The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy is home to OU’s petroleum engineering and geosciences programs. We provide students with unique educational experiences that prioritize experiential learning from the lab to the field, and practice environmental stewardship. For more than 100 years, graduates from our college have gone on to shape the state, lead across the nation, and create advancements that positively impact us all.
Geologists use the rocks to investigate the processes that shape the Earth, analyze Earth’s history, and the distribution of raw materials. Others use experiments to simulate processes that occur in nature.
Geophysicists explore some of the same problems by application of physical, numerical and computer technology to the study of Earth’s interior and for the exploration of natural resources.
From predicting earthquakes to studying the geology of Mars, geoscientists work to solve problems at the interface of energy and the environment. Geoscientists are also vital in federal and state government agencies like the Department of the Interior, Forest Service and NASA.
An education in geosciences opens up opportunities for a variety of career paths in energy and mineral resources, environmental and academia. Our graduates are also prepared for careers with geoscience applications in law, economics, meteorology, oceanography, science writing and consulting firms.
This degree program is designed to provide the necessary background for professional work or graduate studies in geology and allied sciences.
As you proceed through your degree you have the freedom to specialize in a particular area of emphasis. The School of Geosciences currently offers the following four emphases: General Geology, Petroleum Geology, Environmental Geology and Paleontology.
General Geology Degree Checklist
Petroleum Geology Degree Checklist
This degree program constitutes preparation for professional work and also provides the necessary background for graduate work in geophysics and geology.
The Geology Minor provides complementary knowledge for students enrolled in all majors at the University of Oklahoma. The minor should give students a broad overview of Geology and the variety of subset topics within the field.
Petroleum engineers fall into three primary specialties:
Drilling engineering supervises the drilling of the borehole deep into the earth and is responsible for preparing a well for production.
Production engineering figures out which rock formations contain oil and gas and the best way to recover those products.
Reservoir engineering evaluates rock formations and determines the quantities of oil and gas found below the earth through studies and simulations that help determine the optimal way to obtain those materials.
In today’s world, energy plays an integral role in our lives, and oil and natural gas are key figures. With over 70% of the energy consumed within the United States coming from petroleum, to best ensure our future, a balance between sustainability, efficiency and affordability must be maintained. Petroleum engineering aims to address these concerns and offer solutions.
Petroleum engineers have a strong foundation in math, physics, geology and chemistry and are skilled in the use of advanced computer technology. They work with and apply new technologies and techniques for improved oil and gas recovery while minimizing its impact on the natural world.
Petroleum engineers may work on specific production-related challenges in a technical area or may work to solve broad technical challenges within an organization. Petroleum engineers are required to utilize complex technologies. Exploration and production projects are sophisticated and the financial and physical risks must be integrated into the engineering design of specific exploration and production systems to make them work.
The accelerated degree programs allow students to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s in five years.
The accelerated degree programs allow students to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s in five years.
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