Key Information

Our facilities

Research laboratories

Modern, spacious and well equipped laboratories support our varied research programme, including:

    
• Production Chemistry and Formation Damage
• PVT (Fluid Properties and Phase Behaviour)
• Reservoir Conditions Fluid Flow
• Reservoir Geoscience and Petrophysics
• Rock Mechanics
• Magnetics
• Flow Assurance
• Hydrates, Wax and Asphaltene.

A range of state-of-the-art analytical equipment is available. For example, several projects make use of the latest PVT equipment and reservoir condition core flooding rigs. Pore scale research benefits from access to an environmental scanning electron microscope that allows observation of untreated and ‘wet’ specimens. Some pieces of apparatus are unique, including highpressure micro-model visualisation facilities and true tri-axial rock mechanics cells.

IT equipment

PCs and workstations, with ever-increasing performance, are available for geo-statistical modelling, reservoir simulation and other complex problems, as well as for running standard technical, mathematical and presentation software. In addition to this extensive network, staff and students have access to computer clusters with parallel processing and powerful graphics capability.

Industry-standard software is readily available to enable teachers, researchers and students to tackle the complex science and engineering problems associated with the exploitation of petroleum resources. This includes significant suites of software by Fairfield, Schlumberger, Geoquest, Landmark and Edinburgh Petroleum Services, plus ANSYS, Crystal Ball, Geolog, GMA, IRAP/RMS, Petrel, Questor, SAVFEM, STARS, IMEX, ICOS, Terrastation and others. Some of these packages have been enhanced as a result of research conducted at Heriot-Watt.

Library

The collection within the Institute’s John Archer library is equal, and in many cases superior, to those elsewhere, particularly in industry. The Library provides a wide range of petroleum engineering related texts and periodicals and has online and CD browsing capabilities, video facilities, and a quiet study room.

Our staff

The following list illustrates the scale and scope of the  team working in the Institute:

• senior staff 29
• research staff 30
• technical and administrative staff 40
• postgraduate research students 60
• postgraduate course students 100

Professional accreditation

The MSc Petroleum Engineering and MSc Reservoir Evaluation and Management programmes have been accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IMMM) and the Energy Institute (EI).

Career opportunities

Industry played a key role in defining a 12-month programme, as exemplified by the MSc in Petroleum Engineering which is recognised as an important route into a career in the industry. The MSc [PE] programme attracts applications from more than 800-900 students annually, from which a class of about 90 is selected. As a measure of our success, some 1,300 MSc [PE] graduates now work within the international oil industry.

Education and training

Distance learning

A number of years ago, the MSc Petroleum Engineering by distance learning was launched. The content, exams and degree are identical to the residential Petroleum Engineering course, but this option allows individuals to study for a recognised degree during their professional careers.

Study in Russia

An Approved Learning Partner (ALP), was established at Tomsk Polytechnic University, Siberia, and approximately 50 students are now studying there for our MSc in Petroleum Engineering and 20-25 students are studying for our MSc in Reservoir Evaluation and Management.

Short courses/CPD

Elements of the taught programmes and other specialised topics are offered to engineers and managers in the industry as part of the University’s lifelong learning activity. The University in collaboration with Network of Excellence in Training (NeXT) offers Petroleum Engineering and Geoscience short courses to industry.