Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geosciences and Remote Sensing

Introduction to the fundamentals of physical geology. Composition and structure of the Earth, mineral and rock identification, plate tectonics, mountain building, geological structures, earthquakes, volcanism, erosion and sedimentation processes.

Laboratory exercises concentrate on mineral and rock identification and the interpretation of topographic and geologic maps. At least one field trip to a nearby locality is required.

Elements of sedimentary basin formation, style of sedimentation, provenance, associated facies, and subsequent physicochemical changes through time. Plate tectonic, climatic, allo- and auto-cyclic constraints on sedimentary rocks. Emphasis on convergent and rifted margin sedimentary record. Usage of several macroscopically and microanalytically tools for detailed sedimentary basin analysis. . Computer software will be introduced for basin analysis and data interpretation. At least one field trip is required.

This course covers the principal laws of stratigraphy, facies, sea level changes, transgression, regression, sedimentation cyclic, correlation, mass extinction, sequence stratigraphy, surface and subsurface stratigraphy of the UAE. Principles of structural geology. Concepts of true and apparent dip of strata, folds, structural contours for homoclinal and complex surfaces, geological cross-sections, block diagrams, isopachs, faults, intrusive and extrusive igneous structures, impact structures, landslides and sinkholes. Laboratory exercises focus on the interpretation of geological maps and cross-sections and stereographic projection using Schmidt net. Computer software will be used in directional data interpretation, manipulation, and diagram and graph construction. At least one field trip to a nearby locality is required.

Introduction to applied and solid-earth geophysics; the gravitational, seismic, magnetic, thermal, and radioactive properties of rocks and earth materials; methods of measurement and their applications to the exploration of the Earth's interior. Physical properties of the earth's interior. Some field trips are required.

The course covers the major tectonic elements of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the rocks and the sedimentary cover in Arabia peninsula. Geological, structural and geomorphological evolution of Arabia with emphasis on hydrocarbon potentials, mineral wealth and underground water resources. At least one field trip is required.

In this introductory course, students become familiar with the concepts and gain the experience necessary to appreciate the utility of Geographic Information Systems in decision making. Topics covered include the fundamentals of cartography, scale, projection, and coordinate systems in GIS, geo-referencing, data structures, querying, data classification, and basic spatial data analysis. The course provides an overview of the capabilities of GIS software and applications of GIS. Class time is divided between lectures and GIS exercises that reinforce critical concepts.

This course describes the fundamental theory and concept of remote sensing. The course would overview properties and capturing techniques of remote sensing data that contain aerial photography, Landsat, Spot, radar imagery and thermal imagery. Basic principles include the basic characteristics of electromagnetic radiation; radiometry; the interactions between radiation and terrestrial materials and atmospheric constituents; characteristics of sensor systems and their measurements. The interactions between radiation and terrestrial materials (Vegetation, soil, water, and rocks) and atmospheric constituents, with incorporation of ancillary data and ground truth.

The different types of coring are covered in this course in addition to the handling and storage procedures of core samples. The course covers the methods of measuring the petrophysical characteristics of reservoir rocks such as porosity, permeability, density, resistivity, etc.

The course includes the definition and properties of petroleum and natural gas. The origin, migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons as related to source, reservoir and seal rocks and reservoir properties. Structural, stratigraphic and combination traps. Different exploration methods and the basin analysis are also introduced as a tool of understanding the course. Computer software will be introduced for basin analysis and data interpretation. At least one field trip is required to investigate the outcrop section of a major reservoir in Saudi Arabia.

The course covers the principles of the seismic reflection and refraction methods with special emphasis on the reflection techniques. It consists of two parts: an introduction to the data acquisition and processing; and the seismic interpretation. The course aims at delineating subsurface Geology including layer succession, types of structures, etc. Also, the course covers an introduction to the attributes as a tool, AVO, VSP and synthetic seismogram. Comparison with well logging data is included. In addition, the basis of the different stacking techniques is introduced.

The course covers the theory and data acquisition and processing of the non-seismic methods, which includes gravity, magnetic, electrical and electromagnetic method. The role of these methods in the exploration for hydrocarbon, groundwater, minerals, as well as civil and environmental applications. Survey execution, interpretation and data processing.

This course is an introduction to the theory and techniques of remote sensing tools with emphasis on the geosciences and geology. This course explores the use of remote sensing for integrated image interpretation and geological mapping to obtain lithological, stratigraphy and geological structure. It includes image processing techniques, interpretation and analysis that used for geological investigation. The integrated geological mapping approach re-interpreted in a GIS environment on the basis of aerial photographs, satellite imagery and airborne geophysical data. The laboratory work includes the data fusion and processing of satellite images with various spectral and geometric resolutions.

The course covers the dynamics of the solid Earth from theoretical, observational seismology and seismotectonics in relation to earthquake hazard and mitigation. It provides an in-depth study of earthquake seismology and earthquake hazard in relationship with the plate tectonics. The course includes understanding the plates' movements and the procedures of interpreting earthquake seismograms and determination of earthquake focal mechanisms. Examples of the UAE seismicity and the tectonic evolution of the Arabian Plate are given.

