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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.

Duration
2 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 67,189
Ksh 134,378 total
Private tuition
Ksh 90,000
Ksh 180,000 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 67,189 a year at a public institution, Ksh 134,378 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 90,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain) or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 2 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 7 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Overhead Transmission Technician, at 10 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

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.

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 favourAgainst it
Kenya's emerging petroleum sector creates opportunities.Petroleum jobs may involve remote exploration sites.
Petroleum industry offers competitive salaries.Industry is still developing — job availability fluctuates.
Clear pathway to diploma and degree in petroleum geoscience.—

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.

Scholarships you could apply for

1 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain)minimum entry
Alternative entry

Artisan Certificate in a relevant field or equivalent qualification.

When it next starts

Taught at 7 institutions
January 20277 institutions

Including Kapcherop Technical and Vocational College, Ol'lessos National Polytechnic, Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology.

May 20277 institutions

Including Kapcherop Technical and Vocational College, Ol'lessos National Polytechnic, Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology.

September 20277 institutions

Including Kapcherop Technical and Vocational College, Ol'lessos National Polytechnic, Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology.

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

  • 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).

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.

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

Common misconceptions

  • Petroleum geoscience is just geology

    Petroleum geoscience combines geology, chemistry, exploration technology, and drilling — it's a specialised field.

  • Kenya doesn't have a petroleum industry

    Kenya has active petroleum exploration — Turkana oil and Lamu Basin — creating demand for trained personnel.

  • Only for engineers

    Petroleum geoscience needs geologists, technicians, and support personnel — not just engineers.

  • This programme has limited career opportunities.

    Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.

Further reading

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