Bachelor of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering

Overview

The B.E. in Petroleum Engineering at LAU has been designed to equip students with the fundamental skills required to achieve lifelong professional growth in the field of petroleum engineering. The program covers the areas of well exploration and evaluation, well drilling and production phase, process engineering and life cycle management of wells, and the economics of petroleum and its regulations. The program provides a special emphasis on natural gas which is the most dominant type of hydrocarbon fuel in Lebanon.

Courses are structured to combine a sound theoretical foundation, experimentation, engineering judgment, application to case studies, and engineering design. Computer simulation and computer controls are highly emphasized through the curriculum. Students will be able to integrate professional, ethical, and environmental considerations into petroleum engineering design and problem solving and develop the ability to communicate engineering results effectively.

Mission

The mission of the B.E. in Petroleum Engineering is to provide a quality education in petroleum engineering that combines theory and practice for undergraduate students and to satisfy industry demand for graduates with special education in the oil and gas industries, while helping graduates enter the market force or pursue further education at the graduate level.

Vision

The vision of the program is to prepare graduates to be technically competent, talented, creative, and ethically responsible engineers who are effective professionals in today’s work environment. Staying abreast of the latest technical software enables them to enrich their lives and make valuable contributions to their communities.

Program Objectives

Within a few years of graduation, graduates of the B.E. in Petroleum Engineering will:

achieve success in their chosen career path be it professional practice or graduate studies,
be responsible citizen engineers, and
practice the profession as demonstrated by continued professional employment, job promotion, and expanding career responsibility.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the B.E. in Petroleum Engineering, students will acquire the following skills, knowledge, and behaviors:

an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering,
an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data,
an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability,
an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams,
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems,
an understanding of one’s professional and ethical responsibility,
an ability to communicate effectively,
a broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and social context,
a recognition of the need for and the ability to engage in lifelong learning,
a knowledge of contemporary issues, and
an ability to use the techniques, skills, and the modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

Admission Requirements

Candidates for admission may apply to either of the two campuses (Beirut or Byblos) by sending an application to the campus they choose to join. Applicants may apply to LAU as regular or special, sophomore or transfer students. Applications are accepted within the set deadlines and students can join at the start of any semester (fall, spring or summer).

Application forms are available at the Admissions Offices or on the LAU website (www.lau.edu.lb under the “Admissions Office” link), or can be mailed to applicants upon request. Applicants will be evaluated by the School of Engineering Admissions Council and final acceptance will be based on each applicant’s qualifications and the availability of places.

Curriculum

The total number of credits required for graduation is 150 credits, distributed as follows:

Petroleum Engineering Major Requirements (80 credits)
Math and Science Requirements (18 credits)
General Engineering Requirements (34 credits)
LAC Requirements (18 credits)

These include:

Six Technical Elective courses,
Eight courses with a separate industry standard software laboratory or physical laboratory sessions,
Elective Track courses for emphasis depending on student’s interests and current market needs,
Software and Physical Laboratory to enhance the learning the learning experience and improve employment opportunity, and
A minimum residency of four years, including three summer terms.

Petroleum Engineering Required Courses (80 credits)

PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE310 Transport Processes Through Porous Media (3 cr.)
PTE320 Reservoir Petrophysics (3 cr.)
PTE321 Petroleum Engineering - LAB (1 cr.)
PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE330 Well Drilling (3 cr.)
PTE331 Drilling Fluids - LAB (1 cr.)
PTE340 Financial Management of Engineered Assets (3 cr.)
PTE431 Fundamentals of Well Test Analysis (3 cr.)
PTE432 Well Logging and Formation Evaluation (3 cr.)
PTE441 Petroleum Leasing Regulations & Practices (3 cr.)
PTE450 Introduction to Process Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE451 Petroleum Production Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE452 Petroleum Production - LAB (1 cr.)
PTE460 Natural Gas Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE461 Natural Gas - LAB (1 cr.)
PTE470 Petroleum Engineering Design (3 cr.)
PTE471 The Petroleum Engineering Profession (2 cr.)
PTE472 Modeling & Computer Applications (3 cr.)
PTE498 Professional Experience (6 cr.)
PTE543 Life Cycle & Risk Management (3 cr.)
PTE573 Detailing for Petroleum Engineers (2 cr.)
PTE601 Capstone Design Project (3 cr.)
Technical Elective Courses (18cr) ¹

