Petroleum and Environmental Technology MSc 2018/19 entry

• You may get support to attend and present your work at SPE student paper contests at national, regional and international levels.
• Successful completion of this course can set you on the path to gaining chartered professional status, meeting the entry requirements towards becoming a Member of the Energy Institute (MEI).
• Other accessible software includes ADIOS-2, GNOME, OSCAR, Amarile RE-Studio, CMG, IHS Kingdom, Petroleum Experts IPM, Weatherford WellFlo, Pansystem and Honeywell Unisim Design Suite.
• Inspirational expert guest lecture programme, which in the past has featured the former Vice President of BP (Engineering), former President of SPE International and industry professionals from StatOil in Norway.
• Join the vibrant Student Chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), which organise several student-led activities and events, such as field trip to Wytch Farm oil field in Dorset, Schlumberger Gould Research center in Cambridge, Weatherford Drilling Evaluation Centre in Aberdeen - Scotland, and inter-university competition (PetrolBowl) at SPE meetings around the world.
• Course team includes members of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Petroleum Exploration of Great Britain (PEXGB), Society for Sedimentary Geology, The Reservoir Engineer Network, Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, British Hydrological Society with the Institution of Civil Engineers, Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society, British Society for Geomorphology.

This course is available for study on either a part-time or full-time basis and you may also be able to switch your mode of study part-way through. The full-time mode takes one year to complete, while part-time typically takes three to five years to complete. You will take six mandatory modules, two optional modules and the project/dissertation module. 

The structure and content of the award reflect a range of practical interests, such as the need to develop the generic skill of practitioners, familiarity with industry standard software and thematic understanding of ideas and principles associated alongside environmental science. As a result, it features a blend of technical, theoretical, and practical modules designed to develop real-life skills and knowledge for new and existing practitioners.

Considerable emphasis is placed on the use of case study materials, in-class exercises and the use of industry professionals as guest speakers in direct teaching of students. Previous students have considered case studies including: drilling and well integrity in the Ghawar Oilfield; field optimisation and enhanced oil recovery in mature oilfields; the 2010 BP Macondo oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico; and process safety and accident records in European, African, American, Australian and Asian Oilfields, amongst others. Students have also debated issues like the implications of volatile crude oil prices and the glut in oil production/supply vis-à-vis upstream engineering project investments by multinational oil companies. 

You will be taught by a highly experienced team with research and academic excellence in the fields of: Hydrocarbon Extraction, Carbonate Geology and Oil Habitat; Reservoir Simulation and Engineering; Formation Evaluation; Drilling, Well Testing, Completion, Workover and Cementation; Health, Safety, Security and Environment; Oil Spill, Response and Remediation; Water and Waste Water treatment; Environmental Impact Assessment; Clean and Renewable Energy; Improved Oil and Gas Recovery; Oilfield Chemistry.

The learning outcomes in all of the taught modules are assessed by a combination of coursework assignments, presentations, individual written assignments and formative group work, which vary by module. The full range of assessments for the course allows students to demonstrate critical and analytical thinking, application of theory, understanding of knowledge and original work. Whilst most modules include group working, the majority of summative assessment is individual.

On completion, you should be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the theories, concepts and processes in petroleum science and engineering.   
• Apply relevant processes and technologies, including subsurface facilities plan and development, renewable energy options and environmental considerations. 
• Appreciate the methods and global best practices in managing health, safety and environment in exploration and production of oil and gas.  
• Articulate strategies to assess environmental impacts of oil and gas projects and link these to project-level or companywide ISO 14001:EMS 
• Develop policies in response to the environmental challenges of petroleum production and operation processes.
• Identify and provide innovative design solutions to complex oil and gas engineering problems.
• Use a range of research methods and techniques, both qualitative and quantitative, to provide information and evaluate options when problem-solving in an uncertain and changing organisational environment.  
• Apply effective leadership and technical skills in the oil and gas sector and appropriate business policies and strategies within a changing operational and legislative context to meet stakeholders’ interests.