings) and Glassdoor intern interview reports, projecting 2027–2028
Method: analysis of Plains All American Pipeline Summer 2027 job descriptions (general posting, Engineering, Accounting, Internal Audit & AI Innovation), Glassdoor intern interview reports, and Early Careers page qualifications. Prior-cycle basis; counts skew toward transferable skills shared across 16+ business groups.
How Is Demand for Energy & Pipeline Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?
Energy & pipeline engineering intern hiring right now: September 2026
Across US energy, utilities, and pipeline engineering intern postings tracked this month · aggregate market data, all employers
September 2026 shows midstream companies posting earlier and integrating AI into intern scopes. The signal for candidates: apply early, and show both traditional engineering fundamentals and comfort with data-driven tools.
Method: aggregate analysis of US energy and pipeline engineering intern postings, September 2026. Sample indexes under half of all US postings; figures show direction and relative level, not total market share.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
And every skill in the chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real company project before the window closes.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Energy sector analysis & market research | Commercial/Business Development, M&A, Investor Relations tracks: energy market evaluation, deal analysis, strategic research for crude oil logistics | EIC Energy Transition VC Market Research |
| Financial modeling & investment analysis | Finance/Treasury, Accounting tracks: financial analysis, capital allocation modeling, Excel proficiency that Plains explicitly requires | Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling |
| Operational strategy & supply chain | Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering tracks: logistics optimization, process improvement, people analytics across large-scale infrastructure | Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy |
How close is the overlap? The EIC deliverable is energy-sector market research in Plains’ own vocabulary, the Yinan Zhao project builds the Excel-driven financial modeling every Finance and Accounting track JD asks for, and the Amazon operations project maps directly to Plains’ supply chain and pipeline logistics optimization work.
What Is the Plains All American Pipeline Application and Interview Process Like?
Plains recruits almost exclusively through campus career fairs, and the process is notably fast and conversational. Glassdoor reports an average 25-day application-to-hire timeline for interns:
1. Apply at plains.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Plains with a tailored resume, cover letter, and transcript. Apply to both the general “Summer 2027 Internship Opportunities” posting and any role-specific postings (Engineering, Accounting, Internal Audit & AI Innovation) that match your background.
2. Attend campus career fairs (weeks 1–4). 100% of Glassdoor-reported intern interviews came through campus recruiting. Plains holds events at Texas and Oklahoma universities. If your university does not host Plains, apply online AND reach out via LinkedIn to Plains recruiters.
3. Social event the night before interview. Plains hosts a social gathering to give candidates informal face time with the team before the formal interview day.
4. One-on-one behavioral interview (weeks 2–6). A conversational interview covering your background, interest in the company, and industry knowledge. Glassdoor rates difficulty at 2.5/5. Common question: “Tell me what you know of the industry.” Advice from Glassdoor: “they probably already know you are competent — just be approachable and conversational.”
5. Offer and onboarding (weeks 3–8). Background check, drug and alcohol testing, and logistics for Houston or Midland placement.
Because Plains recruits almost entirely through campus career fairs, the process is straightforward and fast. Prepare by learning the midstream value chain (gathering, transporting, storing, marketing crude oil and NGLs), practicing STAR-method answers, and having specific knowledge of Plains’ asset base (18,370 miles of pipeline, 9+ million barrels per day, EPIC Crude Pipeline acquisition). Our HireVue question guide with a free AI mock tool covers the same behavioral-question format.
What the Community Says
Plains-specific internship threads on Reddit are sparse. The company appears in midstream industry comparison discussions where it is named alongside peers like Enterprise Products, Kinder Morgan, and Energy Transfer. All quotes are consensus paraphrased from community discussions.
Plains All American is listed among the top midstream employers alongside Enterprise Products, Kinder Morgan, Energy Transfer, ONEOK, Targa, and Western Midstream. Commenters compare culture, pay, and stability across these companies, with Plains consistently named in the top tier of crude oil pipeline operators.
Plains All American, Energy Transfer, Enbridge, and Kinder Morgan are recommended as lucrative entry-level employers in midstream. The sector is positioned as a stable career path for new engineers and operators compared to upstream’s volatility, with midstream offering more predictable work schedules and less cyclical layoff risk.
Plains All American is listed among the best shops to learn natural gas and commodities trading, alongside Kinder Morgan, EQT, WhiteWater Midstream, and Venture Global LNG. The thread is directly relevant for candidates targeting Plains’ Commercial/Business Development intern track, where interns work on crude oil marketing and trading.
How Do You Stand Out at a Midstream Pipeline Company?
