Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration

Petroleum Engineering 301
Petroleum Engineering Numerical Methods
Credit 3: (2-3)
Required for Juniors
Catalog Description: Use of numerical methods in a variety of petroleum engineering problems;
numerical differentiation and integration; root finding; numerical solution of differential equations; curve
fitting and interpolation; computer applications; introduction to the principles of numerical simulation
methods.
Prerequisites(s): PETE 311; CVEN 305; MEEN 315; MATH 308
Instructor: J. Bryan Maggard, Senior Lecturer, Petroleum Engineering Department, RICH 501U, (979)
845-0592 mailto: maggard@pe.tamu.edu, and other Petroleum Engineering Department faculty.
Textbook Required: Numerical Methods, Hornbeck, R.W., Prentice Hall, 1982.
Suggesed: Engineering with Excel, Larsen, Prentice Hall, 2002; A Guide to MS Excel 2002 for scientists
and engineers, Liengme, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002.
Topics Covered:
1. Introduction, Orientation, Engineering problem solving and software
development tools (Excel Visual Basic for Applications,), programming style,
errors, debugging.
2. Taylor’s series, Numerical errors, Error propagation, Basic concepts of
numerical methods (Iteration, Convergence, Order, Stability), Classfication of
problems and methods.
3. Finding roots of equations, extrema of functions (single variable).
4. Numerical differentiation and integration of functions.
5. Interpolation, Smoothing, Differentiation and integration of discrete data
series.
6. Linear, pseudo-linear and non-linear least squares.
7. Numerical Solution of ODE.
8. Multivariable (Linear Algebra) Methods: Matrices, vectors, System of Linear
Equations.
9. Gauss, Gauss-Jordan, LU decomposition, Special cases, Iterative methods.
10. Multivariable Methods: Root finding and search for extrema Nonlinear Least
Squares, Numerical solution of system of ODE.
11. Numerical Solution of PDEs, Transient solution of the diffusivity equation
(onedim finite difference).
12. Reservoir simulation.
13. Midterm exams, reviews, final examination.
Class/Laboratory Schedule: 2 50-min lecture sessions and one 3-hour lab session per week
Method of Evaluation:
Laboratory Assignments and Participation 20%
Class participation and quizzes 10%
1-hour examinations (15 % each, 4) 60%
Homework 10%
Total 100%
Contributions to Professional Component:
Math and Science None
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