Petroleum Engineering

School of Mineral Engineering
Department of Petroleum Engineering
(907) 474-7734
www.uaf.edu/petrol/

B.S., M.S. Degrees

Minimum Requirements for Degree: 30-36 credits

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Petroleum engineering offers a unique look at the challenging problems confronting the petroleum industry. This program requires an understanding of many disciplines including mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology and engineering science. Courses in petroleum engineering deal with drilling, formation evaluation, production, reservoir engineering, computer simulation and enhanced oil recovery.

The curriculum prepares graduates to meet the demands of modern technology while emphasizing, whenever possible, the special problems encountered in Alaska. Located in one of the largest oil-producing states in the nation, the UAF petroleum engineering department offers modern and challenging degree programs.

The M.S. program is intended to provide students with an advanced treatment of petroleum engineering concepts. Students may choose either a thesis or non-thesis option. Research and teaching assistantships are available.

An interdisciplinary doctoral degree program is offered with specialization in petroleum engineering for qualified students. Contact the graduate program coordinator or the petroleum engineering department for more information.

Graduate Program—M.S. Degree

  1. Complete the following admission requirement:
    a. Complete a B.S. degree in engineering or the natural sciences.
  2. Complete the general university requirements.
  3. Complete the master’s degree requirements.
  4. Complete the thesis or non-thesis requirements:

    Thesis
    a. Complete 1 course from each of the following groups:

    Group 1. Drilling and production courses:

    PETE 607—Advanced Production Engineering 3 credits

    PETE 666—Drilling Optimization 3 credits

    PETE 685—Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics 3 credits

    PETE 689—Multiphase Fluid Flow in Pipes 3 credits

    Group 2. Reservoir engineering/well test analysis/reservoir simulation courses:

    PETE 610—Advanced Reservoir Engineering 3 credits

    PETE 661—Applied Well Testing 3 credits

    PETE 663—Applied Reservoir Simulation 3 credits

    PETE 683—Natural Gas Processing and Engineering 3 credits

    Group 3. Enhanced oil recovery/waterflooding courses:

    PETE 630—Water Flooding 3 credits

    PETE 662—Enhanced Oil Recovery 3 credits

    PETE 665—Advanced Phase Behavior 3 credits

    PETE 670—Fluid Flow Through Porous Media 3 credits

    Group 4. Engineering/technology courses:

    CE 603—Arctic Engineering 3 credits

    PETE 680—Horizontal Well Technology 3 credits

    PETE 684—Computational Methods in Petroleum Engineering 3 credits

    b. Complete the following:

    PETE 699—Thesis 6 credits

    Elective courses* 12 credits

    c. Minimum credits required 30

    Non-Thesis
    a. Complete 1 course from each group in the thesis option. 12 credits
    b. Complete the following:

    PETE 698—Engineering Project 6 credits

    Electives* 18 credits

    c. Minimum credits required 36

* Electives are chosen with approval of graduate advisory committee.