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Whitestone International College of Innovation delivers quality-assured, standards-aligned programmes that integrate academic rigour, industry relevance, and digital fluency to develop principled leaders who deliver measurable impact.

Courses

Whitestone International Diploma in Petroleum Engineering

Course Overview

The Whitestone International Diploma in Petroleum Engineering is a 12-month vocational programme that provides a structured, practice-oriented foundation in the key concepts and lifecycle of petroleum engineering, with a clear emphasis on safety, governance, and non- operational awareness.

The programme introduces the upstream value chain, subsurface and reservoir fundamentals at conceptual level, drilling and well engineering awareness, production operations and surface facilities, basic flow assurance concepts, asset integrity and HSE governance, petroleum project coordination, and the role of digitalisation and energy transition. It is designed for individuals who wish to understand how petroleum engineering functions within the broader oil and gas system, and to support engineering and operations teams in technical support, coordination, and junior analytical roles.

Learners will explore how reservoirs are identified, appraised, and produced, how wells and surface facilities are conceptually designed and operated, and how engineering teams work with HSE, commercial, and regulatory stakeholders to deliver safe and reliable operations. The emphasis is on conceptual understanding and support functions, not on performing detailed design, well control, or safety-critical operational duties.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to contribute effectively to technical coordination, documentation, data support, and cross-functional communication in petroleum engineering environments, always recognising the boundaries between foundational knowledge and professional engineering practice.

This diploma is vocational and non-regulated. It does not qualify learners as petroleum engineers, drilling supervisors, well control operators, process engineers, or safety-critical operations personnel. It does not authorise them to design wells or facilities, execute field operations, make safety-critical decisions, or act as responsible engineers. All engineering design, operational control, integrity assessment, and regulatory decisions must be undertaken only by appropriately qualified and licensed professionals in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and company procedures.

Why This Course is Important?

Finding, developing, and producing hydrocarbons safely and efficiently depends on integrated subsurface, wells, and production engineering.
Reservoir, drilling, production, and facilities engineers rely on coordinators, analysts, and technical assistants who understand fundamental concepts and can handle data, documentation, and cross-functional interfaces.
Petroleum engineering now operates within a context of major accident hazard management, ESG expectations, and the energy transition, requiring professionals who are technically aware and ethically grounded.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

Explain core concepts in petroleum engineering, the upstream value chain, and reservoir–well–facility integration at a foundational, non-design level.
Describe, at awareness level, how reservoirs are characterised and developed, without undertaking specialist geoscience or reservoir simulation.
Outline the main elements of drilling and well engineering, including well construction phases and basic well integrity concepts, without performing operational or design tasks.
Describe key aspects of production operations, surface facilities, and basic flow assurance concepts at a conceptual level.
Support HSE, risk, and asset integrity governance through documentation, coordination, and reporting in line with engineering team requirements (non-engineering).
Assist with project and technical data management, including simple analyses, visualisations, and technical communication under supervision.
Recognise the impact of digitalisation, regulatory expectations, and the energy transition on petroleum engineering practice and career pathways.

Target Audience

Individuals in or aspiring to roles such as Petroleum Engineering Technician (non-licensed), Technical Assistant (Reservoir / Drilling / Production), Subsurface/Operations Coordinator (junior), Data & Documentation Assistant (Upstream), or Graduate Trainee in Engineering Support.
Staff in national and international oil companies, independents, service companies, EPC contractors, regulators (support roles), and consultancies who require structured petroleum engineering awareness.
Graduates and career changers with a science, engineering, or technical background seeking an introduction to petroleum engineering concepts before progressing to more advanced or specialised study.
Professionals in adjacent disciplines (e.g. HSE, logistics, commercial) who regularly interface with petroleum engineering teams and require technical literacy without full engineering responsibility.

