World-class education since 1955

The department traces its origins back to 1955 with the establishment of the first chair, 'Drilling and Oil Production,' followed by 'Reservoir Physics and Technology' in 1976. In 2001, the 'Drilling and Completion Engineering' chair completed the hydrocarbon-focused trio.

Since January 2015, these three chairs, along with 'Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Recovery' and 'Reservoir Engineering,' were united under the Department of Petroleum Engineering. The opening of the new center in June 2016 marked a significant milestone, enhancing resource sharing and the integration of technical and administrative expertise. In 2024, this department was renamed the Department Geoenergy, reflecting its expanded focus on sustainability and commitment to a broader range of energy resources. 

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1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

2001

2001

Depart-
ment PE

2006

Department Mineral
Resources and PE

2015

Department PE

2024

Department Geoenergy

2001

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.h.c.

Zoltán
Heinemann

2006

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

Peter
Moser

2010

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

Helmut
Flachberger

2015

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

G. Thon-
hauser

2019

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Phys. Dr.rer.nat.

Holger
Ott

1955

Lehrstuhl für Tiefbohrtechnik
und Erdölgewinnung

2000

Lehrstuhl Production
Engineering

2012

Chair of Petroleum and
Geothermal Energy Recovery

1955

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.h.c.

Gottfried
Prikel

1961

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.-Ing.

Manfred
Lorbach

1988

O.Univ.Prof.
B.S. M.S. PhD

Michael J.
Economides

1993

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dr.mont. B.S. M.S.

Keith K.
Millheim

1998

Univ.-Prof.
Bergrat h.c. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

Gerhard
Ruthammer

2007

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

Herbert
Hofstätter

1976

1976

Lehrstuhl für Lagerstätten-
physik und -technik

2012

Chair of Reservoir
Engineering

1977

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.h.c.

Zoltán
Heinemann

2006

Univ.-Prof.
DI Dr.mont.

Leonh.
Ganzer

2009

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Geol. PhD

Stephan
Matthäi

2016

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Phys. Dr.rer.nat.

Holger
Ott

2001

2001

Lehrstuhl für Tiefbohrtechnik und
Produktionssondenkomplettierung

2015

Chair of Drilling and
Completion Engineering

2003

Univ.-Prof.
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.

Gerhard
Thonhauser

1964

1964

Lehrstuhl für Angewandte
Geophysik und Erdölgeologie

2001

Merged with Department Angewandte
Geowissenschaften und Geophysik

1964

O.Univ.-Prof.
Dr.phil. Dr.h.c.

Franz
Weber