Petroleum Production Engineering MSc

Despite great efforts to develop alternative and renewable energies, petroleum demand continues to rise and will remain a substantial feedstock for transportation and the chemicals industry. However, depletion of conventional reserves means the increased demand can only be met by co-producing unconventional reserves/resources and by implementing enhanced production methods.

Our Masters degree in Petroleum Production Engineering provides you with the advanced knowledge and skills to pursue a successful career in petroleum production. You will study core modules covering the fundamental science and engineering topics related to petroleum production, in addition to selecting from a range of optional modules which allows you to tailor your specialisation in Petroleum Production Engineering.

Your MSc degree will be taught through a series of lectures, seminars, tutorials and applied practicals, enabling you to become proficient in Petroleum Production Engineering practice. As part of our drilling and production modules you will learn through doing, working in teams to execute different drilling and production strategies. Your learning experience will be enhanced by our virtual reality training environment, engaging with industry experts who deliver seminars on current industry challenges, guest lectures from our alumni members discussing life in industry, and visits to production facilities across the UK.

You will undertake a research project with a petroleum engineering academic. Typical projects have included smart water for enhanced oil recovery, asphaltene dispersancy and deposit removal, characterizing permeability and porosity of shale and tight sandstone, and hybrid surfaces for corrosion inhibition. You will be able to choose from a wide range of research topics or alternatively propose your own research topic relating to a challenge in petroleum production.

At Leeds you will be a valued member of our petroleum engineering community and receive membership to our petroleum engineering society. You will be given the freedom and resources to develop both technically and professionally, preparing you for a rewarding career in the petroleum industry.

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Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Energy Institute (EI) under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council, which adheres to the requirements of further learning for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

The six core modules (equivalent to 105 credits) provide both fundamental and applied skills training in industry-relevant Petroleum Production Engineering topics.

The research project is 60 credits and begins in semester 2 and is the only credit bearing module to run in semester 3. All taught courses are completed and examined by the end of semester 2. Assessment is via a range of methods and may include individual or group presentations, in-class tests, written reports, calculation-based problems, drill sim demonstrations and final examinations.

You also have the opportunity to select one of our optional modules (worth 15 credits). These optional modules allow you to tailor your specialization in either downstream or upstream petroleum production engineering.

The course is delivered by several academics who have extensive research and practical experience in Petroleum Production Engineering. These academics will become your mentor and help you develop professionally through our weekly academic tutorial programme and petroleum lunch club.

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Petroleum Production Engineering module descriptions for more details on what you could study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Petroleum Production Engineering MSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our learning and teaching facilities have recently been upgraded following significant investment in the School. All of our lectures are video/audio captured and posted on our virtual learning environment, Minerva. We also post bite-sized technical videos, all course notes, additional learning materials, and all assignments, enabling you to develop your learning at your own pace.

In the School of Chemical and Process Engineering we have DrillSIM 20, a two-console based drilling and well control simulator with touchscreen student station. You will have plenty of access time to our drilling simulator allowing you to develop those key practical skills which can only be learnt by running through different drilling scenarios. Drill sim training is a key aspect of you becoming a certified drilling engineer.

A typical workload on the Petroleum Production Engineering degree includes approximately 30-40% contact time with academics and the remaining time split between practicals, group activities, assignments, self-study and examination preparation. You will have access to our 24/7 computer cluster, private study and group activity zones. All software required for you to complete your degree is provided on the university network.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:2 (hons) in chemical engineering or a related engineering or science discipline.

Applicants must have strong marks across a breadth of relevant modules, including mathematics and physical sciences.

Relevant professional qualifications and experience may also be considered.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Engineering (10 weeks). 

We are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

31 July 2021 – International applicants

10 September 2021 – UK applicants

Apply

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

The UK Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) operates a scheme called the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). If you are an international (non-EU/EEA or Swiss citizen) applicant and require a student visa to study in the UK then you will need an ATAS certificate to study this course at the University of Leeds.

To apply for an ATAS certificate online, you will need your programme details and the relevant Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code and descriptor. For this course, the CAH code is: CAH10-01-09 and the descriptor is Chemical, Process and Energy Engineering.

More information and details on how to apply for your ATAS certificate can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academic-technology-approval-scheme.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2022

Fees

• UK: £11,250 (total)
• International: £24,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are available.

With a Masters degree in Petroleum Production Engineering, you could expect to pursue a successful career in the oil and gas industries. This includes a wide range of areas such as field engineering, production drilling engineering, pipeline and transportation logistics, refinery operations and management, refinery control and optimisation, and sales and marketing.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

You’ll have access to the wide range of careers resources and support from your Careers Service. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations, book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops and webinars.

Our annual STEM Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

Find out more about the range of services we offer on the Careers Service website and visit MyCareer.leeds.ac.uk once you have registered as a student to access one to one support, events and job vacancies.

The research project allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.

Examples of project topics include:

• Enhancement of mechanical strength and corrosion inhibition in oil pipelines

• Reducing oil pipeline scaling using nano-particle seeding agents

• Monitoring pipeline flows using electrical resistance tomography (ERT)

• The application of nano-technology in enhancing oil recovery

• Application of polymer-based nano-particles in absorbing and controlling oil spillages

• Tribo-electrostatic beneficiation of oil shale using a powder dispersal system

A proportion of research projects are formally linked to industry, and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer.