Viterbi School of Engineering
Petroleum Engineering — Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Emphasis in Petroleum Engineering
See the listing under Chemical Engineering.
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Emphasis in Petroleum Engineering
See the listing under Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
Minor in Petroleum Engineering
A minor in petroleum engineering consisting of 16 required units is available to undergraduate majors in various fields of engineering and applied science. Besides preparing for graduate study in petroleum engineering, the program will prepare students for careers in areas of national need such as the exploration, recovery and production of subterranean resources, and the underground disposal of hazardous wastes.
Prerequisite courses:
MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 226, MATH 245, PHYS 151L and CHEM 105aL
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PTE 461 | Formation Evaluation | 3 |
| PTE 462 | Economic, Risk and Formation Productivity Analysis | 4 |
| PTE 463L | Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media | 3 |
| PTE 464L | Petroleum Reservoir Engineering | 3 |
| PTE 465L | Drilling Technology and Subsurface Methods | 3 |
| 16 | ||
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering
The Master of Science in petroleum engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. Electives vary according to the area of interest. A student may be permitted to elect the program without thesis upon approval from the department.
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (Geoscience Technologies)
The Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (Geoscience Technologies) is a unique degree that emphasizes recent developments in the field of unconventional oil and gas resources and modern techniques for mapping and monitoring of subterranean resources. The program may be completed via the USC Viterbi School’s Distance Education Network (DEN). All courses for the degree must be taken at USC.
Students without a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering will normally be required to complete prerequisite courses before beginning the M.S. program. Specific prerequisite courses are decided upon consultation with the department adviser. Units from these courses cannot be applied toward the degree.
A minimum of 34 units is required to earn the M.S. in Petroleum Engineering (Geoscience Technologies).
| Core required courses (18 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| PTE 507 | Engineering and Economic Evaluation of Subsurface Reservoirs | 3 |
| PTE 508 | Numerical Simulation of Subsurface Flow and Transport Processes | 3 |
| PTE 517 | Testing of Wells and Aquifers | 3 |
| PTE 531 | Enhanced Oil Recovery | 3 |
| PTE 555 | Well Completion, Stimulation, and Damage Control | 3 |
| PTE 582 | Fluid Flow and Transport Processes in Porous Media | 3 |
| Take 4 out of 5 courses shown below (12 units) | units | |
|---|---|---|
| PTE 502 | Advanced Reservoir Characterization | 3 |
| PTE 503 | Technology of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources Development | 3 |
| PTE 504 | Geophysics for Petroleum Engineers | 3 |
| PTE 505 | Inverse Modeling for Dynamic Data Integration | 3 |
| PTE 572 | Geostatistics | 3 |
| Elective from a group of approved PTE courses: | 4 | |
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (Smart Oilfield Technologies)
The Master of Science in petroleum engineering (smart oilfield technologies) is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. A student may be permitted to elect the program without thesis upon approval from the department. Course requirements are similar to the existing M.S. degree in petroleum engineering in terms of core requirements.
Certificate in Smart Oilfield Technologies
The certificate in smart oilfield techniques is designed for practicing engineers and scientists who enter petroleum engineering related fields and/or who wish to obtain training in the specific smart oilfields area. The applicants may enroll at USC as limited status students. They must apply and be admitted to the program before they complete 9 units of the required course work. The certificate program is open to applicants with an undergraduate degree in engineering or sciences who meet the admission criteria as limited students. The required courses consist of the following 12 units:
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| PTE 586 | Intelligent and Collaborative Oilfield Systems Characterization and Management | 3 |
| PTE 587 | Smart Completions, Oilfield Sensors and Sensor Technology | 3 |
| PTE 588 | Smart Oilfield Data Mining | 3 |
| PTE 589 | Advanced Oilfield Operations with Remote Visualization and Control | 3 |
These classes will be available through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN). The credit for classes may be applied toward the M.S. or Ph.D. in petroleum engineering should the student decide later to pursue an advanced degree. In order to be admitted to the M.S. program, the student should maintain a B average or higher in courses for the certificate program and must satisfy all normal admission requirements. All courses for the certificate must be taken at USC.
Engineer in Petroleum Engineering
Requirements for the Engineer degree in petroleum engineering are the same as set forth in the general requirements. See general requirements for graduate degrees.
Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctor of Philosophy with a major in petroleum engineering is also offered. See general requirements for graduate degrees.