Petroleum Engineering

Program Description

Working in the upstream sector of the oil and natural gas industry, petroleum engineers are responsible for the technical and economic analysis leading to the appraisal, development, and production of oil and natural gas reserves. Petroleum engineers apply scientific principles to the challenge of drilling wells into underground formations, and to provide safe and efficient production of oil and natural gas reserves. They appraise the value of the resource and manage the reservoir to maximize returns. Petroleum engineering encompasses skills from a broad array of scientific disciplines, including geology and chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

Most graduates find work in the Canadian oil and natural gas industry, while some choose to work overseas. Others work in areas where their training has given them appropriate skills, such as in underground contaminant flow. Our undergraduate degree program is the only accredited petroleum engineering program in Canada.

Common Work Term Tasks

On their work terms, petroleum engineering co-op students can contribute to / perform the following tasks:

• Reservoir performance analysis
• Production optimization studies
• Drilling and completions
• Sizing/selecting equipment
• Production operations
• Project management
• Applications for licenses and approvals
• Economic analysis
• Decline studies
• Computer simulations
• Well file reviews
• Pressure surveys

^{Last update: August 2, 2018}