Course content

The course addresses the different steps in the development of an oil and gas field from exploration, field development, production to shut-down. Topics included: Petroleum geology: Geological processes, forming and properties of rock formations, structures, reservoir rock formation, accumulation of petroleum. Geophysics: Collection and investigation of seismic data, petrophysical and other geophysical data. Example of combination of geological and seismic data to produce 3-dimensional pictures of the internal of the earth. Well drilling: Systems and methods for drilling and well construction. Formation evaluation and reservoir engineering: Analysis of data collected by logging and core sampling in the borehole. Methods and procedures for calculating oil and gas volume, and methods for optimized production. Petroleum production: Well flow calculations, methods for separation of oil and gas, including alternative solutions for oil and gas field development.

Furthermore, solutions for increased energy efficiency and a reduced CO2 footprint are discussed.

Learning outcome

Competence:

After completing the course, students should be able to:

• Understand and describe the different steps in the development of an oil and gas field from exploration, field development, production to shut-down.
• Discuss the major competences needed in field developments; geology, geophysics, reservoir, drilling and production.
• Apply engineering principles to analyze and optimize field development with consideration for sustainability, health, safety, and environmental factors.
• Utilize digital tools and programming to support analysis and planning in petroleum engineering.

Knowledges and skills:

After completing the course, students should be able to:

• Understand the full lifecycle of an oil/gas field, including exploration, development, production, maintenance, and shut down.
• Describe geological processes and the accumulation of petroleum in subsurface formations.
• Describe seismic and petrophysical data for subsurface mapping and reservoir characterization.
• Evaluate formation data and apply reservoir engineering principles to estimate hydrocarbon volumes.
• Perform well flow calculations and assess fluid behavior in porous media.
• Understand systems and methods for drilling and well construction.
• Describe key parameters in drilling programs and understand their operational implications.
• Apply basic fluid transport models in wellbores and reservoirs.
• Perform flow calculations and capacity of separator systems for oil gas and water.
• Use subject-specific digital tools, including programming (e.g., Excel, Python), for analysis and simulation.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and exercises. Exercises also include the use of programming tools (e.g. MS Excel and Python). The course is given in English.

Recommended previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

Relevant literature and lecture notes will be made available by the lecturers