A total period of eight weeks of internship in the industry to gain practical experience in the field of geology. The student is required to submit a written report and make an oral presentation at the department based on the experience of the training program.

Preparation and presentation of selected topics. Each student is expected to submit a written report on his topic and make an oral presentation at the class.

Topics will depend on student's and instructor's interest. They may vary from acquisition and interpretation of geophysical data from the field or the laboratory to computer models and simulation of theoretical problems of interest in geophysics, or a mixture of both. Weekly consultations with the instructor as well as a written report are required.

Basic petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks including porosity, permeability, fluid saturation, electrical conductivity, capillary pressure, and relative permeability. Laboratory measurement of the reservoir rock characteristics mentioned above.

Comprehensive study of modem well logging methods, open hole and cased hole log interpretation methods. Production logging. Design of logging programs and examples of applications.

This course covers the invertebrate fossils groups and their applications in stratigraphy and paleoecology. A special attention is given to their importance in the petroleum exploration in the United Arab Emirates. The course also includes the study of the fossils' characteristic morphology and microstructure and their role in the history of life on Earth.

Nature, origin, differentiation and crystallization of magma. Phase relations in silicate melts. Mode of occurrence, textures, petrography and minerals of igneous rocks.

The course will cover a special topic in one of the fields of the petroleum, Geology, Remote Sensing and related disciplines. Topics will be selected according to the faculty expertise and the students' interest and enrollment.

The course will cover a special topic in one of the fields of the petroleum, Geology, Remote Sensing and related disciplines. Topics will be selected according to the faculty expertise and the students' interest and enrollment.

This course gives an introductory overview of the Geographic and geomorphologic setting as well as the geologic setting, and the sequence stratigraphy. The History of hydrocarbon exploration is also given as well as the current status of Middle East oil.

In this course, students will become familiar with the concepts of occurrence and movement of groundwater and will gain the knowledge on applications of ground water theories for practical use. Topics covered include the fundamentals of hydrological cycle, types and properties of geological formations holding ground water, theories of ground water movement, usage of flow nets, well hydraulics, analysis of pumping data, groundwater quality and pollution, field exploration and survey for ground water, and usage of computer software.

The course covers the environmental problems, hazards and their mitigation. Critical evaluation of geological processes: volcanic activity, earthquakes, slope failures and landslides, flooding, groundwater movement, solution cavities and sinkholes. Environmental problems associated with human interaction: groundwater pollution, groundwater withdrawal, acid rain, solid waste disposal, land development and urbanization, agricultural activity, soil erosion, and desertification. Current environmental issues. Selected case studies and computer software related to the subject will be introduced At least one field trip to a nearby locality is required.

The course's main goal is to provide the student with an overview of the petroleum industry: its history, its technical achievements, its role in the global-economy and its future prospects. Introduction to modern exploration, production and processing operations is included as well as highlights of the petrochemicals and petroleum industry.

The mystery of hydrocarbon accumulation in sedimentary basins is discussed with reference to worldwide and Arabian Gulf examples. The course includes a special emphasis on the key elements and the where about and how to find the accumulation.

This course covers the procedure of understanding the stratigraphy by using the seismic sections. It covers the key elements of seismic reflection patterns, amplitudes and frequencies essential to a specific basin stratigraphic and facies analysis that led to oil and gas play definition. Also, the geological description and interpretation of seismic parameters within the seismic-sequence correlation framework are covered. The method of analyzing depositional environment is being detailed with emphasis on carbonate environments, type of rocks, Sedimentary sequences, fluid content and contacts, palaeo-sea level change and the Geologic history.

The course deals with design and operation and operation of Geospatial Information Systems (GISs) and their role in digital mapping and spatial data management. Topics covered include basic data structure, data source and models, geospatial analysis, digital elevation data and terrain analysis. The Course includes an embedded computer lab for hands-on training with GIS software. It includes the use of GIS within oil and gas exploration and production activities using petroleum industry spatial data and workflows. It Introduce the functionality that allows geoscientists to import spatial and non-spatial databases, integrate, manage and analyze data to produce information for decision-making.

This course is designed to introduce students to remote sensing science and technology. It emphasizes mastering fundamental remote sensing concepts and utilizing remotely sensed data for environmental information extraction and problem solving. The course introduces the student to remote sensing basics for environmental Modeling and monitoring and its application in geoscience. The first part of the course will cover the remote sensing and techniques to acquire, enhance, interpret and analyze remote sensing imagery using visual and computer-based methods. The second part of the course addresses the role and nature of Environmental Models. The third part deals with the application of remote sensing principles and data to environmental science. Topics include the use of remote sensing for environmental applications related to different studies of hazards monitoring, hydrology, air pollution, and land use/land cover.

This course explores the major categories of digital image processing. Digital image fundamentals, perception, discrimination, and sampling. Image transforms using FFT Fourier Algorithm. Image rectification and restoration, image enhancement, filtering and multi-image manipulation, image encoding, image segmentation and description. Image classifications, typical steps in numerical analysis. Classification accuracy assessment and data merging training on a selected software such as Mat lab.