Petroleum Engineering Courses

PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Overview of petroleum industry and petroleum engineering including elementary and technical aspects, surveys, acquisition of leases, oil and gas reservoirs, petroleum exploration and drilling, formation evaluation, completion and production, reservoir mechanics, and improved oil recovery.

Pre-requisite: Sophomore standing.

PTE204 Geology for Petroleum Engineers

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Basic stratigraphic principles and geologic time scale.  Description and classification of rock forming minerals.  Earth surface processes, weathering, sediments, transport and deposition of sediments, depositional environments, diagenesis.  Sedimentary rocks (with emphasis on shales, sandstones, and carbonates), igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, rock cycle. Origin and structure of the planet earth, plate tectonics theory, earth stresses, faults and fractures, folds, pressure and temperature gradients in earth. Formation of sedimentary basins. Petroleum system.

PTE310 Transport Processes Through Porous Media

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Laboratory study of fluid flow through porous media as related to the reservoir system; introduction to transport processes; properties of porous/fluid-saturated rocks; capillarity effects; single-phase and multiphase flow through porous media; diffusion and dispersion, miscible displacement, heat transfer; fluid flow in permeable reservoir rocks as applied to subsurface engineering problems.

Prerequisite: PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering, MTH206 Calculus IV, MTH304 Differential Equations and MEE241 Dynamics.

PTE320 Reservoir Petrophysics

[3–0, 3 cr.]

The geological and petro physical properties of oil and gas reservoir rocks including lithology, porosity, effective permeability, relative permeability, capillarity, compressibility, fluid saturations, rock stress and rock-fluid interactions, compressive and tensile strength, mechanical properties of rocks; review of lab test procedures to determine fluid properties and deduce fluid classification. The discussion of equations of states. 

Pre-requisite: PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering and CHM205 Chemical Principles.

PTE321 Petroleum Engineering - Lab

[1–3, 1 cr.]

Laboratory studies to identify the various minerals and rock types based on their physical and optical properties; experiments conducted to determine porosity, gas and liquid absolute and relative permeability, fluid saturations, hydrocarbon gravities & viscosities of fluids. Laboratory reports are required. 

Prerequisite: PTE204 Geology for Petroleum Engineers.
Co-requisite: PTE320 Reservoir Petrophysics.

PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Classification of subsurface reservoirs by type and recovery mechanism; analysis and prediction of reservoir performance by use of volumetric and material balance and state flow equations, influx theory, application of principles of reservoir analysis and modeling concepts to the determination of reservoir behavior and education; reserve estimates; introduction to displacement processes. 

Prerequisites: PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering, PTE320 Reservoir Petrophysics and MEE301 Thermodynamics.

PTE330 Well Drilling

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Introduction to drilling systems; equipment functions, performance, and design considerations of rotating system, hoisting system, and circulation system; drilling fluids calculations and selections; directional drilling; hydraulic programs; drilling optimization; casing string design; cementing techniques; well planning and control; drilling hydraulics; formulation evaluation and well completion; well deliverability; artificial lift; and drilling problems. 

 Prerequisites: PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering and CIE204 Geology for Engineers.

PTE331 Drilling Fluids – Lab

[0–3, 1 cr.]

Drilling fluids: functions, types, properties, testing and controls; mud characteristics: lime muds and polymer muds, determination and measurement; clay hydration; effects of various additives on mud properties; filtration, thinning agents, rheological models, and liquid and solid determination. Fracturing fluid rheology and proppant characterization. Laboratory reports are required. 

Co-requisite: PTE330 Well Drilling.

PTE340 Financial Management for Engineered Assets

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Financial management principles, time value of money, discrete assets considerations, continuous assets considerations, identification of cost elements, cost prediction methods, regulatory economics, financial case development, engineered asset repair-replace decision making.

Prerequisite: INE320 Engineering Economy and GNE331 Probability and Statistics.

PTE431 Fundamentals of Well Test Analysis

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Well test design and interpretation; analysis methods for pressure drawdown, buildup, and interference tests; principle of superposition and its application in well test analysis; average reservoir pressure estimation; effect of well bore conditions on pressure behavior; an introduction to drill stem testing and gas well testing.

Prerequisite: PTE330 Well Drilling.

