Top Petroleum Engineering Universities Abroad 2025

Petroleum engineering (PE) uses geology, physics, and mathematical principles to address energy-related issues. These include global situations that require a constant supply and security of fuel. 

As per the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for petroleum engineers can grow by 8% between 2020 and 2030. If you want to be a part of this thriving industry, consider pursuing a petroleum engineering degree. 

We are here to discuss everything that petroleum engineers do and the best Petroleum Engineering schools. Keep scrolling! 

What is Petroleum Engineering? 

Petroleum Engineering is a branch of engineering specializing in designing and developing different methods of extracting oil and gas from below the Earth’s surface. With global energy requirements rising, career opportunities are also steadily increasing in this field.

Petroleum engineers combine exploration and innovation to effectively design oil and gas extraction methods. As a result, this is a field that overlaps considerably with other engineering disciplines, including- 

• Chemical Engineering 

• Civil Engineering 

• Mechanical Engineering 

Petroleum engineers need to have the skills and qualifications necessary to operate supercomputers. They use these supercomputers to analyze exploration data, simulate reservoir behaviour, and automate oilfield production & drilling operations. Most petroleum engineers have a supporting Computer Science qualification to simulate extraction and reservoir-related processes. 

Petroleum engineers work across different environments, including offices and drilling sites. Pursuing a petroleum engineering program from a reputed university can equip aspirants with a firm foundation for a career in the field. 

There are several recognized universities across the world that offer excellent PE programs for aspirants seeking to enter the field. 

If you are considering pursuing a PE qualification overseas, the top 10 petroleum engineering in the world are as follows: 

Top 10 Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World

Explore: Top Study Destinations for various Engineering Branches

Top Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs in Petroleum Engineering

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Admission Requirements for Petroleum Engineering

For Undergraduate Degree:

First, you must have either:

• A bachelor of science degree in engineering from an ABET/EAC accredited program. 
• An approved non-accredited bachelor of science degree in engineering. 

Or, 

• A bachelor of science degree from a closely aligned, non-engineering major.

In most cases, if you do not hold an undergraduate degree in engineering, you may have taken additional undergraduate courses to ensure that you have the appropriate engineering knowledge base. Those will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

GPA– To be considered, you must have either:

• An overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. 
• A cumulative technical GPA calculated over the last 60 hours of your undergraduate curriculum of 2.85 or higher is calculated using technical courses in engineering and sciences.

Exceptions– If you do not meet the requirements above, a faculty member from the Department of Petroleum Engineering must submit an admissions petition to the graduate coordinator. Once that is received, the department head and graduate coordinator will bring the petition forward for a graduate faculty vote. The petition must receive a majority vote to allow your acceptance to the graduate program.

Post-Graduate Student Requirements:

To remain a graduate student in the Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering program, you must retain a 3.0 GPA.

Thesis Program – For the Thesis Program, thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credit with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are required as follows:

• A minimum of 12 credit hours of 500 and/or 400 G-level graduate courses in the Petroleum Engineering Department, with 6 of these credit hours being two core department courses that will be identified for the student upon acceptance into the program. [Note that no more than 6 graduate hours may be below the 500 level.]. 
• 6 credit hours achieved by the successful passing of two college-level core graduate courses: ENGR 501 and MCHE 508. 
• A minimum of 3 credit hours of either mathematics, statistics, or the sciences. 
• A minimum of 3 credit hours of additional graduate courses from either the Petroleum Engineering Department or another engineering department. 
• Enrollment in the Petroleum Engineering Graduate Seminar course every semester the student is within the program at UL Lafayette. 
• A minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis work and a thesis approved by the graduate committee.

Non-Thesis Program:

For the Non-Thesis Program, thirty-six (36) semester hours of graduate credit with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are required as follows:

• A minimum of 18 credit hours of 500 and/or 400 G-level graduate courses in the Petroleum Engineering Departmen,t with six credit hours being two core department courses that will be identified for the student upon acceptance into the program. [Note that no more than six graduate credit hours may be below the 500 level.]. 
• 6 credit hours achieved by the successful passing of two college-level core graduate courses: ENGR 501 and MCHE 508. 
• A minimum of 6 credit hours of either mathematics, statistics, or the sciences. 
• A minimum of 6 credit hours of additional graduate courses from either the Petroleum Engineering Department or another engineering department. 
• 3 hours of a research component and the submission of a research report.
• Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive exam to be given during the graduation semester.

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Career Prospects after Petroleum Engineering 

Drilling Engineer

Average salary: ₹ 4,08,996 per year

Primary duties: 

• Responsible for planning methods and techniques for extracting oil and gas from underground reserves. 
• They oversee the designing and maintenance of drilling equipment necessary for extraction. 
• One of their primary duties is to ensure the safety of workers involved during the drilling and extraction processes. 
• They oversee the drilling operations and work closely with geoscientists to get accurate information about underground oil reservoirs.

Production Engineer

Average salary: ₹ 2,87,969 per year

Primary duties: 

• Production engineers work in manufacturing units like factories and plants to oversee production processes. 
• They develop manufacturing processes, set up machinery along the production line and train workers to use them. They create strategies to improve the efficiency of production processes, troubleshoot equipment, ensure adherence to safety protocols during manufacturing and help in project budgeting. 
• Production engineers work closely with the quality assurance team to ensure that the end products meet the predetermined quality standards.

Reservoir engineer

Average salary: ₹ 4,08,996 per year

Primary duties: 

• Reservoir engineers use technology and their knowledge of geology to locate reservoirs of fossil fuel under the ground. 
• They estimate the amount of oil and gas they can extract from a reservoir, study its characteristics and create plans to extract the contents most effectively and economically. 
• They work closely with geoscientists and drilling engineers to oversee the drilling and extraction of oil and gas from underground reserves. 
• Reservoir engineers advise the oil and gas companies they work for regarding the inevitability of a reserve.

Some more opportunities can be:

• Completions engineers
• Drilling engineers
• Natural gas engineers
• Oil drilling engineers
• Oil exploration engineers
• Oil well engineers
• Production engineers
• Reservoir engineers

Learn more: Diploma in Engineering | Everything you need to know

Key Takeaways

• Petroleum engineering is a specialization of engineering focused on extracting and processing fuel and petroleum from beneath the Earth’s surface. 
• With the growing demands for energy resources, opportunities for petroleum engineers are also increasing. 
• There is a requirement for professionals who have been trained and have the relevant qualifications to cater to the world’s energy demands. 
• Opt for a program from the above-listed universities to gain the technical and practical skills required by the field. 

If you need assistance choosing the right university, we can help you! Click here to reach out to us, or drop a comment below!  

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FAQs 

Ques 1: What are the different engineering programs under petroleum engineering? 

Answer 1: Students of petroleum engineering programs are also taught reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, and production engineering courses. 

Ques 2: What is the annual wage of a petroleum engineer? 

Answer 2: As of May 2020, the annual median wage of a petroleum engineer was recorded to be USD 137,330. 

Ques 3: Are GRE scores required for the coterminal program by Stanford University? 

Answer 3: Yes, applicants must submit official GRE scores to complete their registration to Stanford University’s coterminal programs. 

WRITTEN BY

Aastha

Study Abroad Expert

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