The petroleum engineering program has three educational objectives:
- Graduates will be competitive in the petroleum engineering job market or in continuing their education.
- Graduates will be skilled practitioners of petroleum engineering as employees.
- The program will be regarded as excellent.
In essence, the goal of the petroleum engineering curriculum is to (a) provide a modern engineering education
with proper balance between fundamentals and practice, and (b) graduate engineers prepared for lifelong
learning, but capable of being productive contributors immediately.
The curriculum includes study of (a) design and analysis of well systems and procedures for drilling and completing wells; (b) characterization and evaluation of subsurface geological formations and their resources; (c) design and analysis of systems for producing, injecting and handling fluids; (d) application of reservoir engineering principles and practices for optimizing resource development and management; and (e) use of project economics and resource valuation methods for design and decision making under conditions of risk and uncertainty.
There's a heavy emphasis on mathematics, computer applications, communication skills and
interdisciplinary problem solving. As a result, Aggie petroleum engineers are in high demand in the
industry, and their starting salaries are consistently among the top in the university and the nation.
The department is well known for its curriculum, facilities and faculty, and its undergraduate program was
recognized as the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in 2003 and the Gourman Report
published in 1999 by National Education Standards.
The faculty comprises more than 20 professors and
lecturers, many of them widely known and globally involved in the petroleum industry. Three members of the
faculty are members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, and six are Distinguished
Members of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
The department encourages its students to work as interns during the summer months. A minimum of six
weeks of approved experience is required for graduation. The department also participates in the
cooperative education program.
In addition to the Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering, the department also offers both
master's and doctoral degrees, including Master of Science, Master of Engineering, Doctor
of Philosophy and Doctor of Engineering.
Petroleum engineering is primarily concerned with the economic extraction of oil, gas and other natural
resources from the earth. This is accomplished through the design, drilling and operation of wells and well
systems, and the integrated management of the underground reservoirs in which the resources are found. View our full description
