Professional Groups
Why Study Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering is concerned with the extraction of oil and gas from hydrocarbon reservoirs. Through creative and imaginary use of their knowledge of petroleum geology, reservoir behaviour as well as engineering principles, Petroleum Engineers develop effective solutions for the exploration, recovery and transportation of hydrocarbon products trapped underground onshore or offshore. Virtually every product in modern life has been created with the input of oil and gas products at some point and petroleum engineers are at the forefront of ensuring that we have a continued supply of this most important commodity on the planet today. If you have an aptitude and fascination for how the physical world works, are interested in applying the knowledge of geology, chemisty and physics in creating engineering systems, and wish to contribute to the harvest of the primary source of energy used by the modern society, then you should consider Petroleum Engineering as a career choice.
Why study Petroleum Engineering at the University of Aberdeen?
Located in the heart of the energy industry in Europe, Aberdeen is an international centre of excellence for exploration and production of oil and gas, providing services for not only the North Sea but also many provinces worldwide. Students from the University of Aberdeen benefit from direct and intimate interactions with the industry and are exposed to its latest technological developments.
The University of Aberdeen is the only university in Scotland that offers students a general engineering curriculum. This allows an informed choice of engineering discipline and gives Aberdeen graduates a broader understanding of engineering principles which is invaluable to their future professional development. The distinctiveness of the Aberdeen programme is the combined strength of Engineering and Petroleum Geoscience. With Engineering at its heart, the programme draws upon well-established expertise in Exploration and Production Geoscience, and Physical and Organic Chemistry, thereby providing students with a multi-disciplinary approach to the challenges faced by Petroleum Engineers.
The University of Aberdeen is proud of its track record in delivering high-quality accredited Engineering programmes and top-class graduates. Students are taught by research active staff working at the forefront of new technologies. Teaching is supported by dedicated modern laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Opportunities exist for industry-sponsored scholarships and bursaries, final year individual projects undertaken with industry, and study abroad at one of the leading universities in North America or mainland Europe with whom we collaborate actively.
Our School of Engineering has the largest number of oil and gas related Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects in the UK. These government funded projects enhance collaboration with industry. Through these and other initiatives, we have developed strong and active links with major oil and gas companies and thus providing industry-focus teaching and projects to our students. The interdisciplinary content of our curricula and the focus on practical applications and value to industry and society provide our students with the necessary intellectual and transferable skills and an appreciation of ethical and moral issues needed for a successful career in a wide range of industry sectors.Degree Structure
Students can enter a petroleum engineering programme with a view to achieving either a qualification of Master of Engineering (MEng) or Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) according to his/her qualifications and career aspiration. The BEng is a four-year Honours degree programme while the MEng is an integrated Honours programme lasting five years.
Degree Programmes
The typical subjects in Petroleum Engineering are as follows:
First YearCAD & Communication
Principles of Electronics
Fundamentals of Materials
Engineering Mathematics 1
Mechanics
Engineering Chemistry
Second Year
Engineering Mathematics 2
Transport Phenomena
Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Design and Computing
Electrical and Electronic Systems
Introduction to Geology for Engineers
Solid and Structures
Third Year Engineering Analysis and Methods
Engineering Design
Advanced Transport Processes
Fluid Mechanics
Process Modelling and Control
Principles of Petrolleum Geology
Reservoir Engineering I
Thermodynamics
Economics, Resource and Safety Management
Fourth Year Safety and Reliability Engineering
Drilling and Well Engineering
Reservoir Engineering II
Petroleum Production Engineering
Fluid Dynamics
Engineering Project and Manufacturing Management
BEng/MEng Individual Project
Fifth Year (MEng Only) Advanced topics for MEng study
Mathematical Optimisation
Engineering Management
Engineering Analysis and Methods 3
Upstream Oil and Gas
MEng Group Project
Opportunities exist in the first two years for Enhanced Study which provides an appreciation of other disciplines and further development of transferable skills following the introduction of the university-wide curriculum reform (www.abdn.ac.uk/thedifference)
Careers
Most Petroleum Engineering graduates aim at developing a professional career in the oil and gas industry. Equipped with a balanced portfolio of knowledge on the full life-cycle of hydrocarbon production, graduates from this discipline are sought after by a range of companies across the oil and gas sector; from major operators and multinational service providers to small scale technology companies. A degree in Petroleum Engineering allows graduates to function effectively in a complex environment and to work across the disciplines of petroleum geology and production and process engineering. In addition, the underlying attributes of a Petroleum Engineering graduate, such as logical analysis, problem solving, management and communication, allow them to develop a career in a range of other sectors including finance and management.
For further details relating to Petroleum Engineering at Aberdeen, please visit http://www.eng.abdn.ac.uk/