University launches degree in oil extraction

Pulling crude out of the ground is an increasingly challenging process and a multi-disciplinary degree launched by the University of Calgary aims to be the answer.
More than eight years in the making, the U of C showcased the master's degree in reservoir characterization, the only program of its kind in Canada and one of a handful similar initiatives worldwide.

The program, launched this autumn, was born from a request from the oil patch, which said it needed people who could help them get more of the oil that's often left behind by conventional extraction methods, said Dr Larry Lines, the head of the U of C's geology and geophysics department.
"The current recovery rate of oil from most reservoirs is quite modest, it's often less than 50 %, often 35 to 40 %," he said. "There's a lot of oil still left in the ground in oilfields -- the question is how do we use science and engineering to extract more. Even a few per cent more would make a huge difference to the national oil and gas production."

The U of C program will educate by drawing from all disciplines. The students, who are geophysics, geology and engineering graduates, will draw from their backgrounds to come up with a multidisciplinary approach to drilling, said Lines.
With oil and gas being the main source of revenue in Alberta and a leading sector in the country, the responsibility being put on the prospective program graduates is significant, said Lines. Students aim to make current methods more efficient and to introduce new technology to the process.