Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering

This programme prepares students for careers as petroleum engineers, equipping them with engineering expertise to explore, drill, produce, and manage oil and gas resources for Kenya's energy sector. Students develop expertise in petroleum engineering, reservoir engineering, and drilling engineering. The programme builds skills in engineering mathematics, engineering mechanics, strength of materials, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics,

geology, petroleum geology, sedimentary geology, stratigraphy, structural geology, reservoir geology, geophysics, seismic interpretation, well logging, formation evaluation, petrophysics, drilling engineering, drilling fluids, drilling rigs, drill strings, casing, cementing, wellbore stability, directional drilling, horizontal wells, well completion, well stimulation, hydraulic fracturing, acidising, production engineering, artificial lift, beam pumps, gas lift, ESP, well performance, flow assurance, surface facilities,

separators, pipelines, reservoir engineering, reservoir characterisation, reservoir simulation, reservoir modelling, material balance, decline curve analysis, enhanced oil recovery, EOR, water flooding, gas injection, petroleum economics, project economics, risk analysis, petroleum law, petroleum contracts, production sharing contracts, PSC, refining, processing, HSE, health, safety and environment, environmental management, spill response, engineering drawing, CAD, engineering economics, entrepreneurship, safety and

occupational health, and research methods. Graduates apply these skills to work as petroleum engineers, drilling engineers, reservoir engineers, production engineers, completion engineers, petroleum geologists, petroleum consultants, and engineering researchers across oil and gas companies including Tullow Oil (Turkana oil discoveries), Africa Oil Corporation, TotalEnergies, the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK), the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited

(KPRL), the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, engineering consulting firms, and as independent petroleum engineering consultants in Kenya where oil has been discovered in the South Lokichar Basin in Turkana by Tullow Oil and Africa Oil, offshore oil and gas exploration is ongoing, the

Lokichar-Lamu crude oil pipeline is planned, the KPRL refinery operates at the coast, the KPC operates the petroleum products pipeline from Mombasa to western Kenya, and the government's push for oil and gas development under the Petroleum Act 2019 creates demand for qualified petroleum engineers who can explore, develop, and produce oil and gas resources safely and efficiently.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 336,600
Private, up to: Ksh 109,100
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
Drilling Engineering and Well Construction
Reservoir Engineering and Simulation
Production Engineering and Artificial Lift
Well Completion and Stimulation
Formation Evaluation and Well Logging
Surface Facilities and Pipeline Engineering
Enhanced Oil Recovery and Flow Assurance
Petroleum Economics and Petroleum Law
Petroleum Engineering Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Petroleum Geology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Geological principles of petroleum formation, reservoir rocks and petroleum systems.
Fluid Mechanics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Fluid flow principles, pressure analysis and applications in petroleum engineering.
Drilling Engineering and Well Construction
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Drilling engineering, drilling fluids, drilling rigs, drill strings, casing, cementing, wellbore stability, directional drilling, horizontal wells, understanding drilling, and supporting drilling e...
Petroleum Production Engineering
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Well performance, artificial lift systems and surface production facilities design.
Drilling Engineering
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Drilling Engineering: Well design, drilling systems, drilling fluids and well completion operations. Covers theoretical foundations, design principles, and practical engineering applications.
Reservoir Engineering
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Reservoir rock properties, fluid flow in porous media and reservoir performance analysis.
Reservoir Engineering and Simulation
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Reservoir engineering, reservoir characterisation, reservoir simulation, reservoir modelling, material balance, decline curve analysis, understanding reservoirs, and supporting reservoir engineering.
Production Engineering and Artificial Lift
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Production engineering, artificial lift, beam pumps, gas lift, ESP, well performance, flow assurance, surface facilities, separators, pipelines, understanding production, and supporting production ...
Reservoir Simulation
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Numerical modelling of reservoir behaviour, production forecasting and reservoir management.
Enhanced Oil Recovery and Flow Assurance
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Enhanced oil recovery, EOR, water flooding, gas injection, flow assurance, wax, hydrates, understanding EOR, and supporting enhanced oil recovery and flow assurance.
Environmental Management in Petroleum Operations
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Environmental impact assessment, pollution control and sustainable petroleum production practices.
HSE, Environmental Management and Research Methods
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
HSE, health, safety and environment, environmental management, spill response, engineering drawing, CAD, engineering economics, entrepreneurship, safety, occupational health, research methods, unde...

