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Unit Overview

Description

This unit is an introduction to petroleum engineering for advanced level students. The topics covered are petroleum generation, exploration, drilling, stresses in the Earth's crust, well stability, hydraulic fracturing, petrophysics, logging, reservoir characterisation, the operations, maintenance and decommissioning phases of a reservoir, the economic parameters involved in developing a reservoir, and extraction and production.

Credit
6 points
Offering
(see Timetable)
AvailabilityLocationMode
Semester 2UWA (Perth)Face to face
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) analyse stress in the earth crust; (2) calculate the stress around a well and perform a well stability analysis; (3) develop simple models of hydraulic fracture; (4) evaluate the flow through porous rocks accounting for reservoir heterogeneity and in situ stresses; (5) evaluate reservoir properties from different sources and interpret reservoir properties obtained from different methods; (6) develop models of reservoir properties using appropriate techniques; (7) make simple investment decisions and evaluate the necessary parameters; (8) locate and evaluate literature relevant to the unit content; (9) work effectively in a diverse team to achieve professional outcomes; and (10) communicate effectively through concise written technical reports, using discourse conventions relevant to the discipline.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) three assignments and (2) a final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.



Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Professor Elena Pasternak
Unit rules
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
62550 Master of Professional Engineering (Chemical Engineering specialisation
or Mechanical Engineering specialisation)
or Enrolment in 62520 Master of Low Emission Energy Technologies
or
Enrolment in
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or an associated Combined Degree and a WAM of at least 50
and Successful completion of
( 120 points
and GENG2003 Fluid Mechanics
)
Advisable prior study
ENSC3003 Fluid Mechanics
or GENG2003 Fluid Mechanics
Contact hours
lectures and practical classes
Note
The unit requires understanding of the concept of stress, which includes the definition of stress, stress transformation and principal stress. It is expected that the students who have not acquired such understanding in their prior studies, study the relevant material (see unit webpage for details) in the first two weeks of the semester.
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.