Course profile
The 50 week course is divided into three stages, Semester 1 and 2, from October to April, comprises lectures and assessed practical / research projects and from May to September students carry out an independent research project.
The emphasis is on teaching practical aspects of petroleum geoloscience such as seismic interpretation, well-log analysis, reservoir geology and basin analysis, in addition to the more theoretical aspects of petroleum geology, such as organic geochemistry, sedimentology, stratigraphy and structural geology.
Aspects of the practical applications are taught by practising professional geologists from the petroleum industry. Fieldwork studies are an important component of the course. Attendance at appropriate conferences and workshops is encouraged.
Semester 1: starts with introductory courses on the fundamentals of petroleum geoscience, geochemistry, reservoir sedimentology, petrophysics and operations and wellsite geology. Part of this course is taught by BP.
Semester 2: provides specialist options with courses in seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation, basin analysis and applied sequence stratigraphy, reservoir characterisation, petroleum technology, prospect evaluation, risk assessment and petroleum economics. A group project runs during this period to develop research, management and presentation skills.
From April until August students undertake an Independent Research Project. Students can specialise during this period. Many students will take the opportunity for industrial placement to complete a project using data provided by a sponsor oil company. The results are presented as a poster, a written dissertation and orally to a group of invited guests from the oil industry at the end of the year.
Emphasis on Fieldwork
A key element of the course is fieldwork, which aims to synthesise and reinforce material taught in lectures and practical classes. The fieldwork programme consists of three field courses, which normally includes one overseas course, currently to Mallorca.
The field courses concentrate on the analysis of petroleum systems, reservoir, source and seal distribution, and structural geology.
They also provide the opportunity to learn relevant field techniques, and to compare field analogues with core, wireline logs and seismic sections.
Main Learning Outcomes
The Petroleum Geoscience MSc covers the broad range of specialist subject area in exploration and production geoscience, including reservoir sedimentology, geophysics, geochemistry, petroleum economics. The course is constantly being updated and modified to adapt to changes in technology or advances in the science.
The main objectives of the course are as follows:
- Develop an understanding of the oil industry, the exploration, development, production and economic aspects
- To be aware of current developments in the exploration and production business, both in the UK and internationally
- To develop an understanding of petroleum systems active within a basin and their analysis
- To provide essential knowledge and expertise of the main petroleum geoscience subject areas (e.g. reservoir characterisation, geophysical imaging and interpretation, geochemistry, wellsite and operations geology, formation evaluation, petroleum economics, risk analysis, reservoir engineering, etc.). The integration of these specialist subject areas to provide a complete interpretation is emphasised on the course.
- To gain ability to analyse typical oilfield data, such as detailed sedimentological analysis of outcrop, cuttings, core, sidewall core and wireline log data integrated with formation fluid and pressure analysis
- To provide access to a range of industry standard software and allow students to become familiar with their use. Software such as: Schlumberger' Geoframe, IESX and Charisma 2D and 3D Seismic packages, Eclipse, Voxel Geo, BasinMod ', Logicom REP
To develop key skills in:
- Geophysics, including seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation, gravity and magnetics
- Petrophysics, wireline log interpretation and integrated formation analysis
- Geochemistry, data acquisition and analysis
- Reservoir characterisation, quality and performance prediction
- Basin Modelling
- Biostratigraphic data acquisition and analysis
- Stratigraphic concepts
- Play Fairway Analysis
- Identifying and assessing leads and prospects, including risk analysis exploration prospects and constructing basin analysis
- Calculating reserves using deterministic and Monte Carlo methods
- Petroleum economics, the value of exploration and integration with risk assessment
- Understanding available petroleum technology
- Reservoir engineering, geological analysis of available fluid and rock data
Transferable Skills
- Ability to work in groups, effectively manage projects.
- Effective time management
- Presentation Skills
- Technical writing skills, both short industry executive summaries and reports and longer research dissertations
- Presentation Skills
- Computing Skills
Duration and Assessment
The MSc course runs for 50 weeks, from October until September. The course may be taken part time over two or three years, for further details please contact the Admissions Tutor.
It is divided into three modules, two taught modules, and a final research project. This is marked on scientific merit, presentation quality and overall project management.
Assessment of the candidates is based on three separate considerations:
- Examinations (approximately 50% of the final marks). All candidates take examinations in January and April on the subjects covered during the Taught Modules.
- Course Work (approximately 25% of the final marks). Assessed practical coursework and assignments are carried out during the year
- Final Project (approximately 25% of the final marks). The written dissertation, poster and the oral presentation are assessed.
Candidates achieving an overall mark of 70% and above in all components of the course will be considered for the award of a Master of Science Degree with Distinction.
Quality Assurance of Teaching and Research Supervision
Standards of teaching of the coursework units and of research project supervision are monitored through vigorous quality assurance mechanisms in accordance with the University Teaching Standards Code of Practice and in conjunction with the Graduate School. This includes seeking and considering the views of students on the quality of teaching and research project supervision. The Department of Earth Sciences (now the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences) was graded Excellent in the last (1996) Teaching Quality Assessment.
Research link to Teaching
The MSc is part of the active environment within the Petroleum Geoscience Centre. Research is being carried out on a number of area sponsored by international oil companies, including: Amerada Hess, Anadarko, BG, BP, Burlington, ConocoPhillips, Repsol, Edison Gas, Norsk Hydro, Woodside Petroleum. PhD and postdoctoral researchers regularly give seminars and there is a close interaction with the MSc class, providing a stimulating atmosphere to work in.
Employment Prospects
The oil industry is the largest employer of Earth Science graduates, with good employment prospects in the United Kingdom and overseas in oil companies, consultancies, service companies, government bodies, the financial sector, and in teaching and research. During the research project students normally have the opportunity to work within sponsor oil company offices, gaining valuable industrial experience. The MSc course has a very strong track record for employability.
