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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2011/2012
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Earth Science

Undergraduate Course: Hydrocarbons (EASC09003)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) Credits10
Home subject areaEarth Science Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThe course introduces many of the concepts and methods utilised by the petroleum industry in finding and exploiting fossil fuel reserves. Many geosciences graduates are employed in this industry, and it is hoped that the course will prepare for both job applications and resulting interviews, as well as giving a broad overview of the subject.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Earth Dynamics (EASC08001)
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Stratigraphy and Sedimentology (EASC08015)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesBasic Geological Training
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) WebCT enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Location Activity Description Weeks Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
King's BuildingsLaboratory1-11 10:00 - 12:00
King's BuildingsLecture1-11 09:00 - 09:50
First Class Week 18, Wednesday, 09:00 - 12:00, Zone: King's Buildings. Lecture 9-10am, MLT/201 Grant Ins, Lab 10-12pm Room 6231, JCMB
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours:Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
&· A broad and integrated knowledge of the basic principles and industrial applications of petroleum geology, petroleum geochemistry, subsurface fluids, geophysical exploration and wireline well logging.
&· A detailed knowledge of the plays in the North and South North Sea.
&· The principal and specialised skills used in the industry: reconnaissance gravity, magnetic and regional seismic reflection surveys and wireline logging.
&· The interpretation of the main logging devices and seismic sections
&· Practise drawing on a range of sources in making judgements.
Assessment Information
100% degree exam, which will include material taught in both lectures and practicals, and may also include practical exercises.
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Although the course is focused on an applied topic, a huge amount of academic effort has been focussed on the requirements of the hydrocarbon industry. Data analysis from hydrocarbon fields, using geophysical and geological models are core to the highly technological modern-day industry. Academic questions such as $ùwhere does oil come from?&ª become highly applied when they are used to inform exploration strategy.
Syllabus L1 Geological elements of a petroleum system; future sources of energy including clathrates and oil shales.
P1 Location of reserves and resources worldwide, unconventional hydrocarbons, exploration histories
L2a Origin of oil and gas; source rocks
L2b Maturation of source rocks; geochemical compositions of crude oils; measures of maturation and migration.
L3 Migration from the source rock; migration to the trap; sealing of trap; fluid pressure in the subsurface.
P3 Calculation of burial and maturation.
L4 Petroleum systems, plays, traps and fluids
P4 Plays, traps and field volumes
L5 Drilling and wireline logs
P5 Logging practical.
L6 Regional seismic surveys.
P6 Sedimentology of the Ninian Delta using oilfield data
L7 Geophysical exploration techniques; reconnaissance gravity and magnetics.
P7 Use of geophysical survey techniques to appraise a concealed basin
L & P8 Carbon Capture and Storage
L9 Introduction to North Sea plays
P9 The Brent play
L10 Introduction to seismic and sequence stratigraphy
P10 Use of reflector terminations in seismic analysis
Transferable skills Practical classes encourage data analysis and sythesis of a wide range of geoscience topics
Reading list (*, **, *** indicate usefulness)

Consider purchase (two or more copies of each should be in library):

*** Selley RC (1998) Elements of Petroleum Geology, 2nd ed. Academic Press

** Gluyas JG & Swarbrick R (2004) Petroleum Geoscience. Blackwell.
ISBN 0632 03767 9. Good for integration of geology and geophysics applied to hydrocarbon exploration and production

** Glennie KW (1998) Introduction to the Petroleum Geology of the North Sea. 4th ed. Blackwell Science

** Kearey P, Brooks M and Hill, I. (2003) An Introduction to Geophysical Exploration. Blackwell. ISBN 0 632 04929 4. Good for seismic reflection, magnetics & gravity.

Also refer to:

Hunt, J.M. (1995) Petroleum Geochemistry and Geology ISBN 0-7167-2441-3. A bit advanced for this course but still good. Out of print but in library.

Rider M (1996) The geological interpretation of well logs, 2nd ed. Whittles Publishing, Caithness. ISBN 1 870325 36 2 (£38).

North FK (1985) Petroleum Geology. Allen and Unwin. Out of print but in library.
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsHydrocarbons: oil industry, natural gas, carbon capture and storage, wireline logs, seismic, magneti
Contacts
Course organiserDr Mark Wilkinson
Tel: (0131 6)50 5943
Email: Mark.Wilkinson@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Emma Latto
Tel: (0131 6)50 8510
Email: emma.latto@ed.ac.uk
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