Entry Requirements

A recognised higher secondary qualification, diploma, or equivalent, preferably with prior study in mathematics and physical sciences
Interest or experience in engineering, energy, industrial operations, or technical coordination
Proficiency in English (IELTS 5.5 or equivalent recommended) to engage with technical terminology, diagrams, and case studies

Programme Structure & Modules

Module 1 – Introduction to Petroleum Engineering & the Upstream Value Chain

Role of petroleum engineering within the oil and gas industry at conceptual level.
Overview of the upstream value chain:
Exploration, appraisal, field development, production, and decommissioning (awareness).
Petroleum systems at conceptual level:
Source rock, migration, trap, reservoir, and seal (non-geoscience).
Key petroleum engineering disciplines and interfaces:
Reservoir engineering, drilling and well engineering, production engineering, facilities engineering and links to HSE, commercial, and regulatory functions.
Overview of data types used in petroleum engineering: logs, tests, production data, basic facility data (awareness only).
Professional roles, responsibilities, and ethical considerations in high-hazard engineering environments.

Module 2 – Reservoir Fundamentals & Field Development (Awareness Level)

Basic rock and fluid properties at conceptual level:
Porosity, permeability awareness, saturation, and pressure concepts (no advanced petrophysics or simulation).
Conventional and unconventional reservoirs at awareness level.
Overview of reservoir drive mechanisms at conceptual level (e.g. solution gas drive, water drive, gas cap drive awareness).
Introduction to data sources for reservoir understanding:
Seismic (very high-level awareness), well logs, core data, tests (no interpretation training).
Concepts of field development planning at a management-support level:
Development wells, pattern concepts, depletion strategies awareness, secondary/tertiary recovery awareness (non-design).
Reserves and resources classification awareness and their importance for project planning and reporting.

Module 3 – Drilling & Well Engineering (Conceptual, Non-Operational)

Purpose and sequence of well construction:
Planning awareness, spudding, hole sections, casing and cementing concepts, completion awareness.
Overview of drilling rig types and components at awareness level (land, offshore concepts).
Very high-level awareness of drilling fluids, pressure concepts, and wellbore stability, without procedures or operational instructions.
Basic understanding of well types and trajectories:
Vertical, directional, horizontal, and multilateral wells (conceptual only).
Introduction to well integrity concepts:
Barriers awareness, monitoring concepts, testing awareness, and life-of-well integrity principles (non-procedural).
Safety and risk awareness in drilling and wells:
Major accident hazard awareness, non-technical role of safety culture and barriers, and the importance of strict adherence to company procedures and standards.

Module 4 – Production Engineering, Surface Facilities & Flow Assurance (Awareness)

Concept of reservoir–well–surface system at foundational level.
Basics of production engineering at awareness level:
Well inflow concept, artificial lift awareness (e.g. pumps, gas lift at conceptual level), and production optimisation awareness.
Surface facilities overview:
Separation concepts (oil/gas/water awareness), basic gas treatment awareness, storage and export concepts, with no design or operational detail.
Introduction to flow assurance at conceptual level:
Awareness of wax, hydrate, scale, and corrosion issues; the importance of preventive strategies, monitoring, and specialist input.
Production data awareness:
Basic production profiles, decline awareness, and simple trend recognition (no forecasting or reserves calculation).
Interface between production engineering, facilities, maintenance, and HSE teams.

Module 5 – HSE, Asset Integrity, Regulation & Digitalisation (Non-Engineering, Non-Legal)

HSE foundations in petroleum engineering contexts at conceptual level:
Major accident hazard awareness, barrier thinking, and safety-critical elements (non-technical).
Asset integrity awareness:
Concept of integrity throughout the asset lifecycle, and the role of inspections, monitoring, and maintenance (without engineering calculations).
Regulatory and standards environment at non-legal level:
Awareness that national regulations, standards, and licences govern petroleum engineering activities; importance of following company procedures and specialist legal advice.
Incident reporting and learning at vocational level:
Supporting data collection, documentation, and follow-up under supervision.
Introduction to digitalisation in petroleum engineering:
Data platforms, real-time monitoring awareness, simple dashboards, and basic analytics concepts.
Ethical, environmental, and social responsibilities in petroleum engineering practice.

