69727 - PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING T

Learning outcomes

The Course is addressed to provide the basic knowledge of petroleum engineering, with special reference to exploration, drilling engineering, production engineering and hydrocarbon transport (including underground storage of natural gas and carbon dioxide). These topics represent strategic elements as far as European energy supplying is concerned. The Course is completed with an introduction to the study of project management and engineering phases of the petroleum industry, with applicative exercises and laboratory practices.

Course contents

Part I (Prof. Ing. Paolo Macini, 6 credits)
Origin of petroleum fluids: crude oil and natural gas. Fundamentals of petroleum geology. Fundamentals of subsoil geophysical exploration. Introduction to the study of natural porous media. Porosity, permeability, saturation, multi-phase flow. Laboratory measurements and lab practice.
Hydrocarbons and environment. Overview of fossil fuels consumption in Italy and abroad. Italian legislation concerning oil and gas leases; Italian energy department functions. Industrial phases and economic evaluation of oil and gas development projects. Definitions of oil and gas reserves. Environmental impact studies.
Introduction to rotary drilling engineering. Wellhead assembly and safety equipments. Rig site layout and organization. Introduction to well control practices, offshore drilling and directional drilling. Open-hole and cased hole well completion. Single-, multiple- and selective completion schemes. Completion fluids. Tubing and Christmas tree.
Well stimulation and hydraulic fracturing techniques. Sand control practices. Artificial lift systems: gas-lift, sucker-rod pumps, hydraulic pumps, electrical submersible pumps. Oil and gas treatment plants: processes and equipments. Dehydration, desulphurization, gasoline removal. Natural gas hydrates formation prevention. Crude stabilization and emulsion treatment.

Part II (Prof. Ing. Ezio Mesini, 3 credits)
Well logging: generalities on hydrocarbon reserves evaluation, wireline logging and logging while drilling. Petrophysical parameters and their relationship with physical parameters of reservoir rocks. Lithological logs, resistivity logs (macro and micro) and induction logs. Porosity logs (sonic and nuclear).
Thermodynamic classification of hydrocarbons. Phase behaviour and reservoir distribution of petroleum fluids. Principles of PVT measurements applied to hydrocarbons mixtures.
Hydrocarbon transportation: technical and economical aspects. Fundamentals on oil and gas pipelines. Liquid and gas flow in pipelines, static design and corrosion prevention. Compression stations: pumps and compressors. The problem of underground gas storage and carbon dioxide geological storage. Basics on liquefied natural gas technology (LNG).

Readings/Bibliography

Encyclopedia of hydrocarbons: Volume 1, exploration, production and transportation, Treccani, Rome, 2005.
Rabia: Oilwell Drilling, Graham & Trotman
Chilingar, Robertson, Kumar: Surface operations in petroleum production (Vol I and II), Elsevier
Macini, Mesini: Alla ricerca dell'energia: Metodi di indagine per la valutazione delle georisorse fluide, CLUEB Bologna, 1998.

Teaching methods

Classroom lectures, seminars and/or workshop by industry professionals, laboratory practice (in small groups). Possible field trips to rig sites or industrial plants. The lectures will focus on general aspects of oil and gas industry (upstream sector). The lectures will be supplemented with practical exercises and laboratory measurements. The practical exercises will be carried out to produce practical solutions to the theoretical problems outlined during lectures.

Assessment methods

Students must sit a written and/or an oral test comprising of a series of questions that aim to ascertain students' understanding of the technological and design principles presented during lectures, and a practical problem similar to the ones dealt with during the practical exercises or laboratory activity related to the course lectures.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC, overhead projector, laboratories.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Macini

See the website of Ezio Mesini