2020 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Chemical Science and Engineering Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Frontiers of Environmental Chemistry I
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Akihiko Okui
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.I681
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
[Summary of the course] Crude oil and natural gas are valuable materials that can be used as the source of energy as well as various chemical products. However, the amount of their resources is limited because of specific formation process, and therefore their production will deplete in the future. Crude oil and natural gas have wide range of composition affected by paleo-earth environment, and therefore they are a kind of time capsule to reveal paleo-earth environment. In actual oil and gas explorations, the understanding of their composition results in the improvement of their discovery. In this lecture, detailed explanation on composition, origin, formation process, exploration/development/production method and the amount of their resources are presented.
[Aim of the course] The objective of this lecture is to have correct view of crude oil and natural gas. Especially, with knowing of the uniqueness of their formation process and the difficulty of exploration/development/production method, the participants can understand their value and the importance for jointly use with other energy sources.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will have following knowledge and capabilities.
1) Variation in composition of crude oil and natural gas and advanced analytical technique to characterize them.
2) Formation process of crude oil and natural gas and computer simulation technique to understand it.
3) The relationship between pale-earth environment and the distribution of crude oil and natural gas, and total amount of these resources.
4) The method of exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas and their business side.
5) Unconventional resources such as shale gas/oil and methane hydrate.
Keywords
Crude oil, natural gas, Paleo-earth environment, Geochemical analysis, Computer simulation, Exploration/development/production, Unconventional resources
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
(1) Lectures about roles of subsurface microbes and subsurface material cycles related to methane
(2) Submission of reports about the lecture
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Followings are theme of lecture 1) Composition of crude oil and natural gas, and their analytical method 2) Formation process of crude oil and natural gas, and its computer simulation 3) Distribution and resources of crude oil and natural gas 4) Exploration/Development/Production of crude oil and narural gas 5) Unconventional resources such as shale oil/gas and methane hydrate | 1) Interpret the results of analysis on crude oil and natural gas, and then explain their origin and pale-environment when they form. 2) Understand the principles of computer simulation on formation of crude oil and natural gas, and then explain the factors to control it. 3) Understand the relationship between pale-earth environment, and the distribution of crude oil and natural gas, and then explain the reason for their locatization. 4) Understand the method to explore, develop and produce crude oil and natural gas, and then explain their difficulties. 5) Understand unconventional resources such as shale oil/gas and methane hydrate, and then explain the difference with conventional resources. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
None required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None required.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Attendance is taken in every class. Full attendance is compulsory. Report on the relation between their own doctoral research projects and environmental problems/analytical techniques is assessed.
Related courses
- CAP.I682 ： Frontiers of Environmental Chemistry II
Prerequisites
No prerequisites