Chemistry for the Offshore Industry

The Offshore Industry is concerned with all aspects of oil and gas exploration and production, and in the longer term also with the decommissioning of off-shore facilities. The Industry has an enormous economic impact on the North-East and on the UK as a whole. There are wider links also with oil and gas production in other parts of the world.

Programme Structure & Content

First Year
Students study introductory courses in Chemistry, along with study of two other subjects, usually but not necessarily science ones. There is plenty of choice at this level.

Second Year
The four chemistry courses cover all the main areas of Chemistry and take up half the workload. Four more courses are selected from other departments, usually in science.

Third Year
Students spend all their time studying Chemistry, including a course on Communicating Chemistry targeted at transferable skills including computing, IT and presentation skills.

Fourth Year
All students have lectures on a range of specialised topics, and receive training in Methods of Research. Students have group-based practicals on Advanced Instrumental Techniques and a Mini-Project in fourth year.

Fifth Year
The MChem personal Research Project is in fifth year, and usually involves a placement in Europe.

Teaching & Assessment

In first year, traditional lectures and practical classes are now integrated with the support provided by the University's Virtual Learning Environment, WebCT. At higher levels, tutorials, individual and group project work, and essay and oral presentations, together with a rapidly increasing range of computer-based learning aids, also form part of the programme.