Oil and Gas Engineering MSc

Course overview

This comprehensive course has been designed and delivered in collaboration with highly experienced oil and gas professionals.

• This course aims to equip you with the advanced sector-specific knowledge and skills required to succeed in the competitive, ever-evolving energy industry.
• You will study the engineering theory, technology, systems and practice associated with the full oil and gas life cycle, examining upstream, midstream and downstream operations from exploration and production, right through to refining and marketing.
• Upon successful completion, this course will prepare you for a global career as a graduate engineer in the oil and gas industry, furnishing you with a solid foundation in fluid flow systems, oil and gas production engineering and process control, based on international environmental operational frameworks.
• You will have the option to apply for a ‘work placement’ opportunity², designed to further develop your skills and knowledge with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. See modules for more information.

Why you should study this course

• Encouraging advanced problem-solving skills, you will explore how to tackle complex engineering problems with shifting baselines and varying degrees of resources and information.
• You will be provided the opportunity to gain practical experience in a wide range of engineering and technology disciplines, and you should learn how to design appropriate components, systems or processes to improve the quality and functionality of equipment and plant within individual and complex environments.
• You could also further your understanding of the concepts surrounding corrosion, life cycle, mechanical principles, control, fluid flow and its combined importance in the continuation of an operational facility.
• Our currently extensive industry links can enable you to benefit from technical site visits² which have previously included the National Engineering Laboratory, as well as a range of expert guest lectures, such as the former Vice President of British Petroleum.
• You will have free access to sector-leading software (subject to availability) used by over 500 international oil and gas companies across the world, such as standard PETREL and ECLIPSE reservoir simulation software worth US$12.5million (donated by Schlumberger), Petex Integrated Product Modelling (IPM) software worth over £1million (donated by Petex), Weatherford’s PanSystem and WellFlo, Honeywell’s UniSims Design Suite, NSI Technologies’ StimPlan and IHS Kingdom GeoSyn.

Careers and opportunities

On successful completion, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of appropriate technology selection, process engagement and the relationship between engineering responses and project needs in an oil and gas engineering context.
• Appreciate relevant global constraints, such as health and safety, assessing the impact of current engineering forces and technological change upon the effectiveness and efficiency of equipment and plant within the oil and gas industry.
• Identify and provide innovative design solutions to complex oil and gas engineering problems.
• Implement appropriate engineering and design solutions relevant to materials, drilling, production, processing, fluid flow, control systems, instrumentation, durability and reliability in relation to real-world oil and gas engineering situations, and reservoir simulation.
• Conceptualise, devise and critically appraise detailed engineering and technological solutions to oil and gas problems utilising materials and processes available in a sustainable manner.
• Synthesise developments around new technologies, processes and advanced systems from a broad range of engineering disciplines and to adapt and apply them to oil and gas problems.
• Critically review engineering imperfections, preconditions and technical elements, evaluating engineering and technological solutions.
• Integrate a detailed and rational manufacturing, technological and IT perspective into a cross-functional system when faced with an oil and gas problem.

This course has been developed with industry experts, and is aimed at providing you with technical capability, alongside analytical and creative skills to have a successful career in the oil and gas industry.

Throughout the course, you could find yourself working on current oilfield and industry-based problems, providing you with the opportunity to gain additional skills and experience. The course aims to keep you up to date with current events and the latest, leading-edge industry innovations through opportunities to visit facilities and hear from leading industry figures². These visits are a great way to interact with oilfield experts and network with potential employers.

This master’s degree provides just one route into many possible careers with the global oil and gas industry, where demand for qualified staff is high. Roles may include engineers and drill crew, experienced geoscientists and exploration engineers, exploration and appraisal specialists, senior planners and contract managers, HSE advisors, subsea engineers, subsea filters and flow assurance engineers, operators, technicians, reservoir engineers and senior drilling engineers, as well as senior commercial roles, such as head of business development managers, country managers and sales managers.