Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering is a 4-year undergraduate engineering course. It is one of the branches of Petroleum Engineering which focuses primarily on the exploration and production of Oil & Gas.
B.Tech program in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering requires a minimum 10+2 basic qualification in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry stream with 50% of marks in aggregate. Selection of the eligible candidates is through entrance examinations (IIT or UPESEAT). Average tuition fee for the course starts from INR 1 lakh and can vary up to INR 12 lacs depending on the university. One can also pursue M.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering after the successful completion of B.Tech or can opt for research courses such as M.Phil.
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The demand for petroleum engineers, both at public sector as well as private sector, is quite high all world over due to the increasing demand of hydrocarbons as a fuel source. Petroleum engineers get a wonderful chance to work with some of the biggest companies namely Reliance Industries Ltd., ONGC, Schlumberger, Shell, OIL, Gas Authority of India Ltd., British Gas, Halliburton Services, Essar Oil, etc. An entry level engineer can be employed for a package range of INR 2 lacs- INR 12 lacs.
Course Highlights Table for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
| Name of the course | B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering |
| Course Level | Under Graduate |
| Duration | 4 years, full time |
| Stream | Science |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Eligibility | 10+2 with Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects with minimum of 50% marks |
| Admission Process | Based on counselling sessions after clearing Entrance Tests (JEE Main, UPESEAT) or direct admission in some cases |
| Average Course Fee | INR 1 Lakh to 12 Lacs |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 2 Lacs to 14 Lacs |
| Top Recruiting Companies | Reliance, Shell, ONGC, NTPC, BEML, L&T Infotech, Deloitte, GAIL, GM Motors, Jindal Group, NDPL, BPCL, HPCL, Gujarat Gas Ltd, Hindustan Oil Exploration Company |
Objectives of B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering Course
- Students are trained on major technical aspects related to the entire hydrocarbon value-chain and the strategic techno-commercial issues relevant to the domain. The field concentrates on fundamentals of exploration and production of oil and gas.
- To prepare graduates for professionalism in the field of petroleum engineering technology with emphasis on upstream activities that encompass exploration, reservoir and production.
- To create technical professionals who are suitable to take up engineering responsibilities across the entire Oil & Gas Industry, a specialized area growing rapidly in the recent years.
- To develop skills and understanding of the fundamental aspects of upstream petroleum engineering and apply best global practices in the Oil & Gas sector fields of natural gas processing, gas transportation and gas utilization techniques.
Skills required to apply for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering Course
- Applicants should have good knowledge in chemistry as they have to deal with oil and petroleum products
- Students should have great tolerance because the job is a laborious one
- Responsibility and managerial skill is a must to handle production and transactions
Top Institutes for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering course is offered by few institutes across India. Listed below, are names of the institutes along with the detailed information on the eligibility and admission procedure:
| SR.NO. | COLLEGE/INSTITUTE | CITY/STATE | TUITION FEES (PER YEAR) | ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA | ADMISSION PROCEDURE |
| 1 | University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) | Dehradun, Uttarakhand | INR 2,99,750 | Minimum 60% marks at Higher & Senior Secondary level with minimum 60% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics at Senior Secondary level For non-examination pathway (board merit), students must have a score of 80% aggregate in Higher & Senior Secondary level | Admission criteria:
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| 2 | Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) | Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh | INR 1,05,990 | Candidates should have qualified 10+2 examination with 50% marks in Physics and Mathematics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects from any recognized Board or Council | Admission is based on JEE Advanced rank |
Duration
The duration of Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering course is 4 academic years, split into 8 semesters, with two semesters in each academic year.
Eligibility Criteria for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
The minimum eligibility criteria for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering is the successful completion of higher secondary education (10+2) from any recognized Board or Council. Candidates should obtain at least 50% marks in three compulsory subjects: Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry taken together. For UPES, Dehradun, minimum percentage of marks should be 60% and 80% in case of direct admission. A relaxation of 5% marks is applicable for reserved category (SC/ST) applicants.
For the lateral entry admission to second year of engineering course, eligible candidate must be a diploma holder from any of the recognized institute. Admission of suitable candidates are done on the basis of marks obtained in the IIT Mains or other entrance examinations.
Admission Process for Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
To pursue Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering, eligible candidates need to appear for the entrance examinations which are either national level or state/university level based. Students have to clear either of the below mentioned mandatory entrance exams, depending on the university/college. A few of the engineering institutes like UPES provide direct admission to the course for students securing at least 80% in Class X and Class XII. Shortlisted candidates from the written entrance tests are called for the counselling. Below are some of the entrance examinations conducted for the course.
| B.Tech Colleges in TELANGANA | B.Tech Colleges in RAJASTHAN | B.Tech Colleges in MAHARASHTRA | B.Tech Colleges in MADHYA PRADESH |
- Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main – JEE is a two-tier examination (Main & Advanced). Students can get admission in some engineering institutes through JEE Main exam while IITs only consider the ranking based on JEE Advanced exam. Online application process begins around December first week and last date of online submission of applications is by January second or third week.
- UPESEAT Entrance Exam – University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun conducts its own aptitude based entrance examination for admission into B.Tech engineering and other allied programs. Last date for the submission of online applications is in first week of May and the exam is conducted in May. For Board Merit based selection, minimum 80% marks is compulsory at Higher & Senior Secondary level (10th & 12th) and minimum 80% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics at Senior Secondary level (12th class).
Career Prospects and Job Opportunities
Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering offers numerous career options for those who are interested in studying the extraction process of oil and gas and possess analytical and conceptualization skills. One of the main opportunities for a petroleum engineer lies in working in a recognized refinery.
Since the branch of petroleum engineering is an amalgamation of all the engineering disciplines, full-fledged petroleum engineers can work as chemical engineers, they could be electrical engineers, to some extent civil engineers and instrumentation and control engineers. One can also get a specialized BBA or MBA in Oil & Gas sector for marketing based jobs.
Another promising area is the IT companies such as Wipro and TCS with one of their verticals focused on Oil & Gas. The remuneration is quite high in core technical jobs especially with big companies. High oil prices will always be a determining factor for job opportunities in this sector. Some of the top notch private refineries are Reliance Refinery (Jamnagar), Essar (Jamnagar), Cochin Refinery etc. and public government enterprises such as ONGC and OIL.
Job titles and profiles along with the salary component for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
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| Job Title | Job Profile | Salary (per year) | |||
| Petroleum Engineer | A petroleum engineer is involved in nearly all of the stages of oil and gas field evaluation, development and production. Their aim is to maximize hydrocarbon recovery at minimum cost, while maintaining a strong emphasis on reducing environmental impact. | Rs 7,80,000 Entry level - Rs 6,83,140 | |||
| Reservoir Engineer | They work to optimize production of oil and gas via proper well placement, production levels and enhanced oil recovery techniques. They use computer simulations to assist in the identification of risks and to make forecasts on reservoir potential. | Rs 6,25,710 | |||
| Production Engineer | They manage the interface between the reservoir and the well through such tasks as perforations, sand control, artificial lift, downhole flow control and downhole monitoring equipment. They also select surface equipment that separates the produced fluids (oil, natural gas and water). | Rs 2,69,258 - Rs 5,87,949 | |||
| Drilling Engineer | They manage the technical aspects of drilling both production and injection wells. They work in multidisciplinary teams alongside other engineers, scientists, drilling teams and contractors. | Rs. 2,400,000 – Rs. 4,60,000 | |||
| Petroleum Geologist | They find hydrocarbons by analyzing subsurface structures with geological and geophysical methods. | Rs 4,89,757 per year - Rs 1,125,000 |
Remuneration in Public Sector
| Designation | Recruiter | Salary (Monthly Basis) |
| Graduate Engineer Trainee | Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) | Rs. 24,900 |
| Grade ‘B’ Engineers | Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) | Rs. 29,100 – 54,500 |
| Executive Trainee | Oil India Limited | Rs. 25,000 |
| Research Engineer position | Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) | Rs. 18,000 |
| Junior Engineer position | Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) | Rs. 22,000 |
| Research Associate | Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) | Rs. 35,000 and 50,000 |
| Class –I Executive | Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) | Rs. 24,900 – 50,500 |
| Petroleum Engineer | Reliance Industries Ltd | Rs. 29,100 – 54,500 |
Course Structure for B.Tech in Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
The technical course of Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering requires having a detailed understanding of the physical properties of oil, gas, and water along with the process of oil exploration and processing of crude oils. This discipline of engineering involves designing and developing methods to extract oil and gas deposits below the earth’s surface. A petroleum engineer is recruited by oil or gas companies to implement efficient methodology for extracting petroleum products from the earth and sea floor.
