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Petroleum Training University: Petroleum Engineering School Degree Courses

If you are interested in getting a petroleum engineering degree or taking petroleum courses, you can attend one of several petroleum engineering schools or a petroleum university for hands-on training and a very specialized educational experience. Petroleum training programs prepare students for a rewarding career in the field of environmental engineering and other fields and trains them to solve complex engineering problems, understand the impact of engineering on a global and regional scale, and design systems and components that support sustainability, health and safety. Attending a petroleum university means a student can get both hands-on and classroom training in the field.

Attending a Petroleum University

Individuals interested in petroleum degrees need to attend an ABET-accredited program in petroleum engineering and complete several specialized petroleum courses and engineering requirements. Petroleum engineering schools and petroleum engineering universities enable students to do the following:

  • Understand the importance of ethical and social responsibility as applicable to the engineering field

  • Design systems, components and processes within certain restraints

  • Identify, formulate and solve different types of engineering problems

  • Apply advanced math, science and engineering knowledge to solve complex problems

  • Design and conduct various types of scientific and engineering experiments

  • Understand and review problems related to petroleum reservoir inefficiencies

  • Use modern engineering tools and applications for engineering practice

  • Learn about the effects of petroleum engineering as applicable to global, economic, environmental and social problems

Petroleum Training Programs

Petroleum training programs are available at both the undergraduate and graduate level at most petroleum schools in the United States, and some petroleum engineering schools also offer online or distance learning petroleum training programs. Students completing petroleum training programs learn how to seek out oil and gas reservoirs from various sites around the world, and develop efficient methods for extracting oil and gas. Petroleum engineers may also be trained in energy-efficiency and product development to create “green” products and eco-friendly processes. Some petroleum training programs provide students with hands-on training in the field, giving students a chance to work at drilling sites and create systems using advanced computer technology.

Petroleum training programs prepare students on the latest drilling methods and production operations, enhanced recovery methods, oil and computer-controlled drilling processes, and how to design efficient reservoir systems.

Types of Petroleum Courses

Every petroleum university and petroleum engineer degree program has different course and lab requirements, but most have very similar curriculums. Some of the most common petroleum courses required for a petroleum engineering degree include:

  • Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

  • Petroleum Drilling Systems

  • Reservoir Fluids

  • Reservoir Petrophysics

  • Formation Evaluation

  • Geostatistics

  • Petroleum Production Systems

  • Reservoir Description and Development

  • Advanced Drilling Engineering

  • Well Completion and Simulation

Students interested in taking petroleum courses at the undergraduate and graduate level at a petroleum university need to have strong math, communication and computer skills. Many petroleum courses require using advanced computer software and simulation programs, so students need to be very comfortable using computer-based tools and applications.

Getting a Petroleum Engineering Degree

Individuals interested in a career as a petroleum engineer need to complete at least a bachelor's petroleum engineering degree for entry-level positions. Students who already have a bachelor's degree in the field of geophysics, mining, mechanical engineering or general engineering may be able to take some specialized petroleum engineering courses to prepare for a master's degree in the field. Some companies have specialized training programs for new hire petroleum engineers, but these are not designed to replace an education completed at a petroleum university or petroleum schools.

Students interested in teaching or research need to complete a petroleum engineering degree at the master's or doctoral level. Some petroleum engineering degree programs also include a work experience or internship component so that students can get some hands-on experience in the field before graduation.

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits petroleum engineering degree programs at some schools and universities around the country.

Career Options with Petroleum Degrees

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of engineers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2018. High rates of employment growth are expected in the fields of engineering, research and development, and consulting service industries, and overall job prospects are expected to be good.

Petroleum engineers in particular are expected to have employment growth of 18 percent through 2018. As of May 2008, the median annual wage of petroleum engineers was $108,020. Starting salaries for engineers with petroleum engineering degrees are the highest among all types of engineers. In May 2008, starting salaries in this field were $83,121.


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Petroleum Training University: Petroleum Engineering School Degree Courses

 

 

 

 
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