Module 6 – Petroleum Projects, Energy Transition & Professional Practice

Overview of petroleum project lifecycles at conceptual level:
Concept selection, feasibility, FEED awareness, detailed design, execution, and handover to operations.
Role of petroleum engineers in multidisciplinary project teams, and how support staff contribute to planning and coordination.
Basic project coordination awareness:
Schedules, interfaces, action tracking, and progress reporting at vocational level.
Energy transition and future of petroleum engineering:
Changing demand patterns, gas and LNG roles, CCUS awareness, and the need for efficiency, emissions reduction, and innovation.
Professional practice and career development:
Working effectively in technical teams, maintaining continuous learning, ethical behaviour, and safety focus.
Planning personal development towards advanced study, professional registration, or specialist certifications, where appropriate.

Awarding Body

Whitestone International College of Innovation

United Kingdom

Qualification Type

International Diploma – Vocational Qualification

(Industry-aligned qualification issued by Whitestone International College of Innovation, UK)

Assessment & Certification

Assessment Methods Include:

Written assignments on upstream value chain, reservoir and field development awareness, drilling and well engineering concepts, production and facilities awareness, HSE and integrity governance, and projects and transition.
Structured tasks such as simplified field lifecycle mapping, technical terminology glossaries, data-classification exercises, and non-technical risk and stakeholder summaries.
Scenario-based exercises requiring learners to interpret petroleum engineering situations at conceptual level, identify boundaries of their role, and propose support actions under supervision.
Reflective pieces on ethical responsibility, safety culture, and professional development in high-hazard engineering environments.
Final Capstone Project: Integrated Field Development & Operations Support Plan, with a structured report and/or presentation.

To obtain the diploma, learners must successfully complete all module assessments and the capstone project in line with Whitestone’s academic standards.

Certification:

On successful completion, participants will be awarded:

Whitestone International Diploma in Petroleum Engineering Issued by Whitestone International College of Innovation, United Kingdom

Benefits of Attending

Provides a robust, conceptually grounded foundation in petroleum engineering for technical support and junior coordination roles.
Equips learners to understand the language and logic of reservoir, drilling, production, and facilities engineering, and to support teams through data, documentation, and communication.
Enhances employability in roles such as Petroleum Engineering Technician (non-licensed), Technical Assistant, Subsurface/Operations Coordinator, or Graduate Trainee in upstream technical support, subject to employer requirements.
Helps organisations strengthen technical literacy, documentation quality, and cross-functional coordination within petroleum engineering teams.
Creates a strong platform for further study in Petroleum Engineering, Energy Engineering, or related disciplines, and for progression towards professional engineering pathways, subject to academic and regulatory entry criteria.

Industry Alignment

The programme reflects widely recognised principles of responsible petroleum engineering practice, including:

Emphasis on safety, integrity, environmental responsibility, and regulatory compliance, alongside technical and commercial performance.
Focus on integration across the reservoir–well–surface system, rather than on isolated activities.
Recognition that petroleum engineering operates within a broader ESG and energy transition context, requiring adaptive, ethically minded professionals and support staff.

£2000

£ 0

Industry-focused programmes with global standards.
Practical skills for real-world success.
Academic excellence with career-ready outcomes.

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Progression & Academic Pathways

Graduates of the Whitestone International Diploma in Petroleum Engineering may:

Progress to higher-level diplomas or degrees in Petroleum Engineering, Energy Engineering, Mechanical/Chemical Engineering, or related disciplines, subject to academic entry requirements.
Enhance their suitability for technical support and junior coordination roles in upstream operating companies, service companies, consultancies, and related energy organisations.
Use this diploma as a structured foundation for further professional development and, where appropriate, pathways toward accredited engineering qualifications, in line with national and institutional frameworks.

Together We Learn, Together We Grow

At Whitestone, we believe in collaborative learning where students and faculty grow together through knowledge and experience. Our supportive community fosters teamwork, innovation, and shared success.

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