PTE432 Well Logging and Formation Evaluation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Petrophysics and modern well-logging methods; physical, geometric and mechanical properties of porous media; interpretation of data from open hole logging tools; operating theories, log presentations, computation methods for basic reservoir properties, and the use of practical log examples and methods; fluid saturations, chemical composition of the saturating fluids; application of the results in formulation and reservoir evaluation.

Prerequisite: PTE330 Well Drilling.

PTE441 Petroleum Leasing Regulations and Practices

[3–0, 3 cr.]

 Domestic and worldwide regulations associated with petroleum leasing, including offshore areas, and environmental provisions concerning petroleum exploration and production.

Prerequisite: PTE340 Financial Management for Engineering Assets.

PTE450 Introduction to Process Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

 Introduction to the core technical skills and professional responsibilities common to all process engineering and operations; understanding and quantifying: process flows and diagrams, process thermodynamics, chemical process reactions, process mass transfer, heat transfer and fluid flow; operations safety, economic effectiveness and social responsibility.

Prerequisite: MEE301 Thermodynamics and CIE320 Fluid Mechanics.

PTE451 Petroleum Production Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Analysis, specification, and characteristics of production systems, design of well flow systems, types and characteristics of well completions, perforating, well bore damage and simulation, combined inflow and well performance analysis, artificial lift systems, and related production problems, oil well pumping, gas lift, surface facilities and flow measurement, well stimulation design methods, work over and recompletion analysis, design of surface separation and treating facilities.

Prerequisite: PTE330 Well Drilling.

PTE452 Petroleum Production - LAB

[0–3, 1 cr.]

Software application for well performance and optimization including: reservoir inflow performance models (IPR), vertical lift curves (VLP), hydraulic fracturing; wells modelling; artificial lift systems design; sensitivity studies. Laboratory reports are required. 

 Co-requisite: PTE451 Petroleum Production Engineering.

PTE460 Natural Gas Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Analysis of four-point gas deliverability tests and gas well pressure transient tests, methods for determining wet gas and condensate reserves in volumetric and water drive reservoirs, gas inflow performance equations and methods of forecasting future production rates, essential surface facilities and methods for handling sour gas and hydrates. 

Prerequisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE461 Natural Gas – Lab

[0–3, 1 cr.]

Fundamental measurement and analysis techniques for properties of gas and natural gas including measurement of specific gravity, BTU content, molecular composition, and water content, systems for metering of flow rates and measurement of gas characteristics.  Laboratory reports are required.

Co-requisite: PTE460 Natural Gas Engineering.

PTE470 Petroleum Engineering Design

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Design and selection of mechanical components used in the production of fluids from subsurface reservoirs.

Prerequisite: PTE330 Well Drilling, CIE302 Structural Analysis and CIE303 Structural Analysis - SOFT.

PTE471 The Petroleum Engineering Profession

[2–0, 2 cr.]

Introduction to the history and heritage of petroleum engineering; specialized sub disciplines; professionalism and professional registration and societies; continuing education; impact of historical and contemporary issues on the identification, formulation, and solution of engineering problems , impact of engineering solutions on the economy, environment, political landscape, and society. The course involves teamwork researching topics related to the impact of contemporary engineering solutions.

Pre-requisite: Fourth-year standing.

PTE472 Modelling and Computer Applications

[2–3, 3 cr.]

Fundamentals of reservoir engineering modeling. Simulation of reservoir characteristics and behavior, pore volume, fluid distribution and movement, and recovery; result analysis; reservoir analytical models; numerical approximations and applications.

Prerequisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE498 Professional Experience

[0–6, 6 cr.]

This course covers professional experience through training in the execution of real-life engineering projects.

Prerequisites: Fifth-year standing, PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering, PTE330 Well Drilling, PTE451 Petroleum Production Engineering and GNE 301 Professional Communication.

PTE499 Capstone Design Project

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Multi-disciplinary approach to integration of Petroleum Engineering concepts to project designs via formal proposal, report, and presentation by student/student teams. 

Prerequisite: Sixth-year standing PTE472 Modelling and Computer Applications, PTE330 Well Drilling, PTE451 Petroleum Production Engineering, GNE301 Professional Communication and COM203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication.

PTE510 Structural Engineering of Offshore Platforms

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Ocean engineering structures; structural dynamics and finite element analysis related to offshore structures; structural analysis of lumped mass systems, continuous systems, and systems subjected to random vibrations; modeling of linear systems such as simple offshore platforms and underwater arrays.