Three moves, all executable before fall 2026. First, submit resume, cover letter, AND transcript and reference the specific business group you want. Plains lists 16+ groups; most applicants submit a generic application. Name the group (Engineering, Commercial, HSE) and explain in your cover letter why your coursework and interests align. This signals you read the posting carefully, a trait Plains’ “self-starter” culture values. Second, know the midstream value chain. Plains gathers, transports, stores, and markets crude oil and NGLs. They do not drill (upstream) or refine (downstream). Prepare specific talking points: Plains handles 9+ million barrels per day, operates 18,370 miles of pipeline, and recently acquired majority interest in EPIC Crude Pipeline. Reference the Permian Basin gathering systems or the Cushing/Gulf Coast corridor to show you understand their asset base. The Glassdoor interviewer feedback is clear: “they probably already know you are competent — just be approachable and conversational.” Third, attend career fairs at Texas and Oklahoma universities. 100% of Plains’ Glassdoor-reported intern interviews came through campus recruiting. One candidate at Texas A&M was “flagged down at on-campus recruiting” and received an interview within 2 weeks. If your university does not host Plains, apply through the Workday portal AND reach out via LinkedIn.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Plains’ peer set spans midstream crude oil and NGL pipeline companies, all with internship programs that recruit from the same candidate pool.
- Energy Transferlargest midstream peer by revenue (~$85B); 11–12 week paid summer internship across Engineering, Business, Finance, and Sunoco LPGuide →
- Williams Companiesnatural gas processing and transportation peer with a 79% intern-to-full-time conversion rate and $33–$47/hr intern payGuide →
- Enterprise Products Partnersclosest direct competitor in crude + NGL pipelines, Houston-based, with a formal paid summer internshipCareers site
- Kinder Morgancrude pipeline and terminal operations peer with internship programs across pipeline and corporate functionsCareers site
Our sustainability and energy internships summer 2027 guide maps the full landscape of energy and pipeline opportunities, timeline by timeline.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Plains All American Pipeline internship?
No. The summer 2026 class started May 18, 2026, and those postings closed in early 2026 with a deadline of December 11, 2025. The next open cycle is summer 2027: Plains posted Summer 2027 Internship Opportunities in late August 2026, so apply through the Workday portal now.
How much do Plains All American Pipeline interns get paid?
Glassdoor reports a median base of $27 per hour and a median total of $32 per hour including bonuses, based on 13 salary submissions. Individual reports range from $19 to $26 per hour in base pay. Glassdoor intern-specific compensation and benefits is rated 5.0 out of 5 from 3 reviews.
Where are Plains internships located?
US internships are primarily based at Plains’ downtown Houston corporate office at 333 Clay Street. Some engineering roles may be in Midland, Texas, near Permian Basin operations. Canadian internships are in Calgary, Alberta, and run on four, eight, or twelve month cycles year-round rather than the summer-only US format.
What departments offer internships at Plains?
Plains offers internships in 16-plus business groups including Engineering, Accounting, Commercial and Business Development, HSE, Finance, IT, Legal, Land, Human Resources, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Tax, Investor Relations, Government Affairs, and Communications. The general posting lets you express interest before role-specific postings appear.
What is the Plains internship interview process like?
Plains recruits almost exclusively through campus career fairs. Expect a social event the night before your interview followed by a one-on-one behavioral conversation covering your background, interest in Plains, and industry knowledge. Glassdoor rates the process at 2.5 out of 5 difficulty with 100 percent positive experiences. Average time to offer is 25 days.
Does Plains sponsor visas for interns?
No. The Summer 2027 posting explicitly states the position is not eligible for employment-based visa sponsorship and applicants must be authorized to work in the US for the full internship duration. International students should verify whether OPT or CPT qualifies before applying.
Can Plains interns get full-time offers?
Yes. Plains states that high-achieving interns may receive offers to join upon graduation. Two named post-intern programs exist: the Commercial Emerging Talent Program, a four-year analyst rotation with guaranteed permanent placement, and the Engineer in Training program for engineering graduates. No published conversion rate exists.
Does Plains All American Pipeline require a minimum GPA?
No published GPA requirement exists. The Early Careers page asks for solid academic credentials along with significant extracurricular involvement, suggesting a holistic review that weighs leadership and activities alongside grades. Include your transcript with your application as Plains explicitly requests it.
Plains’ Summer 2027 internship postings are live right now, and the company recruits almost exclusively through campus career fairs in the fall. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns “interested in midstream energy” into a finished project a fall 2026 application can point at.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
