Key information
Heriot-Watt University was recently ranked 2nd in the UK for Petroleum Engineering by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September, January
- Next intake
- September
The Petroleum Engineering MSc combines lectures, tutorials, field trips, industry software, and expert seminars to prepare graduates with advanced technical knowledge and practical skills for tackling global oil and gas challenges.
Alongside core petroleum engineering disciplines such as reservoir engineering, drilling, formation evaluation, reservoir simulation, production technology, geoscience with integrated data science, and energy project economics, the programme now incorporates energy transition and sustainability, equipping students to apply subsurface analysis, reservoir management, and fluid flow expertise to emerging geo-energy solutions like geothermal energy, carbon capture, and hydrogen storage.
Graduates gain a strong foundation in both traditional petroleum engineering and modern energy transition practices, enabling them to manage sustainable oil and gas assets and contribute to global energy security and environmental sustainability – through eight taught courses, one field development group project and one individual research project:
- Reservoir engineering
- Geoscience with integrated data science
- Drilling engineering
- Formation evaluation
- Reservoir simulation
- Energy project economics
- Production technology
The Future Shapers scholarship
The Future Shapers scholarship is looking for students who want to use research to create solutions to solve major global challenges. This has been established for 2026 by one of our generous donors and is a testament to the talent and world-shaping potential of our University's students and researchers. We are offering 12 scholarships across our 4 research areas, worth 50%, 75% and 100% of your tuition fee respectively.
Apply nowYour student experience
Your learning will be informed by experts in geoenergy engineering and applied geoscience from our Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering at the Edinburgh campus, part of Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. The School is one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity.
The research relevance of this postgraduate programme ensures your studies remain innovative and industry focused.
Course content
September Intake- Edinburgh
Year 1
Mandatory September
- Drilling Engineering
- Formation Evaluation
- Geoscience with Integrated Data Science
- Reservoir Engineering
Mandatory January
- Energy Project Economics
- Production Technology
- Reservoir Simulation
- Well Test Analysis
Mandatory May
- Field Development Project
- Individual Project
January Intake - Edinburgh
Year 1
Mandatory January
- Well Test Analysis
- Reservoir Engineering
- Production Technology
- Energy Project Economics
Mandatory September
- Drilling Engineering
- Formation Evaluation
- Geoscience with Integrated Data Science
- Reservoir Simulation
Mandatory Second January
- Field Development Project
- Individual Project
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Programme Video
Video - MSc Petroleum Engineering
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £13,000 |
| International | £29,960 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Additional information
All course costs are covered by the tuition fee. This includes full electronic versions of the course notes, core text books, field trips and any day trips arranged as part of the course.
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or its non-UK equivalent in an engineering subject or a physical or earth science discipline, including evidence of a good understanding of mathematics. Degrees in chemistry, maths, physics, geology or computing may also be considered with demonstrable maths ability.
In addition, work or project experience in a related company role will be taken into consideration, please include your CV as part of your application.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We have been producing career-ready graduates since 1821. With our roots as the world’s first Mechanics Institute, Heriot-Watt is a pioneering university with a global reach.
At Heriot-Watt, learning goes beyond the lecture theatre. We tackle real world challenges through extraordinary research – from climate change to protecting our oceans, to advancing life-saving medical breakthroughs and shaping the next generation of AI. We are also committed to developing forward-thinking design and sustainable business practices that impact industries worldwide. On our campuses you’ll find some of the world’s most advanced facilities, while our strong industry links set you up for career success. This is why almost 90% of our graduates are in employment or further education (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
Student life
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