Petroleum Geosciences
The Boone Pickens School of Geology
has a strong emphasis in applied and basic petroleum related research.
A majority of our faculty are involved in the research and teaching of various aspects
of hydrocarbon systems. Each research faculty member maintains a research group of
M.S. and Ph.D. level students, and many have undergraduates and post-doctoral scholars
involved in their programs as well. A large portion of our graduate students are working
on petroleum-related theses and dissertations.
The Petroleum Geosciences Research Group
Our team integrates traditional core and outcrop based research with geophysics, geochemistry
and remote sensing to develop depositional and diagenetic models to explain reservoir
and seal evolution in conventional and unconventional petroleum systems. Our expertise
in stratigraphy, sedimentation, paleontology, geochemistry, petrology, geophysics,
structure, tectonics, flow modeling and spectral analysis allows us to model the evolution
of petroleum systems from the molecular scale to the basin scale. Our team also evaluates
geologic carbon storage, fluid-disposal in petroleum reservoirs, enhanced oil and
gas recovery, and reservoir compartmentalization.
Interested in a career in petroleum geosciences?There are opportunities at OSU at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to learn more about the concepts behind the industry.
At the Undergraduate Level
- It's important to get a good foundation in the major disciplines of geology, as well as expanding into some of the more focused petroleum classes.
- Research projects during your undergraduate education are great opportunities to be introduced to software commonly utilized in the petroleum industry.
- Consider talking to a professor or graduate student about how to get involved in the current projects at OSU.
At the Graduate Level
- There are many classes offered that cover topics essential to the exploration and production of oil and gas.
- These give students a good foundation that will be useful when starting a career as a petroleum geoscientist.
- Aside from the classes, a significant amount of thesis and dissertation projects at OSU directly relate to current problems and new concepts applicable in the petroleum industry.