Master of Petroleum Engineering M.Pet Eng
2008

Location:	North Terrace Campus
Duration:	1 year (full time)
Degree:	Masters by Coursework

Program Outline

Petroleum Engineers seek to recover oil and gas on a sustainable basis at minimum financial and environmental cost. Their tasks focus on extracting the maximum possible amounts of oil and gas from underground rock formations or reservoirs. This requires the practical application of exacting science, beginning with advanced mathematical modelling of the size and nature of the reservoir, optimum well locations to be drilled, the planned implementation of suitable surface facilities, and finally the prediction of liquid and gas flows during the recovery process. By way of example, the oil may need to be forced out of reservoir rocks by pumping water or gas under pressure into wells drilled for that purpose. Mechanical, hydraulic or chemical techniques are often required to fracture formations to induce higher flow rates. One of the current challenges is to produce petroleum from deepwater reservoirs, where the ocean depth may exceed 10,000 metres!

This program is aimed at individuals with both education and some experience in a technical area, who wish to advance their technical careers or convert to petroleum engineering. The petroleum exploration and production industry is very focused on practical learning and multidisciplinary teamwork. However, many technical professionals do not have a chance to receive more formal training in these areas. Typically, the industry develops these skills on an ad hoc basis, using on-the-job learning and/or sporadic internal short courses based on current and company-specific tools and practises. Engineers are, therefore, not often exposed to alternative methods in a more integrated learning environment, and involving comprehensive case histories.

This program addresses these issues by providing an integrated and focused learning environment for technical professionals who want to advance their careers in the upstream petroleum industry

Related Programs

• Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering

 

Admission Information

Admissions information for domestic and international students.

Study Plans

The study plans given are examples of pathways through this degree. For a complete description, see the program rules.

To qualify for the Master of Petroleum Engineering, students must satisfactorily complete 24 units of which a minimum of 16 units must be taken from the list of core courses. The remaining 8 units may be either core courses or electives. The specific list of courses to be undertaken by any student must be agreed by the Program Coordinator at the time of enrolment and will depend on the student’s prior experience and learning goals.

Core courses
Petrophysics (2 units) Reservoir Engineering (2 units) Production and Facilities Engineering (2 units) Economic Evaluation (2 units) Project Management (2 units) Reservoir Characterisation & Modelling (3 units) Integrated Reservoir Management (3 units) Drilling, Engineering and Well Completion (3 units) Integrated Field Development Planning and Economics Project (3 units) Reservoir Geology & Geophysics (2 units)
Elective courses
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty (3 units) Portfolio & Strategic Management (2 units) Oil and Gas Resources and Reserves (3 units) People and Organisational Skills Development (2 units) Reservoir Simulation (3 units) Structural Geology & Seismic Methods (3 units) Well Testing and Pressure Transient Analysis (3 units) Enhanced Oil Recovery (3 units) Gas Fields Optimisation (2 units) Project A (4 units) Project B (4 units)

Graduate Attributes

 

• Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised.

• The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner.

• An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems.

• Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication.

• A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies.

• A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life.

• A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community.

• An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.

Useful Links

• Engineering & Technology Program Information Leaflet
• Australian School of Petroleum
• Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences
• Postgraduate Scholarships
• Student Centre enquiry form

Program Rules

Faculty of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences