PETROENG 1005 - Introduction to Petroleum Geosciences & the Oil Industry

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019

This course provides an introduction to geology (first half of the semester) and an introduction to the petroleum geosciences (second half of the semester). No prior knowledge in geology is assumed and the course starts from basic geological concepts (e.g. minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, rock deformation and geological time) then moves onto the petroleum system (e.g. source rocks, reservoir rocks, sealing rocks, maturation, migration and trapping of hydrocarbons) and finally introduces the tools used in petroleum exploration (seismic surveying, drilling and logging). Throughout the semester one lecture per week is also given by a guest speaker from different sectors of the petroleum industry in order to provide an overview of the petroleum industry. Theoretical concepts introduced during the lectures are applied during an overnight field trip, which provides a small group discovery experience as students work in small teams to make a geological map.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PETROENG 1005
    Course Introduction to Petroleum Geosciences & the Oil Industry
    Coordinating Unit Australian School of Petroleum & Energy Resources
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 5 hours per week, plus field trip
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Assumed Knowledge SACE stage 2 Maths Studies, Specialist Maths and Physics
    Course Description This course provides an introduction to geology (first half of the semester) and an introduction to the petroleum geosciences (second half of the semester). No prior knowledge in geology is assumed and the course starts from basic geological concepts (e.g. minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, rock deformation and geological time) then moves onto the petroleum system (e.g. source rocks, reservoir rocks, sealing rocks, maturation, migration and trapping of hydrocarbons) and finally introduces the tools used in petroleum exploration (seismic surveying, drilling and logging). Throughout the semester one lecture per week is also given by a guest speaker from different sectors of the petroleum industry in order to provide an overview of the petroleum industry. Theoretical concepts introduced during the lectures are applied during an overnight field trip, which provides a small group discovery experience as students work in small teams to make a geological map.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Simon Holford

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

     
    1 Recognise and describe minerals and sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks.
    2 Recognise and describe geological structures (faults and folds).
    3 Recognise and describe the elements and processes of a petroleum system.
    4 Work collaboratively in groups during laboratory sessions to determine solutions for practical acitivities related to the decsription of rocks, geological structures and petroleum systems.
    5 Explain and apply the use of seismic reflection data and wireline logging and other technologies in petroleum exploration.
    6 Explain the scope of the upstream petroleum industry.
    7 Apply knowledge of geology and petroleum systems to complete group and individual work during a field-based SGDE.

     
    The above course learning outcomes are aligned with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for the Professional Engineer.
    The course is designed to develop the following Elements of Competency: 1.1   1.2   1.3   1.4   1.5   1.6   2.1   2.2   2.3   2.4   3.1   3.2   3.3   3.4   3.5   3.6   

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1-5, 7
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1-7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1-7
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    4,6,7
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    4,6,7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    Hand lenses and compasses will be loaned (with a $50 deposit to be paid that will be repaid on return of the equipment at the end of the course) to students who do not own them for practical and field classes. Please bring pencils, coloured pencils, an eraser, a ruler and a calculator to all lectures and practical classes.

    Recommended Resources

    ‘Earth Portrait of a Planet’; 4th Edition
    By Stephen Marshak; published by W.W. Norton

    ‘Petroleum Geoscience’
    By Jon Gluyas and Richard Swarbrick; published by Blackwell

    Online Learning
    Lectures and practicals will be available on MyUni (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/)
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course provides an introduction to the specialist areas taught and researched at the Australian School of Petroleum. Weekly lectures are supported by problem-solving practical sessions, developing material covered in lectures. Weekly guest lectures provide an insight into different aspects of the petroleum industry. Finally, the course includes a field trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula. This field trip will include an overnight stay with no charge to students for food and accommodation. The geosciences are best learnt in the field and the camp will add greatly to your understanding of the subject. If attendance is impossible an alternative exercise will be provided for assessment. During the course, we hope to have fun, to welcome you to the school that will be your home for your petroleum engineering degree and to imbue you with our enthusiasm for analysing the earth’s subsurface and advancing the exploration for and development of petroleum accumulations.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    There are three lectures (50 minutes each) and one practical session (1 hour 40 mins) per week.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Schedule
    Lecture                                                                                                        Practical
    Week 1
    Minerals 

    Industry lecture - TBA

    Igneous Rocks


    Mineral Identification
    Week 2
    Igneous Rocks

    Sedimentary Rocks

    Industry lecture - TBA


    Igneous Rocks
    Week 3
    Metamorphic Rocks

    Weathering
     
    Industry lecture - TBA


    Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks
    Week 4
    Stratigraphy & Geological Time

    Earthquakes and Earthquake Damage

    Industry lecture - TBA


    Rock and Mineral Identification Quiz
    Week 5
    Earthquakes and the Earth’s Interior

    Deformation of Rocks

    Industry lecture - TBA


    Porosity Analysis
    Week 6
    Plate Tectonics
     
    Introduction to Petroleum Geology (Terms and Concepts)
     
    Industry lecture - TBA



    Geological Maps and Cross-Sections
    Week 7
    The Petroleum System & Chemistry of Petroleum
     
    Sedimentary basins
     
    Industry Lecture - TBA
    Week 8

    Hydrocarbon Traps

    Field camp preparation

    Industry lecture - TBA

    Fleurieu Peninsula Field Camp.
    Depart from University early Sat; overnight on Fleurieu Peninsula; return ~5pm Sun




    Hydrocarbon Traps
    Week 9
    Generation and Migration of Hydrocarbons
     
    Hydrocarbon Reservoir Rocks and Reservoir Properties I
     
    Industry lecture - TBA


    Field Camp Follow-Up Work
    Week 10
    Hydrocarbon Reservoir Rocks and Reservoir Properties II

    Seals & Traps

    Industry lecture - TBA



    Field Camp Follow-Up Work
    Week 11
    Seismic Reflection Surveying

    Drilling
     
    Industry lecture - TBA



    Seismic Interpretation and Mapping 1
    Week 12
    Logging

    Exploration Case Study:
    Cooper-Eromanga Basins

    Industry lecture - TBA


    Seismic Interpretation and Mapping 2
    Specific Course Requirements
    The course includes a weekend field trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula. This field trip will include an overnight stay with no charge to students for food and accommodation. We will leave from the University early on a Saturday and return around 5pm on Sunday. Students on the camp must stay overnight with the group at the designated camp. Please make any necessary arrangements for your work or sporting commitments such that you can attend this camp, once dates have been released. The geosciences are best learnt in the field and the camp will add greatly to your understanding of the subject. If attendance is impossible an alternative exercise will be provided for assessment. All students must complete and sign the ‘Field Trips & Excursions Acknowledgement Form’ which addresses OHS&W issues before they are allowed to take part in any field trip or excursion. Students under 18 years must have the form signed by a parent or legal guardian.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    The course includes a weekend field trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula during which students will work in small teams together with expert members of staff to develop geological maps at differing geographic scales.  These mapping exercises will demonstrate core aspects of outcrop geoscience and its relevance to subsurface petroleum industry applications.  Accompanying practical sessions will follow where students will develop their maps further before submitting them for assessment.  Students will also apply information captured alongside their maps to a petroleum industry style problem.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Weighting (%) Individual/ Group Formative/ Summative
    Due (week)*
    Hurdle criteria Learning outcomes
    Rock and Mineral ID Test 10 Individual Formative Weeks 2-12 Min 40% 1. 4.
    SGDE Field Trip assessment 20 Individual Formative / Summative Week 11 1. 2. 3. 4. 7.
    Assessed practical 10 Individual Formative / Summative Week 12 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 7.
    Final exam 60 Individual Formative Exam period 1. 2. 3. 5. 6.
    Total 100
    * The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.
     
    This assessment breakdown complies with the University's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.
     
    This course has a hurdle requirement. Meeting the specified hurdle criteria is a requirement for passing the course.
    Assessment Related Requirements
    You will be advised of the dates and times of practical tests through MyUni at least two weeks in advance of the date of the test.

    Alternative test dates for students who cannot be present on the date of the test on medical and compassionate grounds can be requested through the Course Coordinator.
    Assessment Detail
    The course will be assessed with a weighting of 40% on selected practical and field class reports and 60% based on the results of the final exam.
    Submission
    Submission of Work for Assessment
    Practical and field class exercises should be submitted in hardcopy with a completed copy of the assessment coversheet that is available from the school office. This should be signed to indicate you have read the above university policy statement on plagiarism, collusion and related forms of cheating.

    Extensions for Assessment Tasks
    Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a supplementary examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Co-ordinator before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time.

    Penalty for Late Submission of Assessment Tasks
    Assessment tasks must be submitted by the stated deadlines. There will be a penalty for late submission of assessment tasks. The submitted work will be marked ‘without prejudice’ and 10% of the obtained mark will be deducted for each working day (or part of a day) that an assessment task is late, up to a maximum penalty of 50% of the mark attained. An examiner may elect not to accept any assessment task that a student wants to submit after that task has been marked and feedback provided to the rest of the class.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    Provision of Feedback to Students
    Exercises will be returned to students within two weeks of their submission.

    Communication
    It is important that all students maintain active communication channels throughout the year. The primary communication channels to students in this course are as follows.

    MyUni: Students should regularly check the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/).

    Email: Each student should regularly check his or her University-provided email account (firstname.lastname@student.adelaide.edu.au) for information from members of the academic staff concerning course work matters and other announcements as they arise. Make sure you clean up your Inbox regularly as if it is full you will not receive our email! We will regard an email message being sent to your student email address or an announcement posted on the MyUni site as our having communicated with each member of the class. Not reading one’s University provided email or MyUni announcements will not be a valid excuse for missing important deadlines etc.
  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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