Petroleum Engineering Syllabus 2024: Subjects, Semester-wise Syllabus PDF, Top Colleges, Books

Updated on Jan 6, 2025 05:56 IST
Vidhi Jain

Vidhi JainContent Writer

Petroleum Engineering is an undergraduate and postgraduate level course for students who want to pursue their careers as petroleum engineers. Petroleum Engineering is the study related to the production of hydrocarbons such as natural gas, crude oil, etc. Most petroleum engineers in the future work with geoscientists and other specialists. The students who wanted to get admission in bachelor-level courses must clear their higher secondary examination with the science stream. The eligibility criteria for master level courses students who have passed out their bachelor level courses in science are only eligible for masters in Petroleum Engineering.

The subjects students study in bachelor’s and master-level engineering courses are applied geology, environmental studies, fluid mechanics, basic electronic engineering, surveying, heat transfer processes, and many more.

Syllabus – Important Facts for Petroleum Engineering syllabus

  • BTech in Petroleum Engineering is an eight-semester course: BTech in Petroleum Engineering is an undergraduate course with eight semesters. This course builds skills in the exploration and production of oil and gas. It is a professional course in the field of petroleum technology.

  • Master in Petroleum Engineering is a two-year-long program: A Master’s in Petroleum Engineering is a post-graduate level course with four semesters. It is a two-year-long degree after a bachelor's degree. This degree imparts knowledge of Petroleum Engineering.

  • Petroleum Engineering in IIT Bombay: Institutes of national importance Bombay is the best university for students who want to pursue their careers in Petroleum Engineering. It is the top university in the world. There is a list of undergraduate-level courses available such as engineering in chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and many more.

  • Petroleum Engineering in IIT Madras: Indian Institute of Technology Madras is also the best university for Petroleum Engineering. This university focuses on the upstream activities of petroleum exploration and production with a strong emphasis.

  • Scope in India: As we know scarcity of petroleum is increasing day by day and for the expansion of petroleum resources we need more engineers with innovative skills with new operational skills.

  • General examination pattern: Generally, students are evaluated based on lab exercises, assignments, small projects, mid-semester examinations, and end semester examinations.

List of Subjects in Petroleum Engineering syllabus

Check below the subjects with the syllabus of Petroleum Engineering

Typical Core Subjects for Petroleum Engineering syllabus

Subject title

Subject details

English

Students will learn to identify their listening skills, speaking skills, reading skills, and writing skills under this subject. The syllabus of this subject is designed in such a manner that develops the linguistic and communicative skills of the engineering student.

Some other parts of the syllabus are

  • Introduction to human resources for engineers

  • Transport problems and solutions

  • Evaluating technology

  • Alternative sources of energy

  • Our living environment

  • Safety and training

Engineering physics

Under this subject, students will learn about the various concepts of optical interference, coherent sources, utility optical instrumentation, and many more. Students also learn that nuclear power is a reliable source for running industries.

Some other parts of the syllabus are:

  • Principle of superposition

  • Resolving power of the grating, telescope, and microscopes

  • Types of polarisation production

  • Reverberation time

  • Crystallography and X-ray diffraction

  • Mass defect and building energy

  • Electric polarisation

Basic Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Students will learn about various principles of electrical laws, operation, analysis of networks, construction details of DC machines, transformers, alternators, and 3 phase induction mirrors under this subject. Students also learn about the operation of PNP and NPN transistors and various amplifiers.

Some other parts of the syllabus are:

  • Basic elements and types of network elements

  • Principle of operation of DC generator

  • Principle of single-phase transformers

  • Operations of 3-phase induction

  • Characteristics of operation amplifiers

  • Frequency response of CE amplifier

Petroleum Geology

It is concerned with the study of the origin, occurrence, accumulation, movement, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels. The students will learn to identify different sources such as reservoirs and caprocks.

Some other parts of the syllabus are

  • the Definition of source rock and its types

  • Characteristics of reservoir rocks

  • Reservoir Properties and Cap Rocks

  • Hydrocarbon migration

  • Entrapment of hydrocarbons

  • Sedimentary Basins

Process Instrumentation

Under this subject, students will learn about the basic elements of an instrument and also its characteristics such as static and dynamic both. Students also learn various types of industrial thermometers, composition analysis, and many more.

Some other parts of the syllabus are:

  • Fundamentals and elements of instruments

  • Industrial Thermometers-1 and 2

  • Composition analysis

  • Introduction to Pressure, vacuum, and head

  • Density and specific gravity measurement

Typical Elective Subjects for Petroleum Engineering syllabus

Subject title

Subject details

Pipeline engineering

Pipeline engineering is concerned with the operation and maintenance of the flow of lines. Students will learn about the designing of pipes, manufacturing of pipeline products, cleaning services, etc under this subject.

