Department of Petroleum Engineering 
Undergraduate

Undergraduate Course Descriptions

( UPDATED VERSION WILL BE POSTED SOON )

PETE 2xx


201


PETE201: Introduction to Petroleum Engineering (1-0-1)

The course's main goal is to provide the student with an overview of the petroleum industry: its history, its technical achievements, its role in the global-economy and its future prospects. A brief introduction to modern exploration, production and processing operations is included as well as highlights of the petroleum industry in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.


Prerequisite:
  • none
Course Objectives:
  • Show the student the typical sequence of events leading to the discovery and development of a petroleum reservoir.
  • Introduce the student to the history of the petroleum industry and the evolution of petroleum engineering.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the origin of petroleum and the process of its accumulation.
  • Become aware of basic exploration, drilling and production techniques.
  • Understand the meaning of petroleum recovery and reserves.
  • Become aware of the role of the petroleum industry in the world's economy.

203


PETE203: Drilling Engineering (3-3-4)

Description of rotary drilling systems and operations. Casing design, landing and cementing practices. Optimization of drilling parameters. well control and drilling hydraulics. Directional drilling, horizontal drilling, deviation control, offshore drilling and equipment, drilling problems and economics. Laboratory sessions cover drilling fluids and cement formulation and testing. Simulation of drilling operations and control.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE201: Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
Course Objectives:
  • Become acquainted with drilling rigs and drilling operations.
  • Understand the procedure to plan and design a basic well construction scheme.
  • Understand the optimization techniques for drilling parameters to achieve maximum rate of penetration.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand and evaluate rotary drilling system components for oil and gas drilling.
  • Calculate frictional and bit-nozzles pressure drops based on flow regimes and fluid rheology for estimating pump pressure requirements.
  • Understand and evaluate subsurface pressures and rock strengths to design a well through safe and economic casing string.
  • Understand and calculate the mud weights required to safely drill a well and control in case of kick.
  • Maximize drilling rate by studying and optimizing the important variables (weight on bit, rotary speed, mud weight, etc.)

204


PETE204: Reservoir Rock Properties (2-3-3)

Basic petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks including porosity, permeability, fluid saturation, electrical conductivity, capillary pressure, and relative permeability. Laboratory measurement of the reservoir rock characteristics mentioned above.


Co-requisite:
  • PETE201: Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
Course Objectives:
  • Calculate and measure rock properties, recognize their importance and identify factors affecting them.
  • Introduce the student to the nature of rock-fluid interactions and the concept of relative permeability.
  • Introduce the student to the theory of single and multiphase fluid flow in porous media.
  • Improve professional skills through conducting experiments and writing laboratory reports.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand all rock properties relevant to storage and fluid flow in porous media.
  • Understand fluid-fluid and rock-fluid interactions and their effect on fluid flow in porous media.
  • Be able to compute fluid flow rates in porous media in various geometries under different conditions.
  • Be able to conduct experiments to measure rock properties and report the results in a professional manner.

205


PETE205: Petroleum Fluid Properties (2-3-3)

Study of the phase behavior of hydrocarbon systems as related to petroleum recovery. Ideal and real gas behavior, single and multicomponent two-phase systems, properties of reservoir fluids under various conditions of pressure and temperature. Laboratory tests on reservoir fluids.


Prerequisite:
  • ME203: Thermodynamics I
  • PETE201: Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the science and techniques of estimating reservoir fluid behavior.
  • Emphasize the impact of reservoir fluid behavior on reservoir exploitation.
  • Train the student on routine laboratory work involved in PVT analysis.
  • Introduce the student to software tools employed in reservoir fluid studies.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Apply thermodynamic principles to petroleum mixtures to quantify gas-liquid equilibrium.
  • Ability to determine properties of a real reservoir fluid experimentally as well as estimating those properties by correlations.
  • Ability to characterize reservoir fluid types and apply a suitable method to predict behavior.
  • Ability to use relevant computer software to study fluid behavior.
  • Ability to design an experimental setup to evaluate fluid properties and cross check the validity of the experimental results.

