Course overview
The aim of the course is to provide students with a broad overview of introduction to petroleum engineering in order that advanced courses in subsequent years can be understood within a broader petroleum engineering context. This course covers introductions to petroleum drilling, completions and production, reservoir mechanics, fundamentals of rock and fluid properties, composition and PVT properties of petroleum fluids; basic physical and chemical properties of petroleum reservoir fluids related to reservoir processes and production. It also provides an introduction to decision-making and the petroleum business environment.
Course learning outcomes
- Explain the basic procedures and role of all fundamental systems used in petroleum drilling
- Develop awareness of the multiple aspects of drilling operations and the challenge of analysing and synthesizing the numerous technical issues encountered during drilling
- Explain basic concepts of reservoir engineering, methods of oil production and technologies for oil recovery
- Define basic properties of reservoir rocks and fluids and methods for their calculation and measurement
- Analyse the key issues in the design and optimisation of petroleum production systems
- Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between risk and uncertainty by explaining the conceptual difference between them, describing their impact on decisions in the oil and gas industry and illustrating by examples
- Describe the main elements of any decision problem, identify the factors that make decisions "hard" and explain each of the -steps for evaluating "hard" decisions
- Apply a critical-thinking and problem-solving approach towards the principles of petroleum engineering
- Apply theoretical and practice skills in data analysis used for real petroleum engineering problems through case studies