Prerequisites CIE302 Structural Analysis I and PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering.

PTE511 Fundamentals of Subsurface Environmental Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Development of equations for simultaneous flow of three fluids (air, water, and one other phase); characterization of contaminated sites, physical and chemical processes, overview of remediation technologies; applications to the unsaturated and saturated zones, contamination of groundwater by nonaqueous phase liquids.

PTE512 Fixed Offshore Structures

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Types of offshore structures, and advantages and disadvantages; components comprising fixed offshore structures; loadings on fixed offshore structures; design of fixed offshore structures; linear and non-linear analysis of fixed offshore structures.

Pre-requisites: CIE302 Structural Analysis I and PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering.

PTE513 Piping Systems

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Importance of piping systems in offshore structures and onshore plants; static behavior and associated failure modes; dynamic behavior and associated failure modes; guidelines for the provision of ductility; design codes; corresponding design software; simplified analysis procedures; advanced analysis.

Pre-requisites: CIE302 Structural Analysis I and PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering.

PTE514 Offshore Development Practices

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Includes spacing and field development problems for optimum economic production of offshore reserves.

Prerequisites: CIE302 Structural Analysis I and PTE200 Introduction to Petroleum Engineering.

PTE515 Thermal Recovery

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Thermal recovery processes are mainly steam-based and can be divided into two main categories: displacement or drive processes and stimulation processes. Will cover steam displacement processes (steam-flooding, steam-assisted gravity drainage), cyclic steam stimulation, in situ combustion, and briefly mention hot water flooding.  It will also cover properties of fluid and rock, wellbore heat losses, and a selection of thermal processes. 

Prerequisite: Fifth-year standing and consent of instructor.

PTE516 Process Control and Instrumentation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Key elements of process control and operations; quantifying the process benefit from improved process control; understanding and quantifying process dynamics and process control systems; process measurement and instrumentation; the role of process control in the safe operation and management of processes; control systems design; total quality control; safety systems and disturbance management.

PTE517 Industrial Process Management

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Key elements of industrial process management and operations; effective organization and management of human resources as applied within the process industries; effective management of risk and associated safety systems; effective selection and management of improvement projects; organizational and risk management; plant process management; project selection, financing and management.

PTE518 Offshore Technologies and Corresponding Piping Systems

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Understanding of sea waves and their effect on offshore platforms. Study of subsea conditions and surfaces. Types of offshore structures. Situation analysis necessary for choosing the appropriate offshore structure. Economic study for each type of structure. Introduction to design of each structure. Pipelines used in subsea conditions. Characteristic of each type of pipes.

Prerequisites: Fifth-year standing and consent of Instructor.

PTE523 Advanced Reservoir Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Capillary pressures, vertical distribution of gas, oil and water saturations, relative permeability and fractional flow relationships, Buckley-Leverett equation and liner displacement efficiency of gas and water drives, areal and vertical sweep.

Pre-requisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE524 Reservoir Simulation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

 Reservoir simulation for petroleum reservoir characteristics and behavior, pore volume, fluid distribution and movement, and recover; result simulation studies of optimized field development and management plans which maximize the value and/or reserves of producing properties; governing equations for development of several analytical models for reservoir evaluation and analysis; finite difference approximations to the diffusivity equation and the application of those approximations for reservoir simulations; application to common reservoir engineering problems.

 Pre-requisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE533 Advanced Drilling Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

 Recent advances and changes in drilling techniques including directional drilling and deviation control, design aspects of horizontal and multilateral well drilling, measurement while drilling, drill-string mechanics, bottom hole assembly design, tubular stability, drag and torque problems.

Pre-requisite: PTE330 Well Drilling.

PTE534 Advanced Well Test Analysis

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Well test objectives and concepts; pressure transient analysis; analytical techniques employed to solve complex well test problems; pressure derivative analysis; production time effects on buildup analysis; pressure transient analysis for fractured wells; layered reservoir testing; fluid flow equations and fundamental solutions; analytical solutions and their approximations; classical methods for drawdown and build-up analysis; bounded reservoirs; gas well testing, interference and pulse testing, test design; practical methods. 

Prerequisite: PTE431 Fundamentals of Well Test Analysis.

