Mining and Petroleum Engineering
We recognise the need for society to transition to a more sustainable future and be able to contribute to an equitable standard of living.
The resources sector is fundamentally important for society, with global leaders acknowledging the need for the industry to address climate change and for society to have diminishing reliance on fossil fuels. Our disciplines of Petroleum Engineering and Mineral & Mining Engineering are ranked 10th* and 11th** respectively, acknowledging the global impact of our staff who are assisting the resource sector to become more sustainable.
Our best-in-class research and teaching focuses on the management and recovery of subsurface resources that are vital to sustaining a fair and prosperous society.
*2022 QS World University Rankings.
**2022 ARWU ranking.
Research
Our world-leading research helps industry and government safely and sustainably discover and extract minerals and energy resources – whilst accelerating society’s transition to carbon neutrality through technological innovations.
Our research outputs have achieved the highest possible ratings – “above world standard” in the Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy in the Australian Government’s Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) assessment.
Our Mining and Petroleum research engagement with industry is evidenced by almost 30% of our papers having an industry co-author, compared to the Australia-wide average of 2.3%.
Our wide-ranging research includes:
Mining Engineering:
- Geostatistics, resource estimation and mine optimisation
- Rock mechanics, rock burst, rock fracture mechanics and deep mining
- Fluid flow in fractured porous rocks under coupled conditions
- Innovative mining technologies such as in-situ recovery of minerals
Petroleum Engineering, GeoEnergy and GeoStorage:
- Subsurface gas storage (CCS and Underground Hydrogen Storage)
- Formation damage and enhanced oil-gas recovery
- Reservoir simulation
- Optimisation and uncertainty quantification wellbore decommissioning
- Hydraulic fracturing
- Low salinity water-flooding
- Normative and behavioural approaches to decision making
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Services and laboratory testing
Our North Terrace campus is home to world-class laboratories and computing facilities, including world-leading fluid flow (Oil, Gas, CO2, and H2) in porous media laboratories, high-performance computing facilities and modern learning spaces.
The Mining and Petroleum discipline allows students and partners to trial engineering principles firsthand in a functional test well — a first for an Australian university, and one of only a few worldwide.
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Extensive undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
Study options
We offer a unique set of mining and petroleum engineering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Petroleum engineering is the practical application of physics, mathematics, engineering and economic principles to the recovery of crude oil (an essential feedstock for everyday products). It is one of the highest paid fields of engineering, and there is significant demand for highly-qualified graduates.
Mining engineers are involved at every stage of a mining operation – from the point of exploration and discovery, through mine design and planning, mine construction, ore extraction and processing, and eventually mine site rehabilitation. The ever-increasing demand for minerals, including those critical to renewable technologies, means a wealth of exciting job opportunities around Australia and overseas.
Scholarships
Generous scholarships supported by Playford Trust, government and the resources industry are available to current and future students.
If employed full-time and studying to upskill, courses can be taken individually or combined as a graduate diploma or certificate.
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Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) opportunities
Much of our Mining and Petroleum research is funded by industry through consortia, research contracts, the ARC Linkage Program and Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants, with funded projects providing opportunities for student placements, scholarships and work experience. We also have close research ties to leading scientific organisations including Geoscience Australia, CSIRO and CO2CRC Ltd.
Be involved in engineering discovery, invention, and cutting-edge research through a higher degree by research. Satisfy your thirst of knowledge and join our Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy programs.
Professional short courses
As world leaders in GeoEnergy, we provide ‘continuing professional development training’ for professionals in oil and gas, water, CCS, hydrogen, geothermal, and environmental management.