PETE 3xx


301


PETE301: Reservoir Engineering (3-0-3)

Derivation of the general material balance equation. Estimation of water influx using steady and unsteady-state models. Application of the general material balance equation for determining initial oil in place and gas cap size and water influx constant under different drive mechanisms. Application of the general material balance equation for determining the initial gas in place for conventional gas reservoir. Estimation of the initial gas and condensate in place for gas condensate reservoir. Decline curve analysis.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE204: Reservoir Rock Properties
  • PETE205: Petroleum Fluid Properties
Course Objectives:
  • Recognize the central role of reservoir engineers in describing, evaluating and managing the reservoir system and, therefore, strive to gain a sound understanding of scientific principles used in the basic activities of reservoir engineering.
  • Emphasize the impact of reservoir fluid behavior on reservoir exploitation.
  • Understand the mechanics of oil and gas production in reservoirs and be able to apply the basic quantitative tools of reservoir engineering to analyze and/or predict the behavior of the reservoir under potentially useful production schemes.
  • Use/improve skills in utilizing modern tools and at the same time develop ability to exercise engineering judgment and provide physical arguments in support of his/her conclusions and results.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand mechanics of oil production (natural reservoir energies and expulsion of fluids), and basic performance characteristics of various reservoir types.
  • Derive components of material balance equation.
  • Be able to interpret performance characteristic curves for each reservoir type. Perform MBE analysis of volumetric oil and gas reservoirs. Be able to propose recovery strategies to increase recovery factors.
  • Diagnose water influx, perform water influx calculations by various models and incorporate in MBE analysis.
  • Diagnose natural reservoir decline trends and perform a decline curve analysis.
  • Carry out an internal gas drive performance prediction as a function of pressure and time.
  • Use computer tools to carry out calculations, and display and present results in objectives 3 through 6.

302


PETE302: Subsurface Production Engineering (3-3-4)

Study of the fundamentals and applications of completion and workover operations including various completion designs, reservoir and mechanical considerations, basic tubing design, subsurface equipment, completion and workover fluids, perforating, stimulation, sand control and remedial cementing. Horizontal well completion technology. Laboratory sessions involve actual completion and workover problem solving, and demonstration of the design and operation of basic completion and control equipment.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE203: Drilling Engineering.
Course Objectives:
  • Expose the student to the concept, approach and practice of preparing the oil well for production through well completion.
  • Enable the student to gain experience in well completion operations and to develop a sense of professional responsibility.
  • Provide an integrated design experience and allow the student to acquire team-spirit through project work.
  • Develop proficiency in the application of computer software for performing design calculations.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Ability to apply reservoir and mechanical data to calculate pressure losses in the production system.
  • Ability to perform design calculations for the production system components and specify their dimensions and quality.
  • Ability to implement technical and economic constraints to optimize the performance of a producing well.
  • Execution of a team project to perform in-depth study of one of the course topics.
  • Writing an engineering report and making an oral presentation about the project.

303


PETE303: Well Logging (3-3-4)

Comprehensive study of modem well logging methods, open hole and cased hole log interpretation methods. Production logging. Design of logging programs and examples of applications.



Prerequisite:
  • PETE204: Reservoir Rock properties.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the theory and practices of well logging techniques.
  • Emphasize the importance and necessity of well logging in reservoir description and production and to diagnose performance problems.
  • Improve design and teamwork skills through the use of software packages to evaluate and predict reservoir performance.
  • Improve communication skills through team solving problems and presenting an engineering report.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Ability to apply physical and engineering principles of SP, GR, resistivity, porosity and NMR logs to evaluate petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks.
  • Ability to use combined well logging techniques to evaluate a potential formation and to predict its performance.
  • Execution of a team project with optimal use of computer skills to figure out and interpret logging attributes.
  • Writing an engineering report and making an oral presentation about the project.

306


PETE306: Well Testing (2-0-2)

Derivation of the diffusivity equation for slightly compressible fluid. Solution of the diffusivity equation using Boltzman transformation. Pressure drawdown and buildup tests. Injection and fall-off tests. Average reservoir pressure. Reservoir limit tests. Type curve matching. Pulse and drill stem tests. Test design and instrumentation.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE301: Reservoir Engineering.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the students to the theory of well testing and its applications.
  • Emphasize the importance of well testing as a tool for reservoir description and evaluation.
  • Emphasize the importance of well testing as a diagnostic tool for evaluating the ability of a formation to produce reservoir fluids and monitoring well performance.
  • Emphasize the importance of properly designed, executed, and analyzed well tests to provide reservoir parameters.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the derivation of the diffusivity equation and its solutions.
  • Understand the behavior of infinite – acting and bounded reservoirs, identify the various flow regimes and recognize boundary effects.
  • Understand the concept of superposition and its applications in space and time.
  • Be able to differentiate between reservoir and non reservoir behaviors and identify the end of wellbore-storage.
  • Be able to analyze pressure drawdown and buildup tests as well as multi-rate, injection, falloff, and interference tests and determine the pertinent reservoir information.
  • Be able to design well tests.

