Petroleum engineering and other engineering questions

[stonecoldgen]

as i want to be focused more on physics than in chemistry (understanding that i need the knowledge of both on an engineering career), i want to ask if petroleum engineering focuses a lot on chemistry or not

and, do all or a vast majority of Canadian universities offer the option to declare the major after the first 2 years? (in engineering of course)

thanks

 

[mrmiller1]

There is a ton of chemistry in petroleum engineering. You're looking at probably 6 courses in chemistry (minimum!) which would be 2 general chemistry, 2 organic chemistry, and another two physical chemistry courses. In addition the university that offers the degree will likely want you to take petroleum chemical processing courses. In any petro plant there's an equal amount of physical treatment as chemical treatment.

There will be a ton of physics too considering thermodynamics and transport (heat transfer, fluid dynamics, mass transfer) are a branch of physics.

On the bright side, petro engineers make a ton of money and I'm guessing oil still has about 50 years or so left. The location of a petro plant, however, may require you to relocate...