¹ Technical Elective Courses (18 credits)

PTE510 Structural Engineering of Offshore Platforms (3 cr.)
PTE511 Fundamentals of Subsurface Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE512 Fixed Offshore Structures (3 cr.)
PTE513 Piping Systems (3 cr.)
PTE514 Offshore Development Practices (3 cr.)
PTE515 Thermal Recovery (3 cr.)
PTE516 Process Control & Instrumentation (3 cr.)
PTE517 Industrial Process Management (3 cr.)
PTE523 Advanced Reservoir Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE524 Reservoir Simulation (3 cr.)
PTE533 Advanced Drilling Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE534 Advanced Well Test Analysis (3 cr.)
PTE544 Petroleum Project Evaluation (3 cr.)
PTE545 Energy Finance (3 cr.)
PTE553 Advanced Production Mechanics (3 cr.)
PTE563 Unconventional Oil Exploitation (3 cr.)
PTE564 Unconventional Gas Exploitation (3 cr.)
PTE565 Water Flooding & Enhanced Oil Recovery (3 cr.)
PTE574 Artificial Lift Design (3 cr.)
PTE594 Undergraduate Research Project (3cr.)
PTE599 Directed Studies in Petroleum Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE600 Topics (3 cr.)
or any other Technical Elective course approved by the Program Steering Committee.

Note that all Technical Electives courses require at least senior standing in addition to their relevant prerequisites.

Mathematics and Science Requirements (18 credits)

CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr.)
GNE331 Probability & Statistics (3 cr.)
MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr.)
MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr.)
MTH304 Differential Equations (3 cr.)
MEE241 Dynamics (3 cr.)

General Engineering Requirements (34 credits)

CIE200 Statics (3 cr.)
CIE202 Mechanics of Materials (3 cr.)
CIE302 Structural Analysis I (3 cr.)
CIE303 Structural Analysis I - SOFT (1 cr.)
CIE320 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr.)
CIE321 Fluid Mechanics-LAB (1 cr.)
COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr.)
GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr.)
GNE303 Engineering Ethics (2 cr.)
INE320 Engineering Economy (3 cr.)
MEE301 Thermodynamics (3 cr.)
PTE204 Geology for Petroleum Engineers (3 cr.)
SOE Signature Course 1/2 (3cr.)
SOE Signature Course 2/2 (3cr.)

LAC Requirements (18 credits)

Core Courses (6 credits)

ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)
COM203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 cr.)

Elective Courses (12 credits)

One course in social sciences (3 cr.)
One course in cultural studies, philosophy, religion, or history (3 cr.)
One course in literature and languages (English and Arabic language & literature) (3 cr.)
One course in arts (fine arts, communication arts, music appreciation, and theater) (3 cr.)

Sample Study Plan

First year

Fall (16 credits)

MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr.)
CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr.)
CIE200 Statics (3 cr.)
PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering (3 cr.)
COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr.)
ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

CIE202 Mechanics of Materials (3 cr.)
MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr.)
MEE241 Dynamics (3 cr.)
PTE204 Geology for Petroleum Engineers (3 cr.)
LAC Elective (3 cr.)

Summer (9 credits)

MTH304 Differential Equations (3 cr.)
LAC Elective (3 cr.)
LAC Elective (3 cr.)

Second Year

Fall (17 credits)

CIE302 Structural Analysis I (3 cr.)
CIE303 Structural Analysis - SOFT (1 cr.)
MEE301 Thermodynamics (3 cr.)
PTE320 Reservoir Petrophysics (3 cr.)
PTE321 Petroleum Engineering Lab (1 cr.)
INE320 Engineering Economy (3 cr.)
GNE331 Probability & Statistics (3 cr.)

Spring (17 credits)

CIE320 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr.)
CIE321 Fluid mechanics Lab (1 cr.)
PTE310 Transport Processes Through Porous Media (3 cr.)
PTE322 Fundamental of Reservoir Engineering (3 cr.)
PTE330 Well Drilling (3 cr.)
PTE331 Drilling Fluids - LAB (1 cr.)
PTE340 Financial Management of Engineered Assets (3 cr.)

Summer (8 credits)

GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr.)
COM203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 cr.)
LAC Elective (3 cr.)

Third year