• Faculty of Science
  • dean_science@um.edu.my
  • 03-79674200
logo
logo
Menu

Master of Petroleum Geoscience

  • Home
  • Master of Petroleum Geoscience

Introduction

The Department of Geology, University of Malaya is the oldest geology department amongst the Malaysian university. It was founded in Singapore in 1955 and relocated to The Kuala Lumpur Campus in 1960. From its modest beginning with only 4 academic staff and 2 final-year students in 1962, the Department has expanded and evolved into a multidisciplinary department, committed to the development of academic excellence in teaching and research. Each year, the Department accepts about 40-60 undergraduates for their 3-year BSc Degree in Geology and Applied Geology course. As an integral part of the undergraduates’ education, the Department carries out fieldwork training in various parts of the country. To ensure that our programmes are at par with the rest of the educational programmes in the developed nations, international external examiners are appointed to provide feedback on the Department’s programmes and examination matters regularly. The Department has been actively engaged in postgraduate research. In recent years, on average we have between 15 to 20 local and foreign postgraduate students. The fields of research being pursued range from fundamental geology to applied geology such as economic geology, geochemistry, geophysics, engineering geology, hydrogeology and petroleum geology. The Department is also the hub for the exchange, discussion and dissemination of geological knowledge in the country and the region. It houses the Secretariat of the Geological Society of Malaysia (GSM) and Institute Geology Malaysia (IGM). These bodies actively organize workshops, seminars, conferences and fieldwork to promote geology both locally and internationally.

Language Requirement

For international students, candidates are required to have TOEFL results at least 550 or IELTS at least Band 5.5

Entry Requirement

Applicants must have a Bachelor's Degree with Honors CGPA 3.0 and above or equivalent in the relevant field.
Applicants with a Bachelor's Degree of CGPA 2.7 to 2.99 may be considered if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
  1. Having relevant work experience; or
  2. Produce publications in related fields; or
  3. is a recipient of a scholarship; or
  4. is a graduate of the University of Malaya; or
  5. is a government servants
Applicants with a Bachelor's Degree of CGPA 2.5 to 2.69 may be considered if they meet at least two of the criteria in (1) (A) to (E) above

Course Structure

Based on direct feedback from Petroleum industry employers, the Master of Petroleum Geoscience Programme has been developed to satisfy the needs of:
  1. Malaysian and foreign students aiming for a successful domestic or international career in petroleum geosciences
  2. Industry employers seeking to upgrade young staff to Master level

We aim to produce a new generation of world-class, well-trained geoscientists able to confront the technical and practical challenges of the petroleum industry, particularly as reflected in the Malaysian context.

Master of Petroleum Geoscience

Session 2017/2018

(44 CREDITS)

1. Program Core Courses (40 CREDITS)

Course Code

Course Name

Credits

SQD7001

Petroleum Geoscience Research Methodology

3

SQD7002

Research Project

10

SQD7003

Structural Geology and Subsurface Mapping

3

SQD7004

Reservoir Sedimentology and Sequence Stratigraphy

4

SQD7005

Exploration Geophysics

3

SQD7006

Petrophysics and Well Log Analysis

3

SQD7007

Petroleum Geochemistry

3

SQD7008

Seismic Interpretation

4

SQD7009

Basin Analysis and Petroleum Systems

4

SQD7012

Petroleum Industry and Petroleum System

3

2. Program Elective Courses (4 CREDITS)

Course Code

Course Name

Credits

SQD7010

Development Geology

4

SQD7011

Petroleum Geostatistics

4

SQD7001 Petroleum Geoscience Research Methodology

Introduction to petroleum geoscience research methodologies. Topics include problem solving, critical thinking, multiple working hypotheses, written and oral presentation, data acquisition/analysis, statistical evaluation, instrumental and software analysis, teamwork, and integrated workflows.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skills in presenting petroleum geosciences written reports and oral presentation for industry
  2. Skills in applying critical thinking, petroleum geosciences concepts and geological models to identifying and solving problems
  3. Skills in using geological field methods and laboratory analyses in data acquisition and interpretation

SQD7002 Research Project

Candidates are required to either carry out a research project on a specific topic in petroleum geology, and/or be attached to industry to undertake a case study for a period of approximately 8 weeks. Candidates are required to give a seminar, attend a viva and submit a dissertation.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:
Geological mapping skill, seismic interpretational skill, usage of basin and reservoir modelling software

SQD7003 Structural Geology and Subsurface Mapping

Different tectonic setting and their respective structural styles will be introduced. The main structural elements and how they relate to trapping will be introduced. The importance of structural restoration in complex domains will be discussed. Preparation of reservoir and pathway maps will be taught and the basics of volumetrics given.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skills to prepare sub-surface maps
  2. Skills to prepare reservoir and pathway maps

