Engineering

Certificate in Petroleum Geoscience

The Certificate in Petroleum Geoscience is a KNEC Craft Certificate programme that trains students in fundamental petroleum geology and geoscience skills for the oil and gas sector. The course is examined by KNEC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn petroleum geology, sedimentary geology, well logging, exploration methods, drilling basics, and reservoir characterisation.

The curriculum covers communication skills, mathematics, physics, chemistry, technical drawing, information communication technology, entrepreneurship, and occupational safety. Core units include introduction to petroleum geoscience, petroleum geology, sedimentary geology, petroleum chemistry, well logging, exploration methods, drilling basics, reservoir characterisation, health safety and environment, and industrial attachment in an oil and gas company or geoscience laboratory.

Kenya's emerging petroleum sector, including the Turkana oil discovery and exploration activities in various basins, creates demand for certified petroleum geoscience personnel. Oil exploration companies, mining departments, geological surveys, and energy sector companies require trained technicians for geological support and exploration operations.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in laboratory and field environments. Students practice geological sample analysis, well log interpretation, exploration data processing, and reservoir characterisation under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment in oil companies or geoscience laboratories where students apply their skills in real petroleum sector environments.

Graduates work as geology laboratory technicians, exploration assistants, well logging assistants, reservoir study assistants, and drilling support technicians in oil companies, mining companies, geological survey departments, and energy sector consultancies. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Diploma in Petroleum Engineering and Geoscience for specialised petroleum sector roles.

This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of D (plain) who are interested in geology and the petroleum sector and seeking technical positions in oil and gas exploration and geoscience environments.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Private, up to: Ksh 90,000
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: Certificate

What you study

8 subjects

Petroleum Geology
Exploration Methods
Well Logging
Sedimentary Geology
Petroleum Chemistry
Drilling Basics
Reservoir Characterisation
Petroleum Industry Operations

Modules

10 in the programme

Introduction to Petroleum Geoscience
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Petroleum industry overview and career opportunities including geoscience fundamentals and petroleum sector introduction.
Petroleum Geology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Geology of petroleum including source rocks, reservoirs, traps, and petroleum system elements for hydrocarbon exploration.
Exploration Methods
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Seismic, gravity, magnetic, and other exploration methods for identifying potential hydrocarbon accumulations.
Well Logging
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Well log interpretation and formation evaluation including resistivity, porosity, and lithology logs for reservoir characterisation.
Sedimentary Geology
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Sedimentary rocks, depositional environments, and basins including stratigraphy, sedimentation, and basin analysis.
Petroleum Chemistry
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Chemistry of petroleum including composition, properties, analysis, and hydrocarbon classification for petroleum processing.
Drilling Basics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Basic drilling operations, equipment, and safety including drilling rigs, drill strings, and well construction fundamentals.
Reservoir Characterisation
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Reservoir properties, porosity, permeability, and fluid flow for understanding hydrocarbon reservoir behaviour and development.
Petroleum Industry Operations
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Upstream, midstream, and downstream petroleum operations including exploration, refining, and distribution value chain.
Health, Safety and Environment
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
HSE in petroleum operations and environmental management including safety regulations, hazard control, and environmental protection.

Specialisations

Geology Lab
Specialisation in geological sample analysis including rock testing, core analysis, and geological laboratory procedures.
Exploration
Focus on petroleum exploration methods including seismic surveys, gravity surveys, magnetic surveys, and exploration data interpretation.
Well Logging
Specialisation in well log interpretation including resistivity, porosity, and lithology logs for formation evaluation and reservoir assessment.
Reservoir Studies
Focus on reservoir characterisation including porosity, permeability analysis, and reservoir modelling for hydrocarbon development.

A day as a student

Students attend theory on petroleum geology and exploration, followed by practical sessions in geology labs — rock analysis, well log interpretation, sedimentary geology — and field visits to geological sites.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's emerging petroleum sector creates opportunities.
Petroleum industry offers competitive salaries.
Clear pathway to diploma and degree in petroleum geoscience.

Against it

Petroleum jobs may involve remote exploration sites.
Industry is still developing — job availability fluctuates.

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

Public67k to 67k

67k at Public TVET colleges67k at Public TVET colleges

Private30k to 90k

30k at Kenya Institute of Energy90k at Keiway Mining and Technology College

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

TVET 67,189/yr public. KIE 30K, Keiway 90K/yr private (kie.ac.ke, kenyaplex.com).

TVET government funding and HELB loans are available. Oil companies sometimes offer petroleum geoscience scholarships.

Funding options

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) - TVET Loans

Scholarships

4 recorded

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties.
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
BursaryKenyan
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
TVET Funding
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.
HELB TVET Loans
LoanKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain)
Alternative entry: Artisan Certificate in a relevant field or equivalent qualification.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Test25% of the mark
Regular tests on petroleum geology, chemistry, and operations.
Practical Lab Exercises
Practicum35% of the mark
Hands-on assessment of rock analysis, log interpretation, and exploration methods.
Final Certificate Examination
Exam100% of the mark
KNEC national examination for certificate in petroleum geoscience.
Geoscience Project
Project20% of the mark
Complete a petroleum geoscience analysis or exploration project.

Accreditation

Accredited by Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and examined by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF). The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya.

Accredited by

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority
NationalRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all TVET institutions and programmes in Kenya.
Kenya National Examination Council
NationalRequired
Examining body for national certificate and craft certificate programmes under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Exploration Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 95,000
Support petroleum exploration field operations.
Petroleum Geoscience Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 100,000
Support petroleum exploration and geoscience operations.
Well Logging Assistant
Low demandKsh 52,000 to Ksh 98,000
Support well logging and formation evaluation.
Geology Lab Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 85,000
Support geological sample analysis and testing.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as petroleum geoscience assistants and exploration assistants in oil companies, mining companies, and government petroleum departments across Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This programme has limited career opportunities.
Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.