International Petroleum Business 

Course Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand the global structure of the petroleum industry across the upstream, midstream, and downstream value chain.

• Explain how international oil and gas companies operate, compete, and collaborate across borders.

• Interpret major drivers of global oil and gas supply, demand, pricing, and market dynamics.

• Understand exploration, development, and production economics and how projects are evaluated.

• Analyze the role of contracts, fiscal regimes, and host-government agreements in shaping investment decisions.

• Identify the commercial models used in international crude oil and LNG trading, logistics, and pricing benchmarks.

• Assess geopolitical, regulatory, and environmental factors affecting global petroleum markets.

• Strengthen decision-making capabilities in international petroleum business environments.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Professionals entering the oil and gas industry seeking a broad commercial understanding

• Managers, supervisors, and analysts from upstream, midstream, or downstream sectors

• Public-sector officials, regulators, and NOC staff

• Business development, finance, HR, and planning professionals

• Professionals from banking, insurance, legal, and consulting firms working with energy clients

• Anyone interested in gaining a complete overview of the international petroleum business

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Professionals entering the oil and gas industry seeking a broad commercial understanding

• Managers, supervisors, and analysts from upstream, midstream, or downstream sectors

• Public-sector officials, regulators, and NOC staff

• Business development, finance, HR, and planning professionals

• Professionals from banking, insurance, legal, and consulting firms working with energy clients

• Anyone interested in gaining a complete overview of the international petroleum business

 Course Outline

DAY 1 – Global Petroleum Industry Overview

Module 1: Structure of the International Petroleum Business

• Overview of the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors

• Global oil and gas value chain and key players

• Role of IOCs, NOCs, independents, and service companies

• Integration vs. specialization models in the petroleum business

Module 2: International Petroleum Supply & Demand

• Global energy mix: past, present, and future trends

• Oil and gas supply fundamentals and key producing regions

• Global consumption patterns and demand centers

• Energy transition pressures and long-term scenarios

Module 3: Introduction to Petroleum Geology & Exploration

• Basics of petroleum systems

• Exploration process and seismic surveys

• Exploration risk, resources vs. reserves classification

• Global exploration hotspots

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DAY 2 – Upstream Petroleum Operations & Economics

Module 4: Field Development and Production Operations

• Appraisal drilling and reserves estimation

• Development planning, well types, and production systems

• Offshore vs. onshore development approaches

• Production technologies and artificial lift

Module 5: Upstream Project Economics & Decision Making

• Cash flow modelling: CAPEX, OPEX, revenue

• Profitability indicators: NPV, IRR, payback, sensitivity analysis

• Risk and uncertainty in petroleum projects

• Benchmarking upstream costs globally

Module 6: Petroleum Fiscal Regimes & Contracts

• Concession/licensing systems

• Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs)

• Service contracts and hybrid models

• Government take, bonuses, royalties, and tax structures

• Case studies (Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America)

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DAY 3 – Midstream Operations, Transportation & LNG Business

Module 7: International Crude Oil Transportation

• Pipelines, trucking, rail, and marine logistics

• Tanker markets: VLCC, Suezmax, Aframax

• FOB, CIF, CFR, and other delivery terms

• Storage and terminal operations

Module 8: Natural Gas & LNG Business

• Gas value chain: upstream to end-user

• LNG liquefaction, shipping, and regasification

• LNG long-term contracts, spot trading, and pricing structures

• Key LNG markets: Europe, Asia, and emerging buyers

Module 9: The Role of Midstream Infrastructure

• Gas pipelines and cross-border trade

• LNG vs. pipeline gas competitiveness

• Strategic pipelines (Nord Stream, TAP, AGP, etc.)

• Storage economics and strategic reserves

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DAY 4 – Downstream, Refining, Marketing & Global Petroleum Markets

Module 10: Refining Operations and Product Yields

• Refining configurations: simple vs. complex

• Crude assay and refinery economics

• Key refined products and their markets

• Margins and crack spreads

Module 11: International Petroleum Pricing Mechanisms

• Crude oil benchmarks: Brent, WTI, Dubai

• Product benchmarks: Platts quotes, Argus, OPIS

• Price reporting agencies and methodology

• Differential pricing and crude quality adjustments

Module 12: Global Trading & Marketing

• Physical trading principles

• Pricing windows, forward curves, contango vs. backwardation

• Introduction to derivatives: futures, swaps, options

• Trading risks and hedging fundamentals

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DAY 5 – Commercial Strategies, Geopolitics & Future of Petroleum Business

Module 13: Geopolitics of Oil & Gas

• Impact of political tensions on supply and prices

• OPEC+, sanctions, and global market stability

• Resource nationalism and its impact on investment

Module 14: Negotiation & Risk Management in Petroleum Contracts

• Joint ventures and partnerships

• Contractual risks and mitigation strategies

• Dispute resolution mechanisms

• Commercial risk, operational risk, and market risk

Module 15: The Future of International Petroleum Business

• Decarbonization, ESG, and low-carbon strategies

• Role of technology (digitalization, AI, automation)

• Opportunities for diversification into renewables

• Strategic positioning for the next decade

Wrap-Up Workshop

• Group exercise: Evaluate an international oil and gas investment scenario

• Discussion of insights and key takeaways

• Course review and Q&A

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