During the 1st year of the course, generally a student is introduced to the common engineering subjects and other subjects mainly focusing on Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering (petroleum, oil and natural gas) are taught by the beginning of 2nd year with additional lab work and workshop session. Besides that, the course includes industrial visits and project work in the last semester.
| Semester I | Semester II | Semester III | |||
| Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects |
| Mathematics I | Physics Lab I | Mathematics II | Physics Lab II | Mathematics III | Material Testing Lab |
| Physics I | Electrical and Electronics Lab | Physics II | Engineering Workshop Lab | Elements of Rig Component Design | Geology Lab I |
| Design Thinking | Computer Programming Lab | Environmental Studies | Chemistry Lab | Introduction to Petroleum Operation | -- |
| English Communication | -- | Engineering Mechanics | -- | Thermodynamics & Heat Engines | -- |
| Engineering Graphics | -- | Workshop Technology | -- | Introductory Geology | -- |
| Basic Electrical and Electronics | -- | Chemistry | -- | -- | -- |
| Computer Programming | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Semester IV | Semester V | ||||
| Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Open Elective I | Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Program Elective I |
| Drilling Hydraulics | Fluid Mechanics Lab | Geology Lab II | Production Engineering I | Drilling Fluid & Cementation Lab | Drilling Process System Design & Optimization |
| Applied Numerical Methods | Surveying Lab | -- | Reservoir Engineering I | Minor Project I | Unconventional Hydrocarbon exploitation |
| Sedimentary & Petroleum Geology | -- | -- | Petroleum Exploration - Geological & Geophysical Methods | Program Elective I | Chemical Thermodynamics |
| Drilling Engineering & Well Completion | -- | -- | Natural Gas Engineering | -- | Vibronics |
| Surveying | -- | -- | Geo Mechanics | -- | -- |
| Semester VI | Semester VII | ||||
| Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Program Elective – II | Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Program Elective – III |
| Production Engineering II | Minor Project II | Oil and Gas Marketing and Resource Management | Offshore Drilling & Production Operations | Reservoir & Production Engineering Lab | Petroleum Production System Design |
| Reservoir Engineering II | Industrial Visit | Deep Sea Production System | Reservoir Modelling & Simulation | Major Project I | Pipeline Transportation of Oil & Gas |
| Well Log Analysis & Well Testing | Program Elective II | Well Intervention | -- | Summer Internship | Coal Bed Methane Technology |
| Well Stimulation | -- | Heat Transfer Process | -- | Comprehensive Viva II | Computational Mathematics |
| Engineering Material | -- | Electro Dynamics | -- | Program Elective III | -- |
| Semester VIII | |||
| Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects | Program Elective – IV | Program Elective – V |
| Health Safety Environment Management | Major Project II | Enhanced Oil Recovery | Oil Field Asset management |
| Open Elective III | Program Elective IV | Transportation and Marketing of Petroleum and Petroleum Products | Production Logging |
| -- | Program Elective V | Thermodynamics | Developing LNG Production & Handling |
Open Elective Subject list
- Professional Ethics
- Employment Communication
- Industrial Management
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Report Writing
- Economics
- Problem Solving Techniques
- Foreign Languages - German/ French/ Spanish/ Mandarin
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Lean Entrepreneur and New Manufacturing Technology
- Biology for Engineers
- Physical Fitness and Wellness
Books for Upstream & Applied Upstream & Applied Petroleum Engineering
- The Petroleum Engineering Handbook: Sustainable Operations by M. Ibrahim Khan, M. Rafiqul Islam
- Petroleum Production Engineering, A Computer Assisted Approach 1st Edition by Boyun Guo
- Fundamentals of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering by Uttam Ray Chaudhuri
- Applied Petroleum Reservoir Engineering by Ronald Terry, J. Rogers
- Petroleum Engineering Handbook for the Practicing Engineer, Vol. 2 by M.A. Mian
- Petroleum Reservoir Engineering Practice by Nnaemeka Ezekwe
- Introduction to Petroleum Production by D.R. Skinner
- Principles of Petroleum Reservoir Engineering by Chierici, Gian.L.
- Fundamentals of Petroleum Refining by M.A. Fahim, TA. Al-Sahhaf, A.S. Elkilani
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