Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, B.S.

Program Description

The undergraduate curriculum in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering has been designed to equip the student with the fundamentals necessary to achieve lifelong professional growth. Graduates are prepared to enter both the private and public sectors as petroleum and natural gas engineers or to pursue further education at the graduate level.

The courses are structured to serve as a melting pot for theory, application to case studies, and engineering project design. This enables the student to appreciate and understand that a successful engineering design project requires a sound theoretical foundation, experimentation and engineering judgment. The thrust of the program structure emphasizes the fundamentals of mathematics and earth and engineering sciences and integrates them in application to traditional petroleum and natural gas engineering topics. Design projects are required throughout the curriculum. Execution of these projects requires an amalgamation of problem formulation strategies, testing of alternative design methodologies, feasibility studies, and economic and environmental considerations. Graduates of the program are expected to perform in various facets of the petroleum industry including drilling, production, evaluation, transportation, and storage. The petroleum and natural gas engineering faculty and staff are committed to an interactive teaching and learning environment to ensure that the student is an active participant in the learning process. General education opportunities are sufficiently broad and diverse in scope to enable the student to tailor the educational experience to particular interests, background, and expected role in society.

What is Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering?

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering is a field related to the extraction of hydrocarbon resources (either crude oil or natural gas) from subsurface reservoirs. As such, petroleum and natural gas engineers predominantly work in the upstream sector of the oil and energy industries, which comprises exploration, field development, well drilling, production and injection well optimization, and wastewater disposal and CO₂ sequestration well planning. Once oil and gas are discovered, petroleum engineers determine optimum drilling and completion methods, monitor and manage production operations, and design reservoir development strategies.  They have the responsibility of providing engineering solutions with global economic, environmental, geopolitical, and societal impacts. Petroleum and natural gas engineers work closely with geoscientists and other science and technology specialists. In addition to hydrocarbon extraction, they are also well-suited to solve complex problems in geothermal energy, geological carbon sequestration, wastewater disposal, and environmental remediation of soil, groundwater, and other geologic media.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You enjoy combining disciplines such as geology, physics, and mathematics to solve complex problems of importance to society.
• You want to use science and engineering principles to tackle the challenges of global energy demands.
• You seek a profession that offers domestic and international networking opportunities.
• You enjoy working in the field, performing sophisticated computer simulations, or interpreting geologic and production data.

Entrance to Major

This program currently has administrative enrollment controls. Administrative Enrollment Controls are initiated when limitations of space, faculty, or other resources in a major prevent accommodating all students who request them. Students must follow the administrative enrollment controls that are in effect for the semester that they enter the university.

First-Year Students Entering Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• 29.1-59 graded Penn State credits (excludes transfer and AP credits)
• completed with a grade of C or better: CHEM 110, CHEM 112, MATH 140, MATH 141, PHYS 211
• earned a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.60

Students Who Entered Prior to Summer 2021

Students who entered the University from Summer 2018 through Spring 2021 should view the administrative enrollment controls in the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin archive. Students who entered the University prior to the summer 2018 semester should view the administrative enrollment controls for the semester that they entered the university on the Academic Advising Portal.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, a minimum of 129 credits is required:

30 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GH courses; 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 9 credits of GWS courses.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol  appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Knowledge Domains

• Arts (GA): 6 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 6 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits

Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)

• Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement    

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
CHEM 111	Experimental Chemistry I	1
ECON 102	Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy	3
EMCH 210	Statics and Strength of Materials 2	5
EMCH 212	Dynamics	3
EME 460	Geo-resource Evaluation and Investment Analysis	3
EMSC 100S	Earth and Mineral Sciences First-Year Seminar 1	3
ENGL 202C	Effective Writing: Technical Writing	3
GEOSC 1	Physical Geology	3
GEOSC 454	Geology of Oil and Gas	3
MATH 220	Matrices	2
MATH 231	Calculus of Several Variables	2
MATH 251	Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations	4
PNG 301	Introduction to Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering	3
PNG 420	Applied Reservoir Analysis and Secondary Recovery	3
PNG 425	Principles of Well Testing and Evaluation	3
PNG 430	Reservoir Modeling	3
PNG 440W	Formation Evaluation	3
PNG 480	Surface Production Engineering	3
PNG 482	Production Engineering Laboratory	1
PNG 490	Introduction to Petroleum Engineering Design	1
PNG 491	Capstone Design in Drilling and Completions	1
PNG 492	Petroleum Engineering Capstone Design	1
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
CHEM 110	Chemical Principles I	3
CHEM 112	Chemical Principles II	3
EME 301	Thermodynamics in Energy and Mineral Engineering	3
EME 303	Fluid Mechanics in Energy and Mineral Engineering	3
MATH 140	Calculus With Analytic Geometry I	4
MATH 141	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
PHYS 211	General Physics: Mechanics	4
PHYS 212	General Physics: Electricity and Magnetism	4
PNG 405	Rock and Fluid Properties	3
PNG 406	Rock and Fluid Laboratory	1
PNG 410	Applied Reservoir Engineering	3
PNG 450	Drilling Engineering	3
PNG 451	Drilling Laboratory	1
PNG 475	Production and Completions Engineering	3
Additional Courses
Select 9 credits: one course from categories A, B, and C:		9
A.
ENGL 15	Rhetoric and Composition
or ENGL 30H	Honors Rhetoric and Composition
B.
PHIL 103	Ethics
PHIL 106	Business Ethics
PHIL 107	Philosophy of Technology
PHIL 233
C.
CMPSC 201	Programming for Engineers with C++
or CMPSC 202
Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Select 6 credits in consultation with adviser (students may apply 6 credits of ROTC)		6

Integrated B.S. in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and M.S. in Energy and Mineral Engineering

Requirements for the Integrated B.S. in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and M.S. in Energy and Mineral Engineering can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.

Program Educational Objectives

1. Our graduates will integrate key science and engineering principles to address the technological challenges of the petroleum and natural gas industry.
2. Our graduates will practice in a broad range of petroleum engineering fields working on teams that create innovative solutions to the most pressing problems of the petroleum and natural gas industry by implementing the ideals of ethical behavior, professionalism, and environmental sensitivity and social awareness.
3. Our graduates will be recognized as critical and independent thinkers and will assume positions of leadership in defining the social, intellectual, business and technical dimensions of the professional organizations they belong to.
4. Our graduates will continue their lifelong learning process and participate in graduate education to remain as effective professionals in the workplace of the future.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering program is designed to enable students to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Gregory King
Program Chair for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
123 Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-867-3547
grk17@psu.edu

Molly Nulty
Academic Adviser
110 Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-8475
mkn6@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2021-22 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contain suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, B.S. at University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.

Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and replace both ENGL 30H and CAS 100. Each course is 3 credits.

Advising Notes:

Only students who are enrolled in EMSC or DUS are eligible to apply to PNGE.

Courses required for the major may be offered fall semester only, spring semester only, or both fall and spring semesters.  Consult with your adviser and department to discuss your academic progress and course sequencing.  

The PNGE program strongly recommends that students have summer internships, as many companies will only consider hiring PNGE graduates who have had at least one internship.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, B.S. at Commonwealth Campuses

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.

Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.

Advising Notes:

Only students who are enrolled in EMSC or DUS are eligible to apply to PNGE.

Courses required for the major may be offered fall semester only, spring semester only, or both fall and spring semesters.  Consult with your adviser and department to discuss your academic progress and course sequencing.  

The PNGE program strongly recommends that students have summer internships, as many companies will only consider hiring PNGE graduates who have had at least one internship.

Career Paths

Graduates of this program find rewarding careers across the globe as engineers for governmental and regulatory bodies, oil and gas producing companies, and other independent and service companies in the energy sector.

Careers

Our graduates may be candidates for careers in a wide range of industries in both the private and public sector including major oil and gas production companies, large and small independents and service companies and government agencies. The oil and gas industry is a global industry, and both U.S. domestic and international careers are commonly pursued by PNGE graduates.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING PROGRAM

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

Graduates may be well suited to pursue graduate-level studies. Further study toward an M.S. or Ph.D. can lead to research, university, or management positions.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

Professional Resources

• Society of Petroleum Engineers Penn State Student Chapter
• American Association of Drilling Engineers Penn State Student Chapter
• Positive Energy
• International Society of Explosives Engineers Penn State Student Chapter

Accreditation

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering B.S. program in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at Penn State is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ABET ACCREDITATION

Professional Licensure/Certification

Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.

Contact

University Park

JOHN AND WILLIE LEONE FAMILY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND MINERAL ENGINEERING
113 Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-3437
eme@ems.psu.edu

http://www.eme.psu.edu