Offshore Engineering

Students will learn about the deepwater offshore structures and challenges under this subject. This subject introduces the concept of wave theory for linear waves, and its estimation with small and offshore structures such as wind, wave, gravity, and many more.

Reservoir Stimulation

Reservoir Stimulation is the study of rock mechanics, and its development with simple 2D, pseudo 3D, and real 3D analytical models. Students also gain knowledge on the fracturing of fluids, the rheology of fracturing fluids, and the designing of fracturing fluids.

Detailed Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering syllabus

The syllabus of B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering may vary from one university to the other, but the subjects are more or less the same. Here is a general overview of the core or elective subjects taught from the first to eighth semesters in B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering.

Semester

Core/Elective

Subject title

Subject Details

1

Core

Engineering chemistry

Students will learn to identify the knowledge of basic concepts of chemistry which are required for engineering students. It deals with the study of the operation, design of chemical plants, the process of converting raw material into finished products, and many more.

2

Core

Mathematics-II & III

Under this subject, students build their mathematical skills, techniques, and mathematical methods that will help them in developing various analytic and design concepts.

2

Core

Elements of Mechanical Engineering

This subject provides the students with knowledge about the various concepts of mechanical systems and also provides knowledge of fundamental principles of materials, fuels, I.C. engines, steam, compressors, hydraulic machines, and transmission systems.

3

Core

Complex Variables

Students will learn about the various special functions, and their generating functions such as geometry, algebra, and calculus. This subject gives more emphasis on complex analytic functions of geometry and also develops computational skills.

4

Core

Thermodynamics for Petroleum Engineers

Under this subject, students will understand the laws of thermodynamics such as zeroth, first, and second. This subject also explains the various thermodynamic properties like specific volume, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, specific heat, etc. Students also learn the application of these laws for analysing chemical processes.

5

Core

Drilling Technology

Students will learn about the various aspects of drilling under this subject. This subject explains the process of drilling with the help of various equipment, designs, tools, techniques, and many more.

6

Elective

Alternative Energy Sources for Automobiles

As we know various Alternative Energy Sources are required for Automobiles such as LPG. CNG, methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, biodiesel, electricity, and fuel cells. This subject explains the advantages, disadvantages, characteristics, and differences between these alternative energy sources.

7

Elective

Natural Gas Hydrates

This subject taught students about natural gas hydrates and their properties. Students will also learn to identify the knowledge of NGH, its classification, hydrate formation, dehydration process, deactivation of hydrates, and many more under this subject.

8

Core

EOR Techniques

Students will learn about the secondary and tertiary recovery of crude oils from various specific reservoirs under this subject. Students also gain knowledge over maintenance of injection wells, production wells, ignition of wells, handling of injection wells, and so on.

Specialisations offered in Petroleum Engineering syllabus

Petroleum Engineering is the most versatile file of engineering, which is concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, such as crude oil and natural gas. It aims to develop equipment for extracting oil and gas.

Specialisation

Subjects

Details

Drilling engineering

  • Entrepreneurship

  • Market Survey and Opportunity Identification (Business Planning)

  • Management Principles

  • Functional Areas of Management

  • Leadership and Motivation

  • Work Culture, TQM & Safety

  • Legislation

  • Smart Technology

Drilling engineering is the specialisation of Petroleum Engineering which is concerned with the drilling of wells using various techniques. Students will learn about the various methods and concepts of drilling wells. It is the first application of technology for the practices of oil fields.

Production engineering

  • Fluid mechanics

  • Engineering thermodynamics

  • Mathematics

  • Mechanics of deformable bodies

  • Computer graphics and solid modelling

  • Electrical machines

  • Primary production processes

  • Material science and technology

  • Graphic laboratory

Production engineering is one of the specialised courses offered under Petroleum Engineering. Under this course students will gain knowledge on manufacturing of products, designing of products from raw materials, implementation, operation, control, and maintenance of various processes involved in manufacturing of the products.

reservoir engineering

  • Introduction to reservoir engineering

  • Introduction to Python and Python functions

  • Python - Object-oriented programming

  • Single-Phase Flow Equations

  • Implicit Method and Transmissibility

  • Heterogeneities

  • 2D Flow, wells, and well models

Under this specialised course, students will learn to apply various scientific principles to the fluid flow through the porous medium. Such principles are applied in the case of the development and production of oil and gas reservoirs for obtaining high economic recovery.

Books and Authors Related to Petroleum Engineering syllabus

As Petroleum Engineering is a highly versatile field with many specialisations, students follow a wide range of books during their graduation or post-graduation. Listed below are some books that are highly referred to.

Subject

Book title

Author

Description

Natural Gas Hydrates

Natural Gas Hydrates: A Guide for Engineers

 

John Carroll

 

The author explains the concepts of natural gas hydrates, their properties, their classification, hydrate formation, dehydration process, and deactivation of hydrates in this book.

