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PROGRAMME

MASTER OF SCIENCE (Petroleum Geology)

The objective of the course is to provide advanced training in the field of Petroleum Geoscience and practical training in an industry environment. The course will start in the first semester of each academic year, usually in the middle of the year.  During the third semester, candidates are required to undertake 7 to 8 weeks practical assignment, usually in an E&P or service company. Seminar presentation is also required and subsequently candidates are to submit a report on the project undertaken during the assignment period.

Entry Requirements

A bachelor's degree, or equivalent, in earth science or other science/engineering degree from a Malaysian university or its equivalent from an overseas university/recognised academic institution can be considered for entry.

Duration of Course 

The degree programme is organized over 12 months and includes

two semesters of taught courses followed by a research project.

Period of Candidature:

2 semesters (minimum)

10 semesters (maximum)

Course Fee: 

approximately (RM) 15,000 (subject to changes)

Course Structure

The course consists of 3 taught modules (total 27 credit hours) and a short research project (9 credit hours).

Assessment
Assessment for all courses will be either by continuous assessment (100%) or by continuous assessment (60%) and a final examination (40%).

Modules
Modules and contents are as follows:

Application for Admission

Students wishing to apply for admission to taught Masters degree programmes must do so well in advance (about five months) before the commencement of Semester I (in middle of the year). However, fees are required to be paid on a semester basis. Application must be submitted before the closing date which is usually at the end of February.

Upon selection, students are required to sign an acceptance form within a month and make a non-refundable deposit of an amount equivalent to half of the first semester fee to secure a place. This non-refundable deposit will be credited to the first semester fee upon commencement of the course.

For further information, please contact:

Head

Department of Geology,

University of Malaya,

50603 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Tel: (603) 79674203

Fax: (603) 79675149

http://www.um.edu.my

http://geology.um.edu.my

email: ketua_geologi@um.edu.my

Applications must be made using the appropriate application form obtainable from:

The Post Graduate Admissions Unit

Institute of Postgraduate Studies

University of Malaya

50603 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Tel: 603-79674600/4601    

Fax: 603-79568940/79674606

E-mail:  unitmas@um.edu.my

        Website:  http://ips.um.edu.my

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MSc in Petroleum Geology (by coursework)
Course description

PETROLEUM SYSTEM MODULE

Introduction to petroleum industry and Petroleum system (t & p) (3 cr)  

Geological framework for petroleum generation and accumulation. Petroleum system elements: source, reservoir and seal. Petroleum system processes: generation, expulsion, migration and accumulation. Basin types in different tectonic settings and characteristics of selected petroleum provinces. Case studies of petroleum systems. Introduction to petroleum industry and historical review. Basic economics in the petroleum life cycle.

Structural geology and subsurface mapping (t & p) (3 cr)  

Exploration geology. Brittle and ductile behaviour of rocks.  Mechanisms of deformation.  Folds, faults and fault-fold association.  Balanced cross-section.  Fractured Reservoir.  Effects of faulting on reservoirs. Structural style in different tectonic setting. Gravity induced structures.   Diapirsm.  Identification and correlation of markers in drilling and wireline logs.  Stratum contour and isopach maps for structural and stratigraphic interpretation of reservoir units. Delineation of payzones, sand body trends, volumetric estimation of gas-sand and oil-sand.

Reservoir sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy (t & p) (3 cr)  

Properties of reservoir rocks:  Porosity and permeability.  Facies analysis and methods of clastic reservoir.  Diagenesis and reservoir quality.  Principles of carbonate deposition and diagenesis.   Identification of constituents, classification and depostional models of carbonates.  Near-surface and burial diagenesis and their effects on the porosity and permeability.  Core analysis for reservoir studies. Stratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy teories. Shallow marine and deep marine depositional system tracts.

EXPLORATION MODULE  

Fieldwork and project reports (3 cr)  

A full day course on report writing and oral presentation skill. 10 field-days study of the north Sarawak basin integrating the knowledge, methods and skills learnt in the classroom. Assessments are based on field reports. Students are also required to undertake 2 assignments.  One deals with a review of one oilfield/an integrated oilfield exercise for which the grading is assessed by a written report and a seminar.   The second deals with ethics and moral aspects related to work environment and job specification for example contract (PSC) negotiation.   

Exploration geophysics (t & p) (3 cr)  

Introduction to drilling operation. Exploration tools, mapping techniques using electrical, gravity and magnetic. Basic borehole logging and interpretation. Seismic methods, acquisition, processing and applications in exploration. Oilfield development and identification of hydrocarbon plays. Case studies.

Exploration geochemistry (t & p) (3 cr)  

Development and concepts of petroleum geochemistry in petroleum exploration.  Accumulation and sedimentation of organic matter. Introduction to palynology and application of biostratigraphy to hydrocarbon exploration. Composition and structure of organic matter and crude oils.  Transformation of kerogen to petroleum.  Methods of source rocks analysis.  Thermal  maturity and organic facies evaluation.  Biomarker groups and their applications.  Hydrocarbon migration.  Oil and gas characterisation and source correlation.  Source rock depositional settings.   Oil from coals. Modelling hydrocarbon generation.  Contributions of geochemistry to petroleum exploration.  

PRODUCTION MODULE  

Production geology (t & p) (3 cr)  

Concept of reservoir management. Reserve categorisation. Volumetric, qualitative reserves estimation. Fluid distribution and fluid pressures. Reservoir characterization and uncertainties in field development. Stratigraphic and structural controls on reservoir architecture. Structural styles, fault and compartmentalization of reservoirs. Production drilling and well completion. Production seismic and petrophysical techniques. Formation evaluation and recoverable oil and gas. Primary, secondary and tertiary recovery methods. Production economics and abandonment of production facilities.

HSE and legal framework of the petroleum industry (t & p) (3 cr)

Introduction to HSE, economics and social environment of the petroleum industry. Personnel management, development and training. Communication skills, planning and organizing work. Moral values and team working skills. Legal framework for exploration of petroleum. Concessions, exploration and production sharing agreements. Royalties and taxes.  

Field Development (t & p) (3 cr)

Reservoir and development geology. Leads, prospects, plays and fields. Integrated reservoir performance analysis. Reservoir engineering/geophysical data acquisition and evaluation, recovery processes and subsurface development planning. Relation of reservoir geology and recovery process. Production data integration and data handling. Integrated Models:   Reservoir geological correlation, subsurface data manipulation, reservoir mapping. Exercises using Petrel software. Geochemical characterisation of reservoir fluids, sampling and analytical protocols. Reservoir filling mechanisms, factors causing reservoir heterogeneity, concepts of reservoir fluid mixing and equilibration.  Applications of reservoir geochemistry to field appraisal and field development: identification of missed pay zones, reservoir compartmentalisation and production allocation. Case studies.

 
RESEARCH PROJECT (9 cr)  

Students are required to either carry out a short research project on a specific topic in petroleum geology, or be attached to industry to undertake a case study for a period of approximately 2 months. Candidates are required to give a seminar, attend a viva and submit a detailed report.