Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, BSPNGE
Students come from all over the world because of our Department’s stellar reputation, and our graduates are in high demand by the biggest names in the oil and natural gas industry.
Our curriculum blends scientific and engineering fundamentals, oral and written communication, computer applications, and work on topics like drilling engineering, production engineering, reservoir engineering, and stimulation design.
Faculty members are active in a wide range of research specialties, including fluid flow through porous media, reservoir characterization, natural gas production and storage, formation stimulation and fracturing, drilling engineering, and environmental remediation. We also are developing a broad scientific base in extraction technology.
Your Degree Plan
Research
PNGE 297
Independent Research projects.
Basic Reservoir Engineering
PNGE 333
Basic properties of petroleum reservoir rocks. Fluid flow through porous materials. Evaluation of oil and gas reserves.
Applied Reservoir Engineering
PNGE 434
Application of reservoir engineering data to calculation of recovery potentials and prediction of reservoir performance under a variety of production methods to effect maximum conservation.
Formation Evaluation
PNGE 450
Various well logging methods and related calculations with exercises in interpretation of data from actual well logs.
Natural Gas Engineering
PNGE 470
Natural gas properties, compression, transmission, processing, and application of reservoir engineering principles to predict the performance and design of gas, gas-condensate, and storage reservoirs. Includes a laboratory devoted to gas measurements.
Petroleum Engineering Design
PNGE 480
Comprehensive problems in design involving systems in oil and gas production, field processing, transportation, and storage.
Special Topics
PNGE 493
Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.
Honors
Expand your curiosity and enhance your curriculum through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations and Honors in Action.
The WVU Difference
What sets this program apart?
- Eligible students can qualify for direct admittance into the PhD program.
- Field trips, site visits, and learning experiences on actual, working oil and gas sites.
- PNGE enrolls students from all over the world.
- Frequent interaction with leading industry professionals through field trips, conferences, lectures, short courses, and extracurricular activities.
- Hands-on team design projects at the junior and senior level, as well as opportunities to enter national and international design and paper competitions.
- Opportunities to work with faculty who are researching development of unconventional resources.
- Faculty and students consistently earn high accolades from the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Drilling Engineers, and other organizations.
- The Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
- Award-winning PNGE faculty are recognized around the world as experts in their field.
- Facilities include rig floor simulator, Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory, and Dominion Energy Natural Gas Measurement Laboratory.
Learn by Doing
Get involved outside the classroom.
- Explore specialized areas such as drilling or reservoir engineering, management, geophysical well logging and secondary oil recovery.
- Access a variety of development programs, including study abroad, the Honors College, paid undergraduate research opportunities, tutoring, resume workshops, job fairs, national and international paper contests, conferences, and lectures.
- Gain practical knowledge and research skills for problem solving in the oil and gas industry through PNGE’s first-of-its-kind undergraduate research course. Topics focus on shale gas formations and the production of more fuel from fewer wells, automation, optimization, and monitoring to make drilling and production more environmentally friendly.
- Attend conferences and take part in professional development and networking opportunities through PNGE’s student organizations.
View all of the student organizations you can join.
Careers and Outcomes
How does this degree prepare students for a career?
Petroleum Engineers
Median Salary: $141,280
Possible Job Titles: Drilling Engineer, Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Reservoir Engineer
Sales Engineers
Has a Bright Outlook
Median Salary: $121,520
Possible Job Titles: Business Development Engineer, Product Sales Engineer, Sales Engineer, Technical Marketing Engineer
Potential employers
Graduates have worked for companies such as:
- Chevron
- Range
- EQT
- Dominion Energy
- Cabot Oil and Gas
- The Department of Energy
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory
Areas of graduate study
Graduates have pursued advanced degrees in:
- Engineering disciplines
- Business
- Computer science
- Law
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.
Engineering Requirements
You must meet the following requirements:
- High School GPA: 2.5
- ACT Math: 22
- SAT Math: 540
Engineering Requirements for Test-Optional Students
You must meet the following requirements:
- High School GPA: 3.0
Requirements for Engineering Technology
You must meet the following requirements:
- High School GPA: 2.5
Tuition and Aid
How much does Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at WVU cost? And how can you save?
Tuition and Fees
Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.
Ways to Save
Beyond scholarships, here are other ways to reduce your cost of attending WVU.
Financial Aid
The most important step toward funding your future with financial aid for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, BSPNGE is submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Ohio Tuition Reciprocity
As the result of a special agreement, students from Ohio who are fully admitted to Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering can enroll at WVU and pay in-state tuition rates. Students must be admitted to both the University and this major.
Start at Another WVU Campus
You can start your career with WVU at another campus and transfer to WVU Morgantown.
Transfer Articulation Agreements
To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.
Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.
Request Info
Want to know more about Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at WVU? Fill out our request form to receive more information.
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