Engineering physics

Functional Analysis: An Introduction

 

Hiroyuki Shima

This book explains the various concepts of optical interference, coherent sources, utility optical instrumentation, and many more.

Basic Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Basic Electrical and Electronics Engineering

 

R. Saravanakumar V. Jegathesan, K. Vinoth Kumar

The author imparts knowledge on principles of electrical laws, operation, analysis of network, and construction details of DC machines, transformers, alternators, and 3 phase induction mirrors.

Petroleum Geology

Geology Of Petroleum 2Ed

 

LEVORSEN A.I.

Petroleum geology is concerned with the study of the origin, occurrence, accumulation, movement, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels.

Process Instrumentation

Instrumentation and Process Control

 

Vishnu Priye Janardan Prasad

The author explains the deep concept of industrial thermometers, composition analysis, and many more.

Petroleum Production Engineering

Petroleum Production Engineering

 

Boyun Guo

This book provides knowledge of fundamental concepts in petroleum production engineering with reservoir fluids.

Surface Production Operations

Surface Production Operations, Volume 1: Design of Oil Handling Systems and Facilities

 

Maurice Stewart

Surface Production Operations is concerned with the operation and maintenance of surface equipment installed in GGS or GCS.

Petroleum Economics, Policies & Regulations

Petroleum, Industry, and Governments: An Introduction to Petroleum Regulation, Economics, and Government

Bernard Taverne

The author explains the importance of the petroleum sector in the world economy and the application of micro and macro environments in India.

Entrance Exams for Petroleum Engineering syllabus

Listed below are the central and state-level exams to secure seats for B.Tech Petroleum Engineering courses at the premier institutes in India. The minimum eligibility condition for these exams is passing the 10+2 examination with good scores. Individually, every exam has different cutoff requirements for those scores.

  • JEE main

  • BITSAT

  • VITEEE

  • UPES DAT

  • MU-OET

  • MHT CET

The difficulty level of JEE mains and VITEEE exams ranges from moderate to high, while the remaining exams are of moderate level. For scoring good marks in these examinations, you study the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and/or Biology well. The tests can get you into the best colleges for B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering like IITs, NITs, and IIITs.

Syllabus for Distance Program in Petroleum Engineering syllabus

All students are not able to afford the regular classes. Also, students who are unable to meet the eligibility requirements for full-time courses, opt for part-time or distance B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering programs. The syllabus of distance education programs is similar to the regular programs. The evaluation format (30% for internal assessment and 70% for the end semester examination) is nearly the same as the regular courses.

The top colleges for distance education are Texas A&M University--College Station, Stanford University, University of Tulsa, Colorado School of Mines, University of Oklahoma, and many more.

Top Colleges for Petroleum Engineering

Based on the curriculum, choices of electives offered, and in-house placement opportunities, these are the top colleges for Petroleum Engineering in India.

S.No.

College/University/Institution

Syllabus PDFs

1

IIT Bombay

To be uploaded soon

2

IIT Madras

To be uploaded soon

3

LPU Jalandhar

To be uploaded soon

4

Chandigarh University

Download Here

5

School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun

To be uploaded soon

6

Presidency University, Bangalore

 

To be uploaded soon

7

MIT WPU Faculty of Engineering, Pune

 

To be uploaded soon

8

OPJS University, Rajgarh

 

To be uploaded soon

9

DIT University, Dehradun

 

To be uploaded soon

10

NIMS University, Jaipur

 

To be uploaded soon

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the scope of Petroleum Engineering in India?

A. Petroleum Engineering is considered as one of the great career opportunities for engineering students in India. As we know scarcity of petroleum is increasing day by day and for the expansion of petroleum resources we need more engineers with innovative skills with new operational skills.

Q. What are the subjects taught in Petroleum Engineering?

A. There are many subjects that are taught in Petroleum Engineering, some of which are:
  • English

  • Engineering physics

  • Basic Electrical & Electronics Engineering

  • Petroleum Geology

  • Process Instrumentation

  • Surface Production Operations

  • Petroleum Economics, Policies & Regulations

Q. What are the eligibility requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate level Petroleum Engineering courses?

A. The students who wanted to get admission in bachelor-level courses must clear their higher secondary examination with the science stream. The eligibility criteria for master level courses students who have passed out their bachelor level courses in science are only eligible for master’s in Petroleum Engineering.

Q. What are the entrance exams conducted for getting admission in Petroleum Engineering courses?

A. There is a list of entrance exams conducted for getting admission in Petroleum Engineering courses are:
  • JEE main

  • BITSAT

  • VITEEE

  • UPES DAT

  • MU-OET

  • MHT CET

Q. What is the duration of a BTech in Petroleum Engineering?

A. BT ech in Petroleum Engineering is an undergraduate course with eight semesters. This course builds skills in the exploration and production of oil and gas.

