Key info

Learning mode
Online
Study level
Postgraduate
Credits
15 What are credits?
Duration
16 weeks (including 3-week spring holiday)
Time commitment
10 - 15 hours per week
Start date
26 January 2026
Cost
£1,355

Join an enhanced oil recovery course you can study flexibly online.

In this Masters-level online short course, you’ll learn about different methods of enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

With expert guidance, you’ll learn to develop, acquire, and safely integrate enhanced oil recovery technologies into field-development plans and field operations.

We’ll look at how EOR methods work, and the fundamental concepts and theory behind them.

Throughout the course, we’ll examine real-life examples of EOR operations to help illustrate EOR techniques and concepts.

Who can join this enhanced oil recovery course?

This distance-learning course is for engineering graduates, particularly those with a background in petroleum, chemical, or civil engineering.

It’s particularly valuable learning for:

  • graduates with a background in petroleum engineering
  • petroleum engineers in the oil and gas sector looking to improve their theoretical understanding of EOR, and
  • academics in universities around the world interested in developing courses in EOR or petroleum engineering.

Reservoir engineering knowledge

The course assumes some knowledge of reservoir engineering. If you do not have this prior knowledge, we recommend taking our online Reservoir Engineering short course first.

Build credits towards an accredited Masters degree

This online course is part of our Energy Institute-accredited:

You can use the credits you earn with this short course towards this MSc qualification.

What you’ll study

With growing demand for energy, there is a need to maximise the production of oil and gas, especially from depleting reservoirs.

In this course, you’ll examine the methods and processes of enhanced recovery of oil and gas.

You’ll also learn to integrate enhanced oil recovery technologies into field development plan and field operations.

You’ll cover topics including:

EOR overview

  • what is enhanced oil recovery?
  • review of two-phase flow in porous media, basics of phase behaviour
  • microscopic displacement efficiency, sweep efficiency, and factors that affect them
  • ternary phase diagrams.

Miscible gas injection

  • first and multiple-contact miscibility
  • vaporising and condensing gas drives
  • mechanisms of recovery enhancement
  • screening considerations and case studies
  • water alternating gas (WAG).

Chemical flooding

  • forces in pore spaces (viscous, capillary, and gravity forces)
  • their 1D equations and derivations
  • fractional flow analysis and calculations
  • mobility concept
  • microemulsions.

Thermal methods

  • different types of thermal methods
  • the reasons for using them
  • the mechanisms involved
  • efficiency calculations
  • kinetics of the reactions.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to...

  • Describe factors that affect pore-scale displacement efficiency and sweep efficiency.
  • Describe the mechanisms underlying established EOR methods.
  • Quantitatively characterise interfacial, viscous, and capillary forces and their relative importance.
  • Use ternary phase diagrams to predict miscibility conditions for a gas injection scheme.
  • Use fractional flow curves to predict the speeds of the solvent front and water front for a secondary WAG scheme under idealised conditions.
  • Use fractional flow curves to calculate the displacement performance of a chemical flood.
  • Use simple analytical methods to assess the efficiency of thermal methods.
  • Analyse and design polymer flows in a 1D system.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for online EOR courses

Earn as you learn

We fit around full-time work, so you can build qualifications while you keep earning a salary.

You’re in expert hands

We’ve been training world-class engineers for over 100 years and delivering online learning for decades.

20% alumni discount

University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off this online course.

How you’ll study

Online learning

This distance-learning enhanced oil recovery course is delivered flexibly, 100% online.

You can learn with us anywhere in the world, no student visa required, and manage your study hours to suit you.

Your teaching

This course is taught at Masters level.

Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.

You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:

  • pre-recorded video lectures
  • lecture slides
  • reading materials
  • discussion boards with your tutors and peers
  • the online resources of our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Your tutors

This course is delivered by our School of Engineering.

You’ll learn from academic staff who are active researchers in the subsurface energy area.

Industry input

This course is part of our accredited MSc in Petroleum Engineering, which has its content shaped by an Industrial Advisory Board of representatives of companies in the petroleum sector.

Your teaching team

Dr Yukie Tanino

Dr Yukie Tanino – Course Coordinator

Yukie is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and manager of the Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory. 

Yukie’s primary line of research is in porous media flows, with current projects focused on flow properties of temporary plugging layers and the application of digital rock technology to fractured rock.

View Yukie’s profile
Dr Amin Sharifi

Dr Amin Sharifi

Amin is a Senior Lecturer in our School of Engineering. His primary research interests span experimental and theoretical fluid dynamics in porous media and narrow channels.

Amin works closely with local and international research councils and industry from Africa, the Middle East, and North America to address current problems in the energy sector and explore future opportunities.

View Amin’s profile

Where this will take you

Towards an accredited Masters degree

You’ll earn 15 credits at Masters level (SCQF Level 11) with this course. You can use these credits towards our:

Accredited Masters in Petroleum Engineering

Become a world-class petroleum engineer, ready to take up roles in the upstream oil and gas industry. Join our accredited online MSc in Petroleum Engineering, designed in partnership with industry.

View MSc Petroleum Engineering

Build your learning

We offer a range of specialist online Engineering and technology courses you can use to build your skills.

Many carry credits you can build up into postgraduate qualifications, including Masters degrees:

Careers

This course will prepare you to progress within roles in the petroleum engineering sector.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Your employer or professional institute may recognise this course for CPD hours. Talk to your employer or institute to find out more.

Free career support

Access our free careers service while you study.

  • 1:1 appointments
  • CV checks
  • Interview prep
  • Job opportunities

See how our careers service can help you.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for part-time online learning

Flexible

Flexible hours and 24/7 access, so you can study when it suits you.

Learn anywhere

On smartphone, desktop and laptop, with no need for a student visa.

Over 525 years of excellence

Study with the fifth-oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1495.

Entry requirements

This course has no formal entry requirements. You decide if it’s suitable for you.

The course is delivered at Masters level. At this level, you’d usually have at least:

  • a 2:2 UK degree (or equivalent) in Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Civil Engineering, or
  • relevant experience that supports this level of learning.

Reservoir engineering knowledge

This course assumes some knowledge of reservoir engineering. If you do not have this prior knowledge, we recommend taking our online Reservoir Engineering short course first.

Apply for this course

Start date
26 January 2026
Cost
£1,355
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