Course description
Overview
INTRODUCTION
The MSc in Reservoir Evaluation and Management is an intensive programme of lectures and project work, encompassing a wide range of petroleum engineering and geoscience fundamentals pertinent to the modern petroleum industry. Project work provides an opportunity for ideas and methods, assimilated through lectures and tutorials, to be applied to real field evaluation and development design problems. The courses are applied in nature and have been designed so that a graduate is technically well prepared for, and has a sound knowledge of, the industry into which he or she will be recruited.
PART-TIME REGISTRATION
For those already employed in the oil industry, it may be possible to study on a part-time basis. Please contact us for further information.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We endeavour to arrange financial support for students accepted on to the courses, negotiating annually for industrial scholarships. These are allocated following interviews in early summer. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) awards an annual quota of scholarships for this course and students are also encouraged to discuss sponsorship directly with companies.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The course provides specialist education tailored to the requirements of the upstream petroleum industry. The relevance of this education combined with careful selection of candidates has encouraged oil and oilfield service companies to target Heriot-Watt for recruitment of graduates over the years.
The petroleum industry is subject to dramatic changes of fortune over time, with the oil price capable of very rapid rates of change in either direction. Petroleum, however, remains the dominant source of energy, with current world production of oil and gas at record rates. In a low price environment, companies face increasing technological and commerical challenges to keep their wells flowing and are increasingly dependent on input from petroleum engineers and geoscientists. It is widely recognised that a steady influx of fresh people and ideas is vital for the longer term success and stability of an organisation, and it is therefore especially for those with motivation and the appropriate qualifications.
LECTURE PROGRAMME
* Static Reservoir Evaluation
* Dynamic Reservoir Evaluation
* Reservoir Management
Static Reservoir Evaluation is a description of the inherent properties, structure and formation of a reservoir and its fluids. The main components are:
RESERVOIR GEOSCIENCE
Involves advanced teaching in a range of geoscience disciplines relevant to the development of petroleum reservoirs. Topics include sedimentology, structural geology, geochemistry and geophysics from an applied, petroleum perspective. There is a strong emphasis on geological modelling.
FORMATION EVALUATION
Involves the measurement and interpretation of rock properties, such as porosity and resistivity, by means of well bore instruments.
Dynamic Reservoir Evaluation is a characterisation of the flow process in the reservoir during production and its interaction with the inherent structure of the reservoir. The topics include:
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
Concerns the physics, chemistry and flow of petroleum fluids within a reservoir. A range of analytical techniques are used to model fluid flow and for predicting how the reservoir might behave under various development scenarios, an important objective being the maximisation of energy recovered.
RESERVOIR SIMULATION
Involves the construction of detailed, mathematical models of reservoirs, as a means of predicting their behaviour and performance.
RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT
Describes the use of predictive tools to model different production schemes in order to maximise recovery and production from the reservoir. This is accomplished by:
RESERVOIR MODELLING AND GEOSTATISTICS
Three-dimensional computer modelling of petroleum reservoirs using geostatistical techniques to address uncertainty in the understanding of the subsurface.
RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT
Provides a grounding in drilling and production technology concerned with the productivity of oil and gas wells. Economics is included for an appreciation of the economic targets and constraints facing the present day industry.
FIELD TRIP
The MSc [REM] class travels to Spain to examine well-exposed reservoir analogues. Teams of students undertake measurement and interpretation of outcrop sections representing a variety of depositional environments. They derive predictions about the flow performance of these examples, and run numerical reservoir simulations.
FIELD EVALUATION PROJECT
Students are required to undertake the integrated analysis of core, log and well test data and to produce a coherent reservoir model and effective development plan. Students gain valuable insight into the use of incomplete data, the integration of the various taught components of the course and hands-on experience with industry software. Assessment of the group is by means of a written report and an oral presentation.
INDIVIDUAL DISSERTATION
Following the Team Project, students are required to carry out a detailed investigation of some topic related to petroleum geoscience or engineering. Projects are offered both by the Institute and by the industry, and normally include a wide choice of experimental research, computer modelling and real oilfield problems. Assessment is by means of both thesis and oral presentation.
