Engineering & Technology
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering trains you to find, extract, and manage oil and gas resources safely and efficiently. You'll learn about drilling, reservoir behavior, and production methods, preparing you for work in Ghana's growing offshore oil and gas industry.
Program objectives
- 01Understand how oil and gas reservoirs form and behave.
- 02Learn drilling and production engineering techniques.
- 03Build skills in reservoir simulation and analysis.
- 04Get grounding in the safety and environmental standards of the oil and gas industry.
Why choose this program
Direct link to Ghana's oil and gas industry
Since Ghana's oil discovery, companies like GNPC, Tullow Oil, and Ghana Gas actively recruit petroleum engineering graduates.
High earning potential
Petroleum engineering is consistently one of the higher-paying engineering fields globally and in Ghana.
Small, specialized field
Fewer institutions in Ghana offer this program, which can mean less competition for graduates entering the industry.
Skills you'll build
- Drilling engineering
- Reservoir engineering and simulation
- Production engineering
- Petrophysics (rock and fluid properties analysis)
- Analytical and mathematical thinking
- Attention to safety
- Problem-solving under technical pressure
- Teamwork on complex projects
Tools & software
- Reservoir simulation software
- Drilling and production planning tools
Challenges to expect
Academic
- Extremely demanding in Maths, Physics, and Chemistry -- considered one of the toughest engineering programs to get into and complete.
Technical
- Understanding subsurface reservoir behavior takes deep, sustained study since you can't directly see what you're modeling.
Financial
- This is often a fee-paying, specialized program with higher costs than standard engineering degrees.
Personal
- Careers in this field can involve offshore or remote site work for extended periods.
Tips from the field
- Be ready for one of the most competitive and academically demanding engineering programs in Ghana -- cut-off points are typically very high.
- Try to secure an internship or attachment with GNPC or an oil and gas operator -- real industry exposure is invaluable in this specialized field.
- Build strong foundations in Physics and Chemistry, not just Maths -- reservoir and drilling engineering lean heavily on both.
Career paths
- Petroleum engineer
- Drilling engineer
- Reservoir engineer
- Production engineer
- Oil and gas operations specialist
Where you can study this
| Name | Latest cutoff | Tuition (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyBSc | 6(2024) | — |
FAQs
Is this the same as Chemical Engineering?+
No, though related. Petroleum Engineering focuses specifically on finding and extracting oil and gas, while Chemical Engineering is broader, covering industrial processes across many industries.
Where can I study this in Ghana?+
The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) is a leading institution for this program, with a dedicated School of Petroleum Studies.
Is this program expensive compared to other engineering courses?+
Often yes -- Petroleum Engineering is frequently offered as a fee-paying program in Ghana, so it's worth checking specific institution costs early.
Will I work offshore as a petroleum engineer?+
It's common, especially early in your career, though there are also onshore and office-based roles in planning, analysis, and management.
Is Petroleum Engineering the toughest engineering program to get into in Ghana?+
It's often considered one of the toughest, with very high cut-off points, since it's both specialized and highly sought after.
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