Program overview
Oil and Gas Field Development Engineering, simply put, is about how to 'invite' oil and natural gas out of the ground. You might think: isn't it just drilling a well and pumping oil? Actually, it's far more complex. This major covers a wide range of topics: from geological exploration (determining where oil is), drilling engineering (how to drill quickly and safely), to production technology (how to bring oil up), and reservoir management (how to make an oil field produce longer and more efficiently). Core courses include reservoir physics, fluid flow in porous media, reservoir engineering, production engineering, and drilling engineering. A solid foundation in math and physics is essential, especially fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. If you enjoy hands-on work, love pondering the invisible 'treasures' underground, and aren't afraid of going to oil fields, this major will suit you well. Chinese universities have unique strengths in this field, such as China University of Petroleum (East China/Beijing) and Southwest Petroleum University. They collaborate closely with China's three major oil companies (CNPC, Sinopec, CNOOC), giving students opportunities to intern at real oil fields and even participate in national-level 'shale oil revolution' projects. For international students, studying here not only exposes you to China's abundant onshore and offshore oil field cases but also teaches low-cost, high-efficiency development techniques that are very practical in developing countries.