Petroleum Engineering, MEng

Program Overview

---

Petroleum Engineering, MEng

Introduction

Petroleum engineering is concerned with the design and development of front-end engineering technologies required in the exploration and extraction of oil and gas reservoirs.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MEng
• Duration: 60 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• UCAS Code: H850

This programme covers the technical, safety and economic aspects of oil and gas field development.

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Principles of Electronics (EG1008)
  • Chemistry for the Physical Sciences 2 (CM1513)
  • CAD and Communication in Engineering Practice (EG1010)
  • Engineering Mathematics 1 (EG1504)
  • Fundamentals of Engineering Materials (EG1012)
  • Fundamental Engineering Mechanics (EG1510)
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
• Optional Courses: Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice at Levels 1 or 2 in term 1 and 2.

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Solids and Structures (EG2513)
  • Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics (EG2004)
  • Process Engineering (EG2011)
  • Engineering Mathematics 2 (EG2012)
  • Introduction to Geology for Petroleum Engineers (EP2001)
  • Design and Computing in Engineering Practice (EG2501)
  • Electrical and Mechanical Systems (EG2503)
• Optional Courses: Select a further 15 credit points from courses of choice at levels 1 or 2 in term 2.

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Engineer in Society (EG3505)
  • Fluid Mechanics (EM3019)
  • Engineering Analysis and Methods 1a (EG3007)
  • Heat, Mass and Momentum Transfer (EX3030)
  • Petroleum Geology and Reservoir Characterisation (EP3001)
  • Drilling and Well Engineering (EP3595)
  • Reservoir Engineering i - Fundamentals (EP3596)
  • Petroleum Engineering Design (EP3597)
  • Well Testing (EP3598)

Year 4

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Geomechanics (EP4011)
  • Petroleum Production Engineering and Technology (EP4012)
  • Reservoir Engineering II: Performance (EP4013)
  • Field Development and Petroleum Economics (EP4031)
• Optional Courses: Select one of the following 60 credit courses in term 2:
  • Individual Project (EG45PE)
  • Industrial Individual Project (EG45PF)
  • Individual Project Abroad (EG4513)
  • Individual Project Abroad (MEng) (EG4513)

Year 5

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (Ccus) (EG504K)
  • The Engineer in Society (EG501W)
  • Petrophysics, Core Analysis and Formation Evaluation (EG504X)
  • MEng Group Design (EG5565)
  • Enhanced Oil Recovery (EG552C)
  • AI, Machine Learning and Data Science for the Petroleum Industry (EG556L)
• Optional Courses: Select one of the below courses:
  • Geothermal and Hydro Energy (EG503A)
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (EG501V)
  • Well Plugging and Abandonment (EG50R2)

Entry Requirements

• Qualifications:
  • SQA Highers: AABB (Mathematics and Physics or Engineering Science required)
  • A Levels: ABB (AB required in Mathematics, plus at least one from Physics, Design & Technology, Engineering or Chemistry)
  • International Baccalaureate: Minimum of 34 points including Mathematics and Physics at HL (6 or above)
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: Five subjects at Higher, with 4 at H2 and 1 at H3. H2 or above in Mathematics and H3 or above in Physics required.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

• Tuition Fees:
  • England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
  • EU / International students: £24,800
  • Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme
  • Home Students: £1,820

Careers

• Recent graduate job roles have included:
  • Wellsite Engineer
  • Reservoir Engineer
  • Petroleum Engineer
  • Production Engineer
  • Drilling Engineer
  • Operations Engineer
  • Rig Engineer
  • Technical Assistant
• Recent graduates work at companies such as:
  • TOTAL
  • BP
  • Maersk Oil
  • Weatherford
  • Caspian Oil Services
  • Shell
  • ConocoPhillips
  • Stena Drilling Ltd

Accreditation

• This degree holds accreditation from:
  • Energy Institute
  • Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Program Outline

The program aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to develop sustainable solutions for the safe and efficient recovery, processing, transportation, transmission, and utilization of petroleum products.

---

Objectives:

• Understand the design and development of front-end engineering technologies required in the exploration and extraction of oil and gas reservoirs.
• Gain the skills needed to address the challenges of developing sustainable solutions for the safe and efficient recovery, processing, transportation, transmission, and utilization of petroleum products.
• Develop project management, project economics, and environmental impact assessment skills.
• Gain an interdisciplinary approach by studying the fundamentals of each engineering discipline before specializing in the third year.

---

Outline:

---

Year 1:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Engineering Mathematics 1
• Principles of Electronics
• Fundamentals of Engineering Materials
• Fundamental Engineering Mechanics
• Chemistry for the Physical Sciences 2
• CAD and Communication in Engineering Practice
• Optional Courses: Select a further 30 credit points from courses of choice.

---

Year 2:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics
• Design and Computing in Engineering Practice
• Process Engineering
• Solids and Structures
• Engineering Mathematics 2
• Electrical and Mechanical Systems
• Introduction to Geology for Petroleum Engineers
• Optional Courses: Select a further 15 credit points from courses of choice at levels 1 or 2.

---

Year 3:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Engineering Analysis and Methods 1a
• Fluid Mechanics
• Heat, Mass and Momentum Transfer
• Petroleum Geology and Reservoir Characterisation
• Project and Safety Management
• Drilling and Well Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering Design
• Well Testing
• Optional Courses: Select one of the following options:
• Option 1: European language course
• Option 2: MEng Individual Project

---

Year 4:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Petroleum Production Engineering & Technology
• Reservoir Engineering II: Performance
• Field Development and Petroleum Economics
• Geomechanics
• Optional Courses: Select one of the following options:
• Option 1: MEng Individual Project
• Option 2: Individual Project Abroad (MEng)

---

Year 5:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (Ccus)
• The Engineer in Society
• Offshore Process Engineering
• MEng Group Design
• Enhanced Oil Recovery
• Reservoir Simulation
• Optional Courses: Select one of the below courses:
• Geothermal and Hydro Energy
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Well Plugging and Abandonment

---

Assessment:

Students are assessed by a combination of coursework, practical assessments, and written examinations at the end of each course. The exact mix of these methods varies between subject areas, year of study, and individual courses.

• Coursework: includes essays, reports, and assignments completed throughout the course.
• Practical assessments: evaluate student's skills and competencies learned on the course.
Honors projects are typically assessed on a written dissertation.

---

Teaching:

The program is taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, group projects, and individual projects. The teaching methods used are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and to develop their practical skills. The program is taught by a team of experienced and qualified academics who are actively involved in research in their respective fields. The faculty is committed to providing students with a high-quality educational experience.

---

Careers:

The program graduates are highly sought-after by a range of companies in the oil and gas industry. The program also equips students with the skills and knowledge needed for careers in the renewable energy sector.

---

Recent graduate job roles:

• Wellsite Engineer
• Reservoir Engineer
• Petroleum Engineer
• Production Engineer
• Drilling Engineer
• Operations Engineer
• Rig Engineer
• Technical Assistant

---

Recent graduates work at companies such as:

• TOTAL
• BP
• Maersk Oil
• Weatherford
• Caspian Oil Services
• Shell
• ConocoPhillips
• Stena Drilling Ltd

---

Other:

• The program is accredited by the Energy Institute (EI) and is your first step towards achieving Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
• The program is offered on a full-time basis and takes 5 years to complete.
• The University of Aberdeen is located in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Aberdeen is a major international energy city and is leading the way in applying world-class technical expertise to the energy transition challenge.
• The University of Aberdeen is ranked among the top 180 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024).
• The University of Aberdeen is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

---

Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year RUK: £9,250 EU / International students: £24,800 Home Students: £1,820