B.Eng. Petroleum Engineering

The B.Eng. Petroleum Engineering program is tailored to equip students with the specialized knowledge and skills required to explore, extract, and produce oil and natural gas resources. The curriculum encompasses key areas such as reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, production engineering, and petrophysics. Students gain insights into the complexities of subsurface geological formations and the techniques to recover hydrocarbons from these reservoirs efficiently. Practical experiences, including field visits, hands-on laboratory work, and simulation exercises, complement the theoretical foundation. As the global energy landscape evolves with an emphasis on sustainability, the program often incorporates modules on enhanced oil recovery methods, unconventional resources, and the environmental aspects of petroleum operations. Graduates are prepared to tackle challenges in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, balancing economic viability with environmental and safety considerations.

Admission Requirements

Candidates are admitted into the degree programme in either of the following two ways:

1. Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Mode (5 Year Degree Programme)
2. Direct Entry (DE) Mode (4 Year Degree Programme)

• Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Mode

For the five-year degree programme, in addition to acceptable passes in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the minimum admission requirement is credit level passes in Senior School Certificate (SSC) in at least five subjects, which must include English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and other acceptable science subjects at not more than two sittings.

• Direct Entry (DE) Mode

For the four-year Direct Entry, in addition to five (5) Senior School Certificate (SSC) credit passes, which must include English Language, two must be principal subjects at advanced GCE Level or NCE and its equivalent. Holders of upper credit level at HND are eligible for consideration for admission into 300 level.

Graduation Requirements

The following regulations shall govern the conditions for the award of an honours degree in Engineering and Technology:

1. Candidates admitted through the UTME mode shall have registered for a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 180 units of courses during the 5–year engineering degree programme. Such candidates shall have spent a minimum of ten academic semesters.
2. Candidates admitted through the Direct entry mode shall have registered for a minimum of 120 and a maximum of 150 units of courses during a 4–year engineering degree programme. Such candidates shall have spent a minimum of eight academic semesters.
3. The minimum and maximum credit load per semester is 15 and 24 credit units, respectively.
4. A student shall have completed and passed all the Courses registered for, including all compulsory courses and such elective /optional courses as may be specified by the university/faculty or department; obtained a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) specified by the university but not less than 1.00.
5. A student shall also have earned the 15 credit units of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), 8 credit units of University General Study courses and four credit units of Entrepreneurship courses.

For graduates with a B.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering, given the specialized nature of the field and the evolving global energy landscape, here are key career opportunities:

• Reservoir Engineer: Analyzing reservoir dynamics and implementing strategies to maximize the recovery of underground oil and gas.
• Drilling Engineer: Designing and overseeing the process of drilling wells to extract oil and gas efficiently and safely.
• Production Engineer: Optimizing the production of oil and gas from subsurface reservoirs and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of wells.
• Well Logging Specialist: Using advanced tools to measure and record data about underground rock formations to guide drilling and production decisions.
• Mud Engineer: Specializing in drilling fluids and ensuring the right fluid composition is used during drilling operations.
• Petroleum Data Analyst: Utilizing data to model and predict reservoir behaviour and optimize extraction methods.
• Subsea Engineer: Designing and maintaining equipment and infrastructure used in offshore oil and gas exploration and production.
• Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Engineer: Ensuring all petroleum engineering operations adhere to safety guidelines and environmental regulations.
• Refinery Engineer: Working in oil refineries to convert crude oil into refined products like gasoline, diesel, and other petrochemicals.
• Enhanced Oil Recovery Specialist: Focusing on advanced methods to extract more oil from reservoirs, such as water flooding or CO2 injection.
• Research Scientist: Engaging in research and development of new technologies, methods, or materials in the petroleum industry.

While traditionally, the focus has been on the extraction and production of hydrocarbons, there’s a growing emphasis on sustainability, environmental protection, and alternative energy sources, which offers additional opportunities and directions for petroleum engineers in the future.