Oil and Gas Enterprise Management

Syllabus

The MSc encompasses modules in the latest science and technology in geology, geophysics and engineering. It also includes Entrepreneurial and Negotiation Skills, Petroleum Economics, Psychology, Accountancy, Safety Engineering and Environmental Sciences. The emphasis will be on practical application of studies, technology, lateral thinking and management techniques.

Courses

The MSc in Oil and Gas Enterprise Management (formerly Hydrocarbon Enterprise) covers a broad range subjects and courses in order to encompass all the aspects related with the oil industry environment. Students will be presented with all of the business drivers in these areas of technology, from exploration, appraisal through production and decommissioning. World experts in all of these areas of expertise are on our doorstep in Aberdeen. Environmental, human and cultural impact of the oil industry is presented, and safety engineering and issues, using a series of case studies, is included. Students will be expected to research beyond each of these areas and produce papers reviewing aspects of technology and how it impacts on the business.

The course includes broader issues of security and conflict, by addressing and assessing risk in operating in the Middle East - Caspian Sea ellipse.

Many of the courses include 'games' spread over several days which require team and negotiating skills, as well as a knowledge of technology and economics, which draw the various courses together. Team-building, geological fieldwork, a visit to an oil platform and offshore safety course are all part of the course. The students undertake the RGIT Montrose Offshore Survival and Fire Fighting Training Course in Aberdeen, which is a four day intensive course that includes rolling in a submerged helicopter under controlled circumstances.

Excursions

As part of the MSc in Oil and Gas Enterprise Management, we take advantage of our position as the European Oil Capital by organising a series of excursions to examine aspects of the Oil Industry and the geology of the North Sea.

Visits

The Oil Industry has very strong links with the Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology. With 30 years of alumni from our MSc in Integrated Petroleum Geoscience (formerly Petroleum Geology) already in the industry globally, we are frequently visited by companies on recruitment drives.

Companies also maintain a high profile here by having showcases of their activities, technical presentations in house, and also by arranging visits to their offices.

Schlumberger host a visit to their facilities in Dyce, where students can examine at first hand the most up-to-date downhole tools used in the North Sea. Total host a visit to the St Fergus gas terminal, where students get to see all of the onshore facilities, and even get to the control room where gas is sold to the markets.

We also visit vessels in the harbour to show what service vessels are all about, and depending on availability, other types of vessel may also be toured. Shell host a superb visit to their Hive 3D visualisation centre, where real data sets are presented by Shell employees using that facility. In 2004, Shell also hosted a visit to the Pierce FPSO which is in dry dock in Newcastle. In future years, visits will vary, but we hope to include more regular visits to downstream facilities like the BP Grangemouth Oil Refinery.

Assessment

Assessment comprises of many practical exercises and research papers and essays, where students can access information from a wide array of sources, including Oil Industry journals, periodicals and other papers which are available to them. Many of the courses include ‘games' spread over several days, which require team and negotiating skills, as well as a knowledge of technology and economics, which draw the various courses together. Team-building, geological fieldwork, a visit to see oil platforms and offshore safety are all part of the programme.

Teaching

Lectures and classes are held in locations across the campus.

Students have a dedicated classroom in Meston Building and classes are held in this room and across the campus. In the dedicated classroom, students have access to computers, colour and monochrome laser printers and an a flatbed scanner. The PCs have a wide variety of specialist and standard software installed.

Dedication

12 months, full-time.