Specialisations

Drilling and Well Construction
Focuses on drilling engineering, drilling fluids, casing, cementing, directional drilling, and supporting drilling engineering.
Reservoir Engineering and Simulation
Specialises in reservoir characterisation, reservoir simulation, reservoir modelling, material balance, EOR, and supporting reservoir engineering.
Production and Artificial Lift
Concentrates on production engineering, artificial lift, well performance, flow assurance, surface facilities, and supporting production engineering.
Petroleum Economics and Management
Concentrates on petroleum economics, project economics, risk analysis, petroleum law, contracts, and supporting petroleum economics and management.
Well Completion and Stimulation
Focuses on well completion, hydraulic fracturing, acidising, perforating, sand control, and supporting completion and stimulation engineering.
Drilling Engineering
Focus on well design, drilling operations, drilling fluids and well completion techniques. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Reservoir Engineering
Specialisation in reservoir characterisation, reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery and production optimisation.
Production Engineering
Focus on well performance optimisation, artificial lift systems and surface production facilities. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Natural Gas Engineering
Specialisation in natural gas processing, gas pipeline design and gas-to-liquid technologies. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day starts with a morning lecture on drilling engineering, reservoir engineering, or production engineering, followed by laboratory work, drilling simulations, reservoir modelling exercises, or field visits. Students work on drilling designs, reservoir models, production forecasts, well completion designs, economic analyses, and petroleum engineering research. Laboratory work for fluid properties and core analysis, drilling simulations, reservoir modelling exercises, and industrial attachment at Tullow Oil, NOCK, KPC, or an oil and gas company provide practical experience.

The trade offs

In its favour

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Excellent salary potential — petroleum engineers earn the highest salaries among engineering disciplines.
Graduates are eligible for HELB loans and government funding.

Against it

Limited programme specialisation options may be available.
Competitive job market requiring practical experience and networking.
Commodity price volatility — oil price fluctuations affect employment and project viability.
Remote locations — oil and gas operations are often in remote areas like Turkana or offshore.
Safety and environmental risks — oil and gas operations involve high pressure, flammable materials, and environmental hazards.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public250k to 337k

250k at University of Nairobi337k at Kenyatta University

Private109k to 109k

109k at Mount Kenya University109k at Mount Kenya University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN 250,000/yr official; KU 336,600 KUCCPS. MKU 54,550/sem victormatara.

Students can access HELB undergraduate loans, Universities Fund government scholarships, and county government bursaries. Some oil and gas companies, including Tullow Oil and NOCK, offer scholarships for petroleum engineering students.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
Universities Fund Government Scholarship
County Government Bursaries

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities demonstrating financial need.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies
Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) Student Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Student members of IEK pursuing accredited engineering programmes
KCDF More Girls for Engineering Opportunities
ScholarshipKenyan
Young women from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing engineering
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
SponsorshipKsh 500,000
Academically talented but economically disadvantaged African students at partner universities.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (plus) mean grade at KCSE
Alternative entry: Diploma holders with credit pass in Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Geology, or related fields from recognised institutions may join.