SQD7004 Reservoir Sedimentology and Sequence Stratigraphy

This course integrates aspect of reservoir sedimentology, depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy. The course introduces the types of data, methodologies, and principles used in sequence stratigraphic and sedimentologic analysis of clastic and carbonate depositional systems. The importance of biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and depositional architecture to petroleum geology will be evaluated. The nature of nonmarine, marginal to shallow marine and deep-marine depositional systems will be analysed in terms of their impact on the producibility of petroleum reservoirs. Practical exercises incorporate cores, well logs, seismic data, field work, and software/digital data sets.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 60%
Final Examination 40%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Utilization of sequence stratigraphy in exploration and production of hydrocarbon reservoirs
  2. Ability to determine clastic and carbonate depositional environments
  3. Ability to use computer software for well correlation and core-well log integration

SQD7005 Exploration Geophysics

Main elements of acquisition, processing and interpretation, with emphasis on uncertainties and limitations of the seismic method and other geophysical methods in general such as bore hole logging as well as exploration using other geophysical methods.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 40%
Final Examination 60%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skill in geological interpretation of seismic data
  2. Skill in processing of seismic data for the petroleum industry
  3. Skill in interpretation of borehole data for the petroleum industry

SQD7006 Petrophysics and Well Log Analysis

Petrophysics is designed to provide geology students with a working knowledge of formation evaluation methods, including determination of reservoir properties using subsurface data from well log surveys in uncased holes, calibration and integration of well log data with core data, interpret open-hole logs using computer software, and gain familiarity with a full spectrum of well log suites.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skill to interpret open-hole logs using computer software
  2. Skill to utilize various bore hole, well log and cores data

SQD7007 Petroleum Geochemistry

The deposition and accumulation of organic matter will be described and breakdown of buried organic matter to oil and gas discussed. The main characteristics of source rocks, oils and gases will be evaluated. Oil/source correlation techniques will be described. Basin modelling application will be demonstrated.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 60%
Final Examination 40%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skill in using scientific instruments such as microscopy techniques and Soxhlet extraction
  2. Skill in applying organic geochemical methods in petroleum exploration
  3. Skill in interpreting petroleum geochemical data, e.g. chromatographic data interpretation

SQD7008 Seismic Interpretation

Seismic interpretation is a key component in hydrocarbon exploration and in creating the framework for the reservoir models used in field development planning. The student will acquire the ability to perform structural and stratigraphic interpretation of 2- and 3-D seismic data using computer workstations. Seismic attributes will be introduced and used to aid structural and stratigraphic interpretation and distribution of reservoir properties. The uses of seismic inversion, AVO, and time-lapse monitoring will be introduced.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skills to interpret 2D and 3D seismic data
  2. Skills to integrate scientific data
  3. Skills to apply seismic interpretation software technology (e.g. Petrel)

SQD7010 Development Geology

This course addresses the key components of development geology – reservoir characterization, reservoir modelling, and reservoir engineering. The student will develop an understanding of the field development workflow. Methodologies used in determining hydrocarbon volumes, reserves, and associated uncertainties are introduced and utilized. The integration of basic reservoir engineering and dynamic modelling with development geology and the field development process is introduced. Computer workstations are used to illustrate strategies and methodologies used in static model development and well planning. Identification of infill well and work over opportunities will be introduced.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Skill in field development planning
  2. Skill in forming a strategy to extract petroleum from a reservoir efficiently
  3. Skill in generating static reservoir models using computer software (e.g. Petrel)

SQD7011 Petroleum Geostatistics
(Pre-requisite SQD7003 & SQD7004)

This course presents the concepts and methodologies underlying the use of geostatistics in the oil and gas industry, focussing on reservoir characterization. The course includes a review of basic probability and statistics. The importance of data sampling, model resolution and scales is emphasized. The use of the variogram and other techniques in quantifying spatial correlation using two-point and multi-point geostatistics in constructing cell- and object-based 3D deterministic and stochastic static reservoir models is discussed in lectures and applied in practical exercises. Case studies are used to illustrate practical applications in hydrocarbon volume estimation, evaluation of uncertainty, well path design, and field development planning. Computer software is used throughout the course.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment 100%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:

  1. Evaluate the output of deterministic and stochastic reservoir models
  2. Evaluate uncertainties in field development planning

SQD7012 Petroleum Industry and Petroleum Systems

Introduction to industry, petroleum accumulation processes, essential parameters, subsurface processes, petroleum systems and plays, technologies and methods, working with uncertainty, status and possible industry future, HSE, contracts & economic analysis.

Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessment (including projects) 60%
Final Examination 40%

Medium of Instruction:
English

Transferable Skills:
Skill in communicating using the technical terminology of the petroleum industry

AASC

Fees

Last Update: 11/01/2022