Pitt to launch 1st-of-its-kind natural gas, renewables and oil engineering degree

University of Pittsburgh officials say a new undergraduate degree will prepare future engineers for the evolving, global energy market.

The Natural Gas, Renewables and Oil Engineering (GRO) program is designed to prepare students as energy production evolves, whether it be traditional oil and natural gas to solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric or geothermal, according to the university.

“It may not be super soon, but it is going to be changing,” said Steve Little, chair of Pitt’s chemical engineering department. “We want our students to lead that.”

The program will be offered through the Swanson School’s Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

It is the first undergraduate petroleum engineering degree in the country to combine traditional natural gas and oil components with an extensive suite of courses related to renewables, according to Pitt.

“While oil and natural gas remain central to the global energy mix, low- and zero-emission sources are expanding rapidly,” said alumni Mark Papa, founder and former chairman and CEO of EOG Resources.

Papa is a Pitt graduate and also advised the GRO program development.

“We also are looking at a fast-approaching demand for new talent as boomers and Gen X retire. It’s an honor to support a program that helps future Pitt engineers fill that gap and lead the transition to a new energy future,” he said.

The curriculum combines courses in geology, chemistry, drilling and production with eight required renewable energy courses, according to Pitt. Topics include solar, wind, hydro, biofuels, energy storage or batteries, subsurface decarbonization, hydraulic fracturing and underground CO2 disposal.

“Students will be taught about the energy landscape in an integrative way,” Little said.

The program will start in fall 2026. The program will undergo Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology review for petroleum engineering in 2029, after the first group of GRO seniors graduate.

There is a high job demand and earning potential for engineers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of engineers in the field is projected to grow through 2034, with a median annual wage of more than $141,000.

“Their overall mindset of what the transition is going to look like is going to be more accurate,” Little said.

Little said Pitt’s program is going to give students a “massive” leg up on their peers when they enter the industry after graduation. He hopes other universities implement similar models to Pitt’s.

“You can’t find anything like this anywhere else in the country,” he said. “We are training the next generation of leaders in energy production to be the most competitive for the jobs that are coming, not only in the near future, but for the next 25 years.”