Petroleum Geology
Source: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/undergraduate/petroleum-geology Parent: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/undergraduate
21.03.01 In English and Russian
Level of education Bachelor
Type of instruction Full-time
Duration 4 years
Programme description
- The programme is designed to train specialists in petroleum engineering. They will be able to: successfully solve problems ranging from prospecting of hydrocarbon deposits to the control of their development. Particular attention in students’ training is paid to the study of fundamental oil and gas geology, prospecting and exploration of hydrocarbon deposits
- The programme is unique in that it combines fundamental and special problems such as exploration and development of unconventional and hard-to-recover natural hydrocarbon reserves. The programme involves studying issues of management, marketing and energy policy, as well as solving special geological, geophysical and technological problems
- The programme is aimed at training specialists capable of solving complex problems in the field of exploration and development of natural hydrocarbon deposits, including non-traditional and difficult-to-recover reserves. The programme involves the development of professional competencies in the field of: digital transformation of the oil and gas industry and the economy; decarbonisation (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage – CCUS); and the implementation of energy strategies of companies and the state
- Graduates of the programme are fully prepared for employment in hydrocarbon production facilities, research laboratories, and computational centres supporting scientific and industrial operations
The professional activities of graduates can be carried out in:
- institutions of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia
- exploration and production companies
- design and survey organisations
- vertically integrated oil and gas companies
- academic and ministerial research institutions to resolve fundamental and applied geological and petroleum issues.
The programme is implemented at the Advanced Engineering School ‘Interdisciplinary Research, Technologies and Business Processes for the Mineral Resources and Raw Materials Sector of Russia’ at St Petersburg University.
Main courses
- Geographical Information Systems
- Geodynamics
- Geological Mapping and Structural Geology
- Geophysics
- Lithology
- Drilling of Oil and Gas Wells
- Oil and Gas Well Operation
- Prospecting and Exploration of Oil and Gas Deposits
- Oil and Gas Resources and Reserves Estimation
Teaching staff
- V. Lushpeev – Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Mineral Deposit Geology. His research interests focus on innovative technologies for studying well hydrodynamics, and the development and operation of oil and gas fields
- I. Shpurov – Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor at the Department of Mineral Deposit Geology. His research interests include: hard-to-extract hydrocarbon reserves development, reservoir geology, and quantitative assessment of petroleum and gas reserves
- N. Alfimova – Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Regional Geology. She specialises in exogenic conditions during the Early Precambrian, with particular focus on their parameters and temporal evolution
- A. Butorin – Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Geophysics. His research interests span dynamic analysis of seismic datasets and their geological interpretation
- S. Shimansky – Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of Geophysics. His research interests include: seismic measurement data processing and interpretation, seismic facies analysis and palaeogeographic reconstructions and modelling for petroleum systems
Our advantages
- The programme is designed to train specialists in petroleum engineering. They will be able to: successfully solve problems ranging from prospecting of hydrocarbon deposits to the control of their development
- The programme is unique in that it combines fundamental and special problems such as exploration and development of unconventional and hard-to-recover natural hydrocarbon reserves
- The programme involves studying issues of management, marketing and energy policy, as well as solving special geological, geophysical and technological problems. This makes it possible for graduates to work successfully in public and private oil companies of the Russian Federation and foreign countries
- The programme is designed to meet professional standards and the opinions of employers
- Classes are held in classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art demonstration equipment and in specialised laboratories
Leading experts from oil companies, research and development organisations are involved in the implementation of the programme
- Federal State Budgetary Enterprise “State Commission on Mineral Reserves”
- Limited Liability Company "Gazpromneft Science and Technology Center"
- Federal State Budgetary Institution "VNIIOkeangeologia"
- Joint Stock Company "Sevmorgeo"
- Federal State Unitary Enterprise "All-Russian Research Geological Oil Institute"
- Federal State Unitary Research and Production Enterprise "Geologorazvedka"
While studying, students
- Take part in research activities conducted by St Petersburg University specialists
- Conduct independent research at the resource centres of St Petersburg University
- Take part in scientific conferences, symposia, contests, and academic competitions
Career opportunities
As part of the curriculum, students have two field camps: geology and geodesy; and geological mapping. During these courses, they practice the main approaches to geological research. Students acquire skills in stratigraphic, lithological, geophysical and structural investigations, which will be required in their future career. After the 3rd year of their studies, students do internships at industry-specific companies, where they practice their professional skills in solving specific challenges in the oil and gas industry. Students are also actively invited to take part in work placements at industry-specific companies. As a result of a successful internship or work placement, they may be employed by oil and gas organisations.
Internships and field training
Students undergo field training at permanent bases and dedicated sites:
- First year students undertake geological and geodetic fieldwork in the Leningrad and Novgorod Regions
- Second year students complete in geological mapping practicum (Crimea)
- Third year students participate in industrial placements
Industrial placements at
- Rosneft
- Gazprom Neft
- Surgutneftegas
- LUKOIL
- Gazpromneft Science & Technology Centre
- Schlumberger
- BashNIPINeft
- Federal State Budgetary Institution 'VNIIOkeangeologia' (Leading Research Institute in the field of marine geology)
- 'VNIGRI-Geologorazvedka' (All-Russian Petroleum Research Exploration Institute)
- Federal State Budgetary Institution 'A. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute'
- Federal State-Financed Institution 'State Commission on Mineral Reserves'
- Sevmorgeo
- EDS-GEO
- Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS
- Bashneftegeofizika
- PermNIPIneft
- Tatneft named after V. Shashin
Professions
- Specialist in Reserves Assessment
- Production Geologist
- Specialist in Geophysical Data Interpretation
Organisations where our graduates work
• Gazpron Neft
• Gazpromneft Science & Technology Centre
Accreditation
The programme is internationally accredited by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE), EUR-ACE@Bachelor, the Certificate dated 16 December 2020, valid until 15 December 2025.
The programme has professional and public accreditation from the Association for Engineering Education of Russia (AEER), Certificate No 0522 dated 16 December 2020, valid until 15 December 2025.