PTE543 Life Cycle and Risk Management

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Framework, context and history of asset management, strategic management and engineered asset management in context. Application/adaptation of basic tools, costs and benefits of life cycle management, available models and standards. Possible uses of models business drivers, legal requirements, quality systems and configuration and documentation management, interfaces with other functions (departments and organizations).

 Prerequisite: PTE340 Financial Management of Engineered Assets.

PTE544 Petroleum Project Evaluation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Petroleum project evaluation from the standpoint of the underlying land ownership and contract obligations; conformance to regulations, designation of reserve types and estimation of the future production performance, cost estimating and price forecasting, cash flow analysis with consideration to the time value of money, oil and gas accounting methods and economic sensitivity and risk factors.

Prerequisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE545 Energy Finance

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Fundamentals of finance as applied to the petroleum industry, including petroleum project financing techniques, investigating sources of capital, and methods used to evaluate an oil company’s financial performance.

Prerequisite: INE320 Engineering Economy.

PTE546 Corrosion Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Pre-requisite: Fifth year standing

PTE553 Advanced Production Mechanics

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Concepts of reservoir engineering from an advanced point of view as applied to forecasting the performance of oil and/or gas reservoirs; combined driving mechanisms; applications to practical problems encountered during performance by primary means.

PTE563 Unconventional Oil Exploitation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Description and analysis of heavy oil geology and heavy oil recovery technologies; discussion of heavy oil production mechanisms and methods, recovery process design, transportation, facilities, marketing, economics, and environmental issues.

Prerequisite: 5th year standing and consent of Instructor.

PTE564 Unconventional Gas Exploitation

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Overview of unconventional gas resources (tight gas sands, coal bed methane, shale gas and natural gas hydrates); geological aspects, reservoir characterization; drilling, completion and stimulation methods; appraisal and well testing; facilities and production, transportation and marketing; economics and cost drivers; environmental and regulatory issues.

Prerequisite: 5th year standing and consent of Instructor.

PTE565 Water Flooding and Enhanced Oil Recovery

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Study of the immiscible displacement of oil by water in reservoir systems; review of viscous and gravity forces; relative permeability effects; fluid mobility effects and sweep efficiencies; basic displacement and prediction methods; water flood design methods; enhanced oil recovery methods and applications: chemical, miscible, and thermal methods.

Prerequisite: PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE566 Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Overview of unconventional oil (heavy oil, oil shale) and gas resources (tight gas sands, coal bed methane, shale gas and natural gas hydrates). Description and analysis of UOR & UGR geological aspects, reservoir characterization; drilling, completion and stimulation methods; appraisal and well testing; production technologies, recovery process design, transportation marketing; economics, and environmental issues.

Prerequisites: Fifth-year standing and consent of Instructor.

PTE573 Detailing for Petroleum Engineers

[0–2, 2 cr.]

An introduction to computer-aided drafting techniques and design drawings using a CAD program and sketching to generate two and three dimensional drawings based on the conventions of engineering graphical communication, applications to different Petroleum Engineering areas of specialty.  A required team effort project introduces the preparation of working design drawings and consideration of production methods.

Prerequisite: MEE211 Engineering Graphic.

PTE574 Artificial Lift Design

[3–0, 3 cr.]

The design and operation of well fluid artificial lift systems, including: sucker rod pumping, progressing cavity pumps, submersible electric pumps, down hole hydraulic pumps, gas lift, and plunger lift. 

Prerequisite(s): PTE322 Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering.

PTE594 Undergraduate Research Project

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course covers advanced engineering undergraduate research project, using acquired technical knowledge, formal report, and Presentation.

Pre-requisites: Fifth year standing and the consent of the instructor.

PTE594H Undergraduate Research Project

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Pre-requisites: Fifth year standing and the consent of the instructor.

PTE599 Directed Studies in Petroleum Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Research studies and/or projects dealing with selected subjects relevant to Petroleum Engineering. Suitable subjects are chosen in consultation with a Petroleum Engineering Faculty member. Typical study categories include reserve estimation, reservoir management techniques, production operations, regulations, safety, and environmental impacts of oil and gas operations.

Prerequisite: 5th year standing and consent of Instructor.

PTE600 Topics in Petroleum Engineering

[3–0, 3 cr.]

Special topics relevant to petroleum engineering, course title and content are announced prior to registration time, may be taken for credit when topic differs. 

Prerequisite: relevant to course topic.