Petroleum Geosciences

The certificate in petroleum geosciences program provides training in geology and geophysics for students preparing to enter the oil and gas industry.

This course provides an introduction to geology and an introduction to the petroleum geosciences. 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.

Objectives of Petroleum Geosciences

Petroleum Geosciences is the science about how we can find and extract oil and gas resources in the best environmental and financial way.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

• Recognise and describe minerals and sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks.
• Recognise and describe geological structures (faults and folds).
• Recognise and describe the elements and processes of a petroleum system.
• Work collaboratively in groups during laboratory sessions to determine solutions for practical acitivities related to the decsription of rocks, geological structures and petroleum systems.
• Explain and apply the use of seismic reflection data and wireline logging and other technologies in petroleum exploration.
• Explain the scope of the upstream petroleum industry.