399


PETE399: Summer Training (0-0-0)

A student of junior standing spends a period of eight weeks in the summer working in the industry to gain exposure to and appreciation of the petroleum engineering profession. On-the-job training can be acquired in any field of petroleum engineering. On completion of the training, the student is required to write a brief report on his work.


Prerequisite:
  • ENGL214: Technical Report Writing.
  • PETE302: Subsurface Production Engineering.
  • A minimum of 85 credit hours should be completed.
Course Objectives:
  • Expose the student to the real world through a work experience with the petroleum industry.
  • Improve the student's teamwork, communication, and self-learning skills.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Become acquainted with the operational and technical procedures and general work environment of the petroleum industry.
  • Appreciate the role and responsibilities of a practicing petroleum engineer.
  • Learn to work within a team of professionals.
  • Improve oral and written communication skills.
  • Learn how to self-educate through study of company manuals and technical material.

PETE 4xx


400


PETE400: Special Topics (3-0-3)

The course will cover a special topic in one of the areas of the petroleum engineering discipline. Topics will be selected according to the faculty expertise and the students' interest and enrollment.


Prerequisite:
  • Consent of the Department.
Course Objectives:
  • Provide the student with analysis and solution skills for well performance problems utilizing production logging techniques.
  • Train the student on using cased-hole logging techniques to diagnose reservoir performance problems and propose solutions.
  • Train the student on using both production and cased-hole logging techniques to identify well hydraulic integrity problems and relate them to reservoir performance optimization.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Utilize production logs to identify mechanical well problems that affect well performance.
  • Utilize cased-hole logs to monitor reservoir performance.
  • Utilize inter-well water saturation monitoring for reservoir management purposes.

401


PETE401: Reservoir Description (3-0-3)

Principles and techniques of petroleum reservoir descriptions. Subsurface data from geological and engineering sources. Univariate and bivariate description. Estimation techniques. Reserve estimation methods.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE303: Well Logging.
  • STAT319: Probability and Statistics for Engineers.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the theory and practices of rock mechanics as applied in petroleum engineering.
  • Emphasize the importance of rock mechanics applications in almost all important aspects of oil production including drilling, production, and stimulation.
  • Improve self-learning skills through working on a term project.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the basics of rock mechanics.
  • Understand the laboratory testing procedures and the associated parameters that help in estimating the rock mechanical properties.
  • Use log and core data to estimate the in-situ stresses in the reservoir.
  • Predict instability in a borehole while drilling and take necessary steps to avoid it. Predict the onset of sanding in a sandstone reservoir and take necessary steps to avoid it.
  • Understand the basics of hydraulic fracturing, reservoir compaction, and surface subsidence.
  • Work on a term project involving all the essential steps in addressing field problems.

402


PETE402: Reservoir Simulation (2-3-3)

Basic theory and practices in reservoir simulation, Formulation of equations governing single phase and multi-phase flow in porous media. Introduction to finite difference methods and solution techniques. Solutions of systems of linear equations. Applications using a black oil simulator.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE301: Reservoir Engineering.
  • CISE301: Numerical Methods.
Course Objectives:
  • Understand the importance and the fundamental concepts of reservoir simulation.
  • Use a reservoir simulation package to solve complex fluid flow problems.
  • Conduct a reservoir simulation study.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Ability to apply finite difference techniques to solve differential equations.
  • Ability to use numerical reservoir simulation to solve complex fluid flow problems.
  • Ability to execute a reservoir simulation project and suggest development plans for the reservoir.
  • Ability to write an engineering report.

404


PETE404: Production Facilities Design (3-3-4)

Overview of petroleum surface operations including types, applications, and design of two and three phase separators; oil treatment equipment; vapor recovery processes; gas treatment processes and equipment; produced-water treatment and disposal; flowlines, gathering lines and transportation; oil, water and gas metering. Laboratory sessions cover design principles of production facilities leading to the complete design of one basic production unit.


