M.Sc. Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Engineering

The aim of this professional Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Engineering programme is to provide graduates with broad-based training required for management roles in the petroleum, chemical and energy industries.

On completion of the Master’s programme, graduates should be able to:

1. Evaluate oil and gas hydrocarbon structures.
2. Understand various separation and fractionation methods employed in crude oil refining.
3. Study secondary petroleum refining processes used to improve fuel yields.
4. Understand how molecules are cracked through processes such as catalytic cracking, thermal cracking and hydrocracking.
5. Understand the concepts of catalysis and reactor design.
6. Identify contaminants present in crude oil and understand the processes involved in their removal.
7. Understand how contaminants can be converted into harmless compounds to improve the quality of finished refinery products, prevent the destruction of expensive catalysts, minimise corrosion of refining equipment and prevent environmental pollution.
8. Evaluate how the specific qualities of refined products can be improved through blending and the use of additives.
9. Apply process modelling techniques to crude oil refining processes using Aspen RefSys.
10. Evaluate petrochemical precursors (feedstocks), their unit operations and final products.
11. Understand how plastics, including thermoplastics and thermosets, are produced.