Q. Name the universities which offer Petroleum Engineering courses in India?

A. There are several colleges and universities which offer Petroleum Engineering in India IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, LPU Jalandhar, Chandigarh University, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Presidency University, Bangalore, and so on.

Q. How many subjects consist of reservoir engineering?

A. Reservoir engineering consists of subjects such as:
  • Introduction to reservoir engineering

  • Introduction to Python and Python functions

  • Python - Object-oriented programming

  • Single-Phase Flow Equations

  • Implicit Method and Transmissibility

  • Heterogeneities

  • 2D Flow, wells, and well models

Q. What do you mean by Petroleum Geology?

A. Petroleum Geology is concerned with the study of origin, occurrence, accumulation, movement, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels.

Q. What are the subjects in the entrance exams for Petroleum Engineering?

A. The subjects for entrance exams in Petroleum Engineering are English, Chemistry, and Mathematics with total marks of 300.

Q. What is the study of Natural Gas Hydrates?

A. Natural gas hydrates are the study of natural gas and its properties. It imparts knowledge of NGH, its classification, hydrate formation, dehydration process, deactivation of hydrates, and many more.

Q. Name the specialisations offered in Petroleum Engineering?

A. There are several specialisations offered in Petroleum Engineering some of which are:
  • The Thermodynamics of Reservoirs.

  • Drilling and Exploration.

  • Geology of Petroleum.

  • Geomechanics.

  • Engineering Control and Measurement.

  • Strength of materials.

  • Drilling and well completion.

  • Reservoir Design

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Petroleum Engineering. Students interested in pursuing a career on Petroleum Engineering, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

22 Jan ' 25 - 24 Jan ' 25

JEE Main 2025 Exam Date Session 1 - Paper 1

28 Jan ' 25 - 29 Jan ' 25

JEE Main 2025 Exam Date Session 1 - Paper 1

7 Jan ' 25

GATE 2025 Admit Card

1 Feb ' 25

GATE 2025 Exam (CS1 | AG | MA | CS2 | NM | MT | T...

30 Dec ' 24 - 15 Feb ' 25

MHT CET 2025 Application Form

16 Feb ' 25 - 22 Feb ' 25

MHT CET 2025 Application Form with late fee

Popular Petroleum Engineering Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Petroleum Engineering Colleges in India. Learn more about these Petroleum Engineering colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
2.69 L
17.92 LPA

#2 India Today

1 Course
20 K
17 LPA

#3 The Week

#4 India Today

1 Course
1.14 L
6.5 LPA

#6 India Today

60 K - 8 L
9 - 15 LPA

#12 The Week

1 Course
10.4 L
7.25 LPA

Popular Private Petroleum Engineering Colleges in India

2 Courses
1.35 L - 4.8 L
4.5 LPA
81.7 K - 90.7 K
Min. 1 Year of Work Experience Required to Apply | Distance & Online Engineering Programs
81.7 K - 90.7 K
Min. 1 Year of Work Experience Required to Apply | Distance & Online Engineering Programs
81.7 K - 90.7 K
Min. 1 Year of Work Experience Required to Apply | Distance & Online Engineering Programs
5 Courses
3.09 L - 18.32 L
6 - 6.5 LPA

Petroleum Engineering Applications open till Jan 21, 2025. Apply Now

81.7 K - 90.7 K
Min. 1 Year of Work Experience Required to Apply | Distance & Online Engineering Programs

Popular Petroleum Engineering UG Courses

Following are the most popular Petroleum Engineering UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Petroleum Engineering PG Courses

Following are the most popular Petroleum Engineering PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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Student Forum

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Answered 5 days ago

The duration of Petroleum Engineering courses typically depends on the level of the programme you choose:

  1. Bachelor's Degree (B.E./B.Tech): This is a 4-year undergraduate program. It includes both theoretical and practical learning, covering topics like drilling, reservoir engineering, and oil explora

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Rupesh Katariya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Graduates of Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines are prepared to work in academia, conduct research in commercial or government laboratories, and make scientific discoveries that advance the industry. The college has 7 research centers working closely with industry. Mines also ranked

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M

Misha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Well, the answer to this question would differ from person to person. The people who have the fire in the belly to dig deep and dive into the ocean of research knowledge about oil and gas resources would love going for a PhD degree in Petroleum Engineering. The duration of the doctorate degree cours

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V

Vidhi Jain

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

Petroleum Engineering courses are offered at the diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate levels. It can be also pursued as executive programs offered by various other colleges. If you have completed your Class 12 in Science background and have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as

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V

Vidhi Jain

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

The Petroleum Engineering course is an interdisciplinary study that deals with the application of knowledge of Chemical Engineering,  Geology, and Structural Engineering in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons from inside the earth's surface. In this course, you get to learn the nuances of

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Vidhi Jain

Contributor-Level 7