Mathematics
C+ (plus)
Physics
C+ (plus)
Chemistry
C+ (plus)
English or Kiswahili
C (plain)

How you are assessed

5 components

Continuous Assessment Tests and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Written tests, assignments, and practical exercises throughout the semester.
Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat30% of the mark
Regular tests, assignments, problem sets, and laboratory exercises throughout the semester.
Industrial Attachment Report
Practicum5% of the mark
Assessment of industrial attachment at an oil and gas company. Includes logbook, supervisor evaluation, and written report.
Final Petroleum Engineering Research Project or Dissertation
Research5% of the mark
Final year petroleum engineering research project or dissertation, assessed through written report and oral defence.
Project / Practical Assessment
Practicum20% of the mark
Assessment of drilling designs, reservoir models, production forecasts, well completion designs, and economic analyses.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). EBK registration is mandatory for professional engineering practice. EPRA licensing regulates petroleum operations. The Petroleum Act 2019 governs the sector.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
NationalRequired
CUE accredits all university programmes in Kenya. EBK registration is mandatory for professional engineering practice. EPRA licensing regulates petroleum operations. The Petroleum Act 2019 governs the sector.
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
CUE is the statutory body responsible for the accreditation and quality assurance of university programmes in Kenya.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

Graduate Trainee
High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 60,000
Entry-level position applying academic knowledge in a professional environment.
Research Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 65,000
Supporting research projects through data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Project Officer
High demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 80,000
Coordinating and implementing projects in public, private, or NGO sectors.
Analyst
High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 90,000
Analysing data, trends, and patterns to support decision-making.
Completion Engineer / Stimulation Engineer
Low demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 350,000
Designs completions, manages stimulation, supports well intervention, and supporting completion and stimulation engineering.
Petroleum Geologist / Petrophysicist
Medium demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 300,000
Evaluates formations, interprets well logs, supports exploration, and supporting petroleum geology and petrophysics.
Reservoir Engineer / Production Engineer
Medium demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages reservoir performance, optimises production, supports EOR, and supporting reservoir and production engineering.
Petroleum Consultant / Project Engineer
Low demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 450,000
Provides consulting, manages projects, advises on petroleum operations, and supporting petroleum consulting and project management.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as petroleum engineers, drilling engineers, and reservoir engineers. Petroleum engineering is in medium demand driven by oil discoveries in Turkana and offshore exploration. Starting salaries range from KES 80,000 to 150,000 per month, with experienced engineers earning KES 180,000 to 500,000. Tullow Oil, Africa Oil, TotalEnergies, NOCK, KPRL, KPC, EPRA, and consulting firms offer the main opportunities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Calibration Instruments
EquipmentPrimary
Pressure calibrators, temperature calibrators, and signal generators for instrument calibration
Oscilloscope and Multimeter
EquipmentPrimary
Electronic test instruments for circuit analysis, signal measurement, and fault diagnosis
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
EquipmentPrimary
Industrial computers for automating manufacturing processes, including Siemens, Allen-Bradley, and Mitsubishi PLCs
Eclipse Reservoir Simulator
SoftwarePrimary
Industry-standard reservoir simulation software for modelling petroleum reservoir behaviour and production forecasting.
Petrel
SoftwarePrimary
Petroleum exploration and production software for subsurface modelling and well planning.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Spreadsheet for reservoir data analysis, production tracking and petroleum economics calculations.
Python
Software
Programming language for petroleum data analysis, reservoir modelling and automation.
MATLAB
Software
Numerical computing software for engineering calculations and reservoir simulation.
Megger Insulation Tester
TestingPrimary
For testing insulation resistance in electrical installations
SCADA and HMI Software
Software
Supervisory control and data acquisition software for process monitoring and control

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Petroleum engineering is just about drilling oil wells.
This programme covers petroleum geology, drilling, reservoir engineering, production engineering, well completion, formation evaluation, enhanced oil recovery, and petroleum economics. It's a comprehensive engineering discipline.
Petroleum engineers only work on oil rigs.
Graduates work at oil companies, refineries, pipeline companies, regulatory authorities, consulting firms, and as independent consultants. Many roles are office-based.
This field has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Oil discoveries in Turkana, offshore exploration, pipeline projects, and the Petroleum Act 2019 create growing demand for qualified petroleum engineers.
This programme has limited career opportunities.
Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.