Prerequisite:
  • CHE204: Transport Phenomena I.
Course Objectives:
  • Emphasize the impact of fluid properties and phase behavior on the separation of gas and water from crude.
  • Improve design skills through applications to production and treatment facilities for crude oil, associated water and gas.
  • Improve communication and teamwork skills through executing a group design project including literature survey, a written report and presentation.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Ability to use phase behavior basics to estimate production fluids properties.
  • Ability to identify the need for and to calculate the optimum operating temperature and pressure of multi-stage separators for different produced crude compositions.
  • Ability to design processing equipment and facilities for crude oil and associated water and gas within technical, environmental and economic constraints.
  • Execution of a team research project to identify new technologies applied by the industry. A report and presentation will be required.

405


PETE405: Water Flooding (2-0-2)

Basic theoretical and design aspects of waterflooding processes. Review of capillary phenomena and relative permeability characteristics of reservoir rocks. Theory of immiscible displacement including piston-like and frontal advance mechanisms. Injectivity analysis and performance prediction of linear and pattern flooding. Heterogeneous reservoirs. Problems encountered in water flooding projects.


Prerequisite:
  • CHE204: Transport Phenomena I.
  • PETE301: Reservoir Engineering.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the theory and practices of reservoir water flooding.
  • Emphasize the importance and necessity of secondary recovery methods in reservoir exploitation.
  • Improve design and teamwork skills through the development of an engineering tool to predict the performance of a water flood.
  • Improve communication skills through writing and presenting an engineering report.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Ability to apply frontal advance theory to predict the performance of a linear or pattern water flood in a homogeneous reservoir both at constant injection rate and constant pressure differential.
  • Ability to characterize the heterogeneity of a reservoir and apply a suitable performance prediction method.
  • Understanding of the technical and economic constraints that govern the performance of a water flooding project.
  • Execution of a team project to evaluate the potential of a given reservoir as a water flood candidate both technically and economically through the design and application of a simple simulator.

406


PETE406: Improved Oil Recovery (3-0-3)

Introduction to current techniques of improved oil recovery. Principles of thermal recovery, chemical flooding. and miscible gas displacement methods, performance prediction. Advantages and drawbacks of each displacement methods. Selection criteria for target reservoirs.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE301: Reservoir Engineering.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the theory and practices of improved oil recovery.
  • Emphasize the potential of enhanced oil recovery methods in reservoir exploitation, especially in Saudi Arabia.
  • Improve self-learning skills through researching a technical topic.
  • Improve communication skills through writing and presenting a technical report.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the basic features and technical foundations of the most common EOR methods.
  • Apply screening criteria to a given reservoir to select an optimum EOR method both technically and economically.
  • Use rock, fluid and reservoir data to specify the process and operating parameters of an EOR method application.
  • Predict the incremental recovery by an EOR method when applied to a reservoir.
  • Research an EOR-related topic and write a report and make an oral presentation.

407


PETE407: Petroleum Economics (3-0-3)

Introduction to the standards and practices of economic analysis in the petroleum industry. Brief review of the principles of economic evaluation, typical decision making situations including risk analysis, alternative reservoir depletion schemes utilizing decline curve analysis, secondary stage development options, and various improved oil recovery methods. Analysis involves reserve estimation and forecasting of capital investment, operating cost, and manpower requirement.


Prerequisite:
  • Senior Standing for Petroleum Engineering and Earth Sciences Students.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the students to the theory and practices of Petroleum Economics to perform economic feasibility studies on prospective oil and gas properties.
  • Emphasize on reducing the students’ gap and/or disconnect between theory and practical situations through actual up-to-date data. Students are exposed and subsequently work with examples of practical oil and gas field increments’ planning and development economics.
  • Distinguish between economic models and financial models through Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DD&A) cashflow.
  • Improve communication skills through technical report writing and presenting outcomes to decision makers to help them take economically sound judgment.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the basic features and technical foundations of Petroleum Economics.
  • Bridge the gap between the theory and the real world through practical applications based on up-to-data oil and gas projects.
  • Utilize economic decision tools to reach to and present to decision makers the economically optimized project portfolio.
  • Introduce the students to risk profiling. Two methods are employed: Decision Trees and Monte Carlo Simulation.
  • Instill team work and synergistic approach through cooperative learning while undertaking Term Projects.
  • Be able to prepare a technical report and white paper positions about certain projects.
  • Introduce the E&P business and operating cycles through budgeting, scheduling and corporate planning.

