Join a well testing course you can study flexibly, 100% online.

Develop a broader understanding of reservoir fluids, well testing, and reservoir testing.

In this Masters-level online short course, you’ll study well testing and its implications for reservoir characterisation and field development.

With expert guidance from academics, engineers, and industry professionals, you’ll cover the the theory and practice of pressure transient analysis (PTA), also known as well test analysis.

You’ll learn to:

  • interpret the geological and fluid parameters affecting the results of PTA
  • use analytical, graphical, and software-based approaches to interpret a range of well test data
  • select appropriate test equipment for a given well testing task
  • design well tests, and review well testing procedures
  • analyse real sets of test data, and appreciate sources of error when collecting and processing data.

Who can join this online well testing course?

This distance-learning course is for people who have a background in Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Geophysics, Geology, or significant industry experience.

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 is well testing?

In the energy industry, well tests involve taking measurements while flowing fluids from a reservoir.

These tests are conducted at all stages in the life of oil and gas fields, from exploration through development, production and injection.

Operators perform these tests to:

  • assess the rate at which a formation will produce, or continue to produce, hydrocarbons
  • determine whether a formation will give a reasonable return on further investments
  • evaluate the limits of reservoirs, and
  • plan the most efficient methods for producing wells and fields.

What you’ll study

In this course, you’ll be introduced to the theory of reservoir pressure testing.

You’ll examine testing methods and some of the standard analysis techniques, using both hand calculations and industry-standard software.

Topics you’ll study

You’ll cover topics including:

  • the importance of well testing for well and reservoir characterisation and performance
  • principles, concepts, and applications of pressure transient theory
  • types of interpretation techniques, including straight line analysis, semi-log (Horner) plots, Miller-Dyes-Hutchinson plots, pressure log-log analysis, the Bourdet derivative, and the principle of superposition
  • pressure response (data) analysis using graphical interpretation techniques
  • the determination of various reservoir properties
  • flow and other types of tests, and
  • numerical well modelling.

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

  • Demonstrate understanding of the theories and analysis of different well testing methods.
  • Perform drawdown and buildup analyses using analytical solutions.
  • Analyse and compare the physical principles behind interpreting the response of hydrocarbon fluids to pressure and reservoir features.
  • Interpret well test data using hand calculations.
  • Design well tests and select appropriate well test tool for a given application.
  • Setup and run analysis of test data using industry standard software.
  • Qualitatively evaluate the results of analysis to predict the existence, type, and location of reservoir features.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for well testing courses

Earn as you learn

We fit around full-time work, so you can earn 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 well testing 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:

  • videos of lectures
  • videos of tutorials
  • 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 an internationally experienced team of engineers and academics who are active researchers in this area.

Industry input

You’ll have access to industrial expertise through invited talks delivered by technological professionals currently working in the industry.

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

This course is assessed online.

You’ll be assessed throughout your studies via:

  • written coursework (worth 30% of your final course grade), and
  • an online exam (70%).

The course totals approximately 150 hours of study and assessment time. That’s around 10 – 15 hours per week.

This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes. This includes time for independent study, as well as teaching and assessments.

You can largely set your own study hours each week to cover the materials. MyAberdeen is available 24/7, so you can log in and study when it suits you.

Activities with deadlines

There will be some activities scheduled at fixed times, such as assessments with deadlines, or meetings with your tutor. But otherwise, you can access and work through the course at your convenience.

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your coordinator via email, MyAberdeen and Microsoft Teams. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

Your course coordinator

Dr Prashant Jadhawar

Prashant, your course coordinator, is a distinguished Lecturer with over 22 years’ combined experience in academia and the oil and gas industry.

His expertise spans enhanced oil and gas recovery, CO2 sequestration, and reservoir modelling. Prashant has contributed significantly to the field, with numerous publications and talks. He’s actively engaged in research on hydrogen innovation, subsurface CO2 sequestration and storage, funded currently by the Net Zero Technology Centre.

Prashant is also active in various committees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section, alongside collaborating with industry professionals.

View Prashant’s profile

Where this will take you

Towards a Masters

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

Careers

In this course, you’ll develop multidisciplinary knowledge and skills in well test concepts, and how to apply them in the academic and industrial environments.

Your learning will enable you to design well tests, review well test procedures, and carry out wall test analysis.

This will prepare you for roles within:

  • engineering
  • consultancy
  • research, and
  • educational environments.

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.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

We welcome students from all over the world.

This course has no formal entry requirements. You do not need to provide proof of your qualifications.

But you do need to check the entry guidance above to understand the level of teaching delivered, to decide if this course is right for you.

If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check the equivalent teaching level for your country.

Visa requirements

You do not need a student visa to study online with us.

English language requirements

Teaching is delivered in English.

You do not have to provide proof of your English language skills to join this course. But we want to make sure that you can use English well enough to study successfully.

Recommended level of English

For this course, we recommend the following level of English language proficiency.

These are our Postgraduate Standard requirements, and these are minimum scores.

IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, and IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)

  • 6.5 overall
  • 5.5 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 6.0 for writing

TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition

  • 90 overall
  • 17 for listening
  • 18 for reading
  • 20 for speaking
  • 21 for writing
  • TOEFL DI code is 0818

Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency

  • 176 overall
  • 162 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 169 for writing

LanguageCert Academic/LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 70 overall
  • 60 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 65 for writing

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken) – Online / In-centre

  • Overall High Pass
  • 33 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 38 for writing

Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online

  • 7.0 overall
  • 5.0 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 6.0 for writing

PTE Academic (online test not accepted)

  • 62 overall
  • 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing

Duolingo tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward

  • 120 overall
  • 95 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 105 for writing

University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)

  • Pass
  • Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date

Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities

  • Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1)
  • B2 in all four skills
  • Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

For full information about language requirements, see our English Language Requirements page.

You will need access to:

A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on either:

  • Windows 10 or later
  • macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.

Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.

Reliable internet access

We recommend:

  • a wired connection
  • a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.

Speakers or headphones

  • We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
  • A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.

Software

We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your studies each week:

  • Be realistic
  • Create a weekly schedule as a guide

If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.

Fee payment

Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.

We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.

Ways to save

You may be able to get help funding this course via:

  • discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
  • employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors.

Find out more about funding options.

Student card

All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.

Learning resources

Access to all the essential books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.

We also provide optional recommended reading lists. Many of these resources are available electronically through our library, although purchases may be required if you wish to read the full list.

Printing

You may want to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.

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 of teaching, you’d usually have at least:

  • a 2:2 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Geophysics, Geology, or
  • a minimum of two years’ relevant experience in academia in any of the above subjects, or
  • a minimum of two years’ relevant industry experience that supports this level of study.

Mathematical skills

This course includes significant mathematical content. Please review our mathematical skills document, which we’ve prepared to give you an indication of the level of mathematics you’ll require.

Apply for this course

Start date
22 September 2025
Cost
£1,355
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