Petrochemical Engineering Courses, Syllabus & Scope

Petrochemical Engineering plays a vital role in maintaining the global economy, and it’s hard to imagine a world without petroleum. This article will tell you everything you need to know about getting a B.Tech degree in Petrochemical Engineering. We will talk about the top B.Tech courses in Petrochemical Engineering in the country, colleges that offer a Petrochemical Engineering degree in India, and much more. 

What is Petrochemical Engineering? - An Overview

Petrochemical Engineering is an engineering field dedicated to extracting petrochemicals like oil and gas from the earth's surface. Being a non-renewable source of energy, the supply of petrochemicals is limited. Therefore, it becomes necessary to maximise the extraction process's efficiency, which is where Petrochemical engineers come into play. 

A Petrochemical Engineer handles several responsibilities, including developing the equipment for drilling purposes. Petrochemical engineers are also responsible for locating the ideal site for drilling and installation/maintenance of the equipment on the oil rigs. 

Petrochemical Engineering: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for getting admission into Petrochemical Engineering, B.Tech courses in India are quite similar to other engineering courses in the country. Eligibility criteria depend mainly on whether you want to join an undergraduate or postgraduate course. Let’s discuss them individually. 

Undergraduate Courses

1. Students must pass their 10+2 examinations from a recognised examination board. 
2. Must score at least 50% of the total aggregate marks. 
3. Students must have Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics as their subjects in their 10+2 examinations. 
4. Any specific eligibility criteria mentioned by your university of choice. 

Postgraduate Courses

1. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree or B.Tech in Petrochemical Engineering or related courses. 
2. Candidates must score at least 50% marks during their B.Tech degree.
3. Any specific eligibility criteria mentioned by your university of choice. 

Top Universities Providing B.Tech Degrees in Petrochemical Engineering in India

Petrochemical Engineering is an extension of the Chemical Engineering branch, as the two streams share a lot of similarities. Hence, a university that teaches or offers a B.Tech course or M.Tech degree in Chemical engineering might also provide a degree in Petrochemical engineering. Some of the top institutions in the country that offer a degree in Petrochemical Engineering are-

• IIT Madras

IIT Madras is one of the best engineering institutions in the country. IIT Madras is well known for its superior academics and placements. They are one of the best institutions in the country offering UG and PG courses in Petrochemical engineering. You must attempt the JEE Mains and Advanced examinations to grab a seat at IIT Madras. The total fee for a B.Tech program at IIT Madras is about ₹8.5 lakh rupees. IIT Madras takes applicants through JEE Advanced examination.

• IIT Bombay

IIT Bombay is ranked India's number one engineering institution. They boast a stellar campus with excellent academics and placement records. You need to get a top rank in JEE Advanced if you want to pursue a B.Tech degree from IIT Bombay.  Just like other IITs, IIT  Bombay takes admission to its UG programs through JEE Advanced.

• Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology

RGIPT is dedicated to studying Petrochemical engineering and other STEM courses. The main campus of the university is located in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. In contrast, new campuses are also being built in Assam and Bangalore. For a four-year B.Tech course at this institute, you will have to pay about ₹10 lakhs for academics. For admission, the candidates must clear the JEE Advanced.

Petrochemical Engineering Entrance Examinations

If you want to do a B.Tech degree in Petrochemical Engineering at one of the top institutions in the country. In that case, you first have to appear in an entrance examination. Some of the most common entrance examinations are-

1. JEE Mains: JEE Mains stands for Joint Entrance Examination Mains, the primary examination for admission to various institutions across the country. You need to take the JEE Mains examination to be eligible for admission to IIITs, NITs, and other premium institutions in the country. 
2. JEE Advance: JEE Advance is the primary examination you need to attempt to get admission into IITs, the most premium engineering institution in the country. Students who have qualified for the JEE Mains examination are eligible to appear in the JEE Advance examinations. 
3. BITSAT: The Birla Institute of Technology conducts the BITSAT examination for admitting students into their engineering institutions in Pilani, Hyderabad, and Goa. Some of the other examinations you can attempt are WBJEE, UPSEE, VITEEE, and more. 

Petrochemical Engineering B.Tech Degree: Syllabus

Taking admission into a college is the first step you need to take toward becoming a Petrochemical Engineer. Once you are admitted, you will start studying what Petrochemical Engineering is all about. Although the syllabus might vary from college to college, some of the common subjects that are taught in Petrochemical courses across the country are:

1st Year Syllabus

Semester 1	Semester 2
Introduction to Computing	Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithm
Physics	Chemistry
Engineering Mechanics	Engineering Thermodynamics
Mathematics I	Mathematics II
Basic Electrical Engineering	Basic Electronics Engineering
Engineering Drawing	Workshop Lab
Physics Lab	Chemistry Lab
Humanities and Social Sciences - Business Communication I	Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) - Business Communication II

2nd Year Syllabus

Semester 3	Semester 4
Methods of Applied Mathematics I	Numerical and Statistical Methods
Geology for Petroleum Engineers	Petroleum Production Operations I
Humanities and Social Science (HSS) elective	Surveying Theory
Mechanical Engineering I	Mechanical Engineering II
Drilling Technology	Managerial Economics
Drilling Fluids and Cement	Elements of reservoir Engineering
Petroleum Engineering Practical I	Petroleum Engineering Practical II
Geology for Petroleum Engineers Practical Lab	Surveying Practical Lab

3rd Year Syllabus

Semester 5	Semester 6
Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology Practical	Composite Viva Voce
Petroleum Production Operations II	Petroleum Formation Evaluation
Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology	Advanced Numerical Methods
Applied Petroleum Resource Engineering and Management	Directional Drilling
Petroleum Engineering Practical III	Petroleum Engineering Practical IV
Methods of Applied Mathematics II	Applied Electrical Engineering
Project and Term Paper	Project and Term Paper

4th Year Syllabus

Semester 7	Semester 8
Petroleum Engineering Projects	Petroleum Engineering Projects and Seminars
Offshore Drilling and Petroleum Production Practices	Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques
Oil and Gas Well Testing	Petroleum Engineering Design
Health Safety and Environment in Petroleum Practices	Reservoir Modelling and Simulation
Well Performance and Intervention	Advanced Offshore Engineering
Industrial Engineering and Management	Oil and Gas Marketing and Resource Management
Health Safety and Environment	Pipeline Engineering

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How Much Does it Cost to Study Petrochemical Engineering? 

	Minimum Course Fee		Maximum course fee
	Private	Government	Private	Government
UG	₹ 68,000	₹7000	₹24.5 lakhs	₹10.05 lakhs
PG	₹68,500	₹9800	₹2.65 lakhs	₹2.78 lakhs
Doctoral	₹100,000	Nil	₹100,000	Nil
Diploma	₹12,400	Nil	₹12,400	Nil

Petrochemical Engineering: Salary

Getting a degree in Petrochemical engineering can get you into some of the highest-paying engineering jobs in the world. The average starting salary of a Petrochemical Engineer in India is about ₹3 to 4 LPA. However, as your experience in the field increases, your salary does as well. The salary of a Petrochemical engineer can reach about ₹10 LPA in a span of a few years. A senior Petrochemical Engineer might earn as much as ₹50 LPA. 

Conclusion

Petrochemical engineering is one of the fastest-growing engineering fields in the country, with excellent career opportunities. If you want to learn more about how natural resources are extracted, it might be the ideal course. 

FAQ - Petrochemical Engineering

Is Petrochemical Engineering Good?

Petrochemical engineering is a great career option, especially if you are passionate about natural resources and their extraction.