408


PETE408: Seminar (0-2-1)

Lectures are presented on subjects related to preparation of technical presentations, use of visual aids, and platform and vocal techniques. Each student is then required, as a practice, to prepare and deliver a presentation on selected subjects. Each presentation is discussed and methods for improvements are highlighted. Finally, students are evaluated for their final presentations.


Prerequisite:
  • Senior Standing.
Course Objectives:
  • The course is designed to teach the techniques of preparation and delivery of an effective oral presentation.
  • To enhance student awareness of contemporary economic, social, and environmental issues related to the petroleum industry.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand the importance of and identify key elements that will lead to an effective technical presentation.
  • Be able to deliver a good technical presentation.
  • Be aware of contemporary economic, social, and environmental issues related to the petroleum industry.
  • Be able to research a technical topic through searching the literature.

409


PETE409: Artificial Lift (3-0-3)

Equipment and techniques of modern production operations. Analysis of inflow performance, multiphase flow and well performance. Artificial lift methods and applications including gas-lift, electric submersible pumping, and sucker rod pumping. Overview of off-shore production operations.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE302: Subsurface Production Engineering.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to the fundamentals of multi-phase flow.
  • Emphasize the importance of economic factors in artificial lift application.
  • Improve design skills through engineering approach to choose the right artificial lift system for any reservoir/well conditions.
  • Improve skills in using modern technical tools and develop ability to exercise engineering judgment.
  • Improve communication skills through writing and presenting an engineering report.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Predict the need for and time of application of artificial lift based upon reservoir conditions.
  • Be able to understand the principles of available artificial lift methods and their conditions of application.
  • Use of well/reservoir data to design appropriate artificial lift systems.
  • Research a topic in artificial lift methods as part of a team and write a report and make an oral presentation.

410


PETE410: Natural Gas Engineering (3-0-3)

Estimation of gas reserves using different forms of the general material balance equation for gas reservoir. Prediction of gas reservoir performance subject to water drive. Derivation of the basic flow equations for real gas and their solutions and applications for analyzing gas well testing. Analysis of hydraulically fractured gas well tests. Gas field development. Storage of natural gas.


Prerequisite:
  • PETE301: Reservoir Engineering.
  • PETE306: Well Testing.
Course Objectives:
  • Recognize the importance of evaluating and managing the reservoir-production system of gas reservoirs and, therefore, strive to gain a sound understanding of scientific principles employed in natural gas engineering.
  • Learn and be able to apply the basic quantitative tools of reservoir and production engineering techniques to analyze and/or predict the mechanics of natural gas flow through the reservoir–production-transportation system.
  • Use/improve skills in utilizing modern tools and at the same time develop the ability to exercise engineering judgment.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand basic fluid phase behavior, and be able to determine the physical properties of natural gas.
  • Able to use volumetric method, material balance equation and decline curves to perform reserves and performance prediction/enhancement of dry and wet gas reservoirs.
  • Be able to understand the behavior of gas condensate reservoirs and carry out performance prediction for these reservoirs.
  • Be able to analyze and design transient and deliverability gas well tests, carry out gas well production performance calculations and analyze it, and be able to analyze and propose methods to improve well deliverability.
  • Carry out gas flow measurement and pipeline design calculations and recognize special problems and propose solutions to them.
  • Use computer tools to carry out calculations, and display and present results in objectives 3 through 5.

411


PETE411: Senior Design Project (0-9-3)

Experimental and/or theoretical approaches with possible application of computer techniques to integrate various components of the curriculum in a comprehensive engineering design experience. Design of a complete project including identification of a problem, formulation of design, preparation of specifications. consideration of alternative feasible solutions. The work will be supervised by a Faculty member. The student has to submit a detailed final project report and present his work.


Prerequisite:
  • Senior Standing.
  • ENGL214: Technical Report Writing.
  • Approval of the advisor.
Course Objectives:
  • Introduce the student to to a comprehensive design experience through integrating scientific and engineering knowledge in identifying a problem and formulating an optimum solution.
  • Appreciate the role and responsibilities of a practicing petroleum engineer and relate knowledge acquired in his course work to real-life applications.
Course Learning Outcomes:
  • Utilizing petroleum engineering theories and techniques to design a field facility, a field operation, or a reservoir development scheme within a set of constrains.
  • Using petroleum engineering software to analyze and process the data and to investigate design performance with due consideration to economic and HSE issues.
  • Working with a team of fellow students to share expertise and execution responsibilities.
  • Writing a detailed engineering report and making an oral presentation about the project.
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