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Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering is a postgraduate research programme offered at Kenyatta University through the Department of Energy, Gas and Petroleum Engineering. The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on petroleum engineering, including reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, petroleum production, and energy policy, contributing to Kenya's emerging oil and gas industry and energy sector development.

Students engage with advanced reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, petroleum production engineering, reservoir simulation, petroleum geology, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent computational and laboratory research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to petroleum engineering.

Kenya has discovered commercially viable oil reserves in the South Lokichar Basin in Turkana and is developing its petroleum industry with plans for pipeline construction and crude export. The programme addresses national energy priorities under Vision 2030 and the National Energy Policy by training researchers who can support petroleum exploration, production optimisation, and energy sector development.

Teaching methods include lectures, computational modelling, laboratory sessions, industry visits, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to KU's Department of Energy, Gas and Petroleum Engineering facilities and may collaborate with industry partners including Tullow Oil and the Ministry of Energy.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, petroleum engineering researchers, reservoir engineers, drilling engineers, and energy consultants in universities, oil companies, the Ministry of Energy, EPRA, and international energy organisations. The programme provides advanced expertise for leadership roles in petroleum engineering research and industry.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or related engineering fields who are committed to advancing knowledge in petroleum engineering.

Duration
3-5 years
Public, up to
Ksh 459,000
Private, up to
Ksh 288,000
Job market
Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode
Full-time
Attachment
0 months
Average class
5 students
Award
PhD

What you study

10 subjects
  • Reservoir Engineering
  • Drilling Engineering
  • Petroleum Production Engineering
  • Reservoir Simulation
  • Petroleum Geology
  • Research Methodology
  • Well Logging and Testing
  • Thesis Research
  • Enhanced Oil Recovery
  • Energy Policy and Economics

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Advanced Reservoir Engineering

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Advanced study of reservoir rock and fluid properties, reservoir characterisation, and reservoir performance analysis

  • Drilling Engineering and Well Design

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Advanced drilling engineering including well design, drilling fluids, casing design, and drilling optimisation

  • Petroleum Production Engineering

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Production system design, artificial lift, well stimulation, and production optimisation techniques

  • Reservoir Simulation and Modelling

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Computational modelling of reservoir systems including numerical methods, history matching, and reservoir forecasting

  • Petroleum Geology and Exploration

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Geological principles of petroleum formation, migration, and accumulation including basin analysis and source rock characterisation

  • Well Logging and Formation Evaluation

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Well logging techniques, log interpretation, and formation evaluation for reservoir characterisation

  • Research Methodology and Engineering Statistics

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research design, data analysis methods, and statistical techniques for petroleum engineering research

  • Enhanced Oil Recovery and Energy Policy

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Enhanced oil recovery methods including thermal, chemical, and gas injection, and energy policy frameworks for petroleum development

  • Thesis Proposal Development

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Development and defence of a doctoral research proposal on a petroleum engineering topic

  • Thesis Research and Writing

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Independent doctoral research culminating in a thesis defended before internal and external examiners

Specialisations

  • Petroleum Engineering Practice

    Specialization in Petroleum Engineering Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as petroleum-engineer.

  • Bioenergy Engineering

    Specialization in Bioenergy Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as bioenergy-engineer.

  • Well Drilling Operations

    Specialization in Well Drilling Operations, preparing graduates for careers such as well-drilling-supervisor.

  • Renewable Energy Engineering

    Specialization in Renewable Energy Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as renewable-energy-engineer.

  • Renewable Energy Project Management

    Specialization in Renewable Energy Project Management, preparing graduates for careers such as renewable-energy-project-manager.

  • Academic Research in Energy

    Specialization in Academic Research in Energy, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.

A day as a student

A typical day combines computational modelling of reservoir systems with data analysis, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend engineering seminars, present research at departmental colloquia, and visit petroleum industry installations and exploration sites.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Kenya's emerging petroleum industry creates demand for local expertise
  • High salary potential in the petroleum industry
  • Opportunities for international collaboration through SPE and APPO
  • Contributes to Kenya's energy sector development under Vision 2030

Against it

  • Petroleum industry is volatile and subject to global price fluctuations
  • Tuition fees are high at KES 459,000 per year
  • Research facilities for petroleum engineering are limited in Kenya
  • Industry downturns can affect job availability and research funding

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
Public170k to 459k
170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology459k at Kenyatta University
Private150k to 288k
150k at Mount Kenya University288k at Kabarak 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

KU 459K/yr (engineering.ku.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K/yr. Kabarak 288K/yr, MKU 150K/yr.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and SPE research grants for petroleum engineering research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000

  • DAAD Scholarship

    Scholarship

  • NRF Research Grant

    Grant

  • SPE Research Grant

    Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities

  • NRF Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Researchers at Kenyan institutions conducting research relevant to national development

  • DAAD Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C+
Alternative entry
Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

  • Master's Degree

    MSc in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related engineering field from a recognised university

  • Undergraduate qualification

    Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related physical science with minimum Second-Class Honours (Upper Division)

  • Research capability

    Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Design and Computational Projects

    Coursework20% of the mark

  • Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)

    Coursework30% of the mark

  • Thesis Examination

    Coursework100% of the mark

  • Oral Viva Voce

    Coursework100% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Engineering graduates may register with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK).

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya

  • Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK)

    Professional registration

    Optional registration for engineering practice in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Reservoir Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 300,000

    Analyses and optimises reservoir performance at oil companies and petroleum research institutions

  • University Lecturer (Petroleum Engineering)

    High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Teaches petroleum engineering and conducts research in university engineering departments

  • Energy Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 250,000

    Advises government, oil companies, and international organisations on petroleum projects and energy policy

  • Petroleum Engineer (Senior)

    Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Designs and optimises petroleum production systems at oil companies and energy consultancies

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, petroleum engineering researchers, reservoir engineers, and energy consultants in universities, oil companies, the Ministry of Energy, EPRA, and international energy organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

  • Petroleum engineering is only about drilling for oil

    Petroleum engineering encompasses reservoir engineering, production optimisation, well design, reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery, and energy policy, requiring diverse engineering and computational skills.

  • There is no petroleum industry in Kenya

    Kenya has discovered commercially viable oil in the South Lokichar Basin and is developing its petroleum industry with exploration ongoing in multiple basins, creating demand for petroleum engineering expertise.

  • A PhD in petroleum engineering has limited career prospects

    There is demand for petroleum engineering researchers and specialists at oil companies, the Ministry of Energy, EPRA, and international energy organisations as Kenya develops its oil sector.

  • Petroleum engineering is incompatible with environmental sustainability

    Modern petroleum engineering research addresses environmental challenges including carbon capture, produced water management, and transition to cleaner energy production alongside conventional petroleum operations.

Related courses

Further reading

Keep this

Fees and entry marks for Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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