Innovative technologies in oil and gas prospecting and exploration

About the profession

The oil and gas industry is the backbone of economy of any country. Every day in developing countries, the demand for highly qualified competent geologists with knowledge, skills and abilities to develop innovative solutions to production tasks in the field of oil and gas prospecting and exploration is increasing.

Training process:

Within two years of study, students gain knowledge of the historical stages of development, current state and relevant problems of geological science, methodology and methods of integrated geological research in solving scientific and applied problems; learn modern methods of planning and organizing research, conducting and documenting observations and research, methods of data summarizing and processing; acquire the skills of independent research, applied, pedagogical work, the choice of the necessary research methods.

Knowledge acquisition. Graduates of this specialist area acquire knowledge of the study of fundamental and applied sections of oil and gas geology, aimed at creating geological models of the studied objects with the use of advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of geology at the stage of prospecting and exploration of oil and gas fields.

Programme advantages. Upon completion of the programme, graduates can:

• carry out an environmental impact assessment of projects, get oriented in the current state of world economy, assess the role of oil and gas in its development;
• apply innovative methods of geological and geophysical research and information processing;
• create 3-D geological models of fields;
• use innovative approaches in solving tasks based on modern software: GeoPoisk, Isoline, DV-Geo, etc.

The most significant disciplines:

"Litofacial analysis in exploration and development"; "Innovative technology of application of the method of nuclear magnetic resonance"; "Geo-information technologies in prospecting and exploration of oil and gas fields"; "Mathematical modeling"; “Geochemical methods of oil and gas exploration”; "Criteria for assessment of oil-and-gas content of subsurface resources"; etc.

Internship:

• On-the-job internship for obtaining professional skills and professional experience takes place within 6 weeks in the summer period after the first year of study at oil and gas enterprises in Russia (Siberian, Ural, Volga, Southern federal districts, etc.) and foreign countries (Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Asia). The application of innovative approaches in solving geological tasks is one of the main tasks of internship.
• On-the-job research-teaching internship is held during the fall semester of the second year of study. Students conduct research work together with their research advisors and the results of this work are introduced into the training process in the form of modernization and updating of a training package of disciplines, as well as give practical and/or laboratory classes for students-geologists enrolled in a specialist or bachelor’s degree programme.
• Pre-graduation internship is aimed at writing a graduation thesis.

Research work (R&D) is performed in the following main research areas:

• Geotechnical well testing (GWT);
• Geochemical methods for prospecting oil and gas fields;
• Innovative technology of application of a nuclear magnetic resonance method;
• Geological interpretation of seismic data.

Career opportunities:

Upon successful completion of this programme, graduates get a state-recognized diploma (if necessary – an internationally recognized diploma). They also can be employed in the following organizations:

Geological departments of major oil and gas companies (as Geologist, Chief Geologist, Senior Geologist, Head of Department, etc.):

• Schlumberger
• Gazprom
• Rosneft
• Lukoil
• TNK BP
• JSC NC KazMunayGas
• and etc.

Design and Research Geological Institutes (as Geologist, Geological Engineer, Researcher, Senior Researcher, etc.):

• Krylov All-Russian Oil and Gas Scientific Research Institute Joint-Stock Company (VNIIneft JSC);
• All-Russian Research Geological Oil Institute (VNIGNI);
• A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute (VSEGEI);
• and etc.

Institutes of the Academy of Sciences (as Researcher, Senior Researcher, etc.):

• Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GIN RAS);
• Other Institutes of Geology of the Scientific Centers of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 

And other organizations associated with the oil and gas industry.