Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre

The greatest scientific and technological challenge of this century is how to provide energy to a growing global population, while avoiding dangerous climate change. The storage of CO₂ in deep subsurface geologic reservoirs is broadly recognized as an essential first step to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, including assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Commission on European Communities, and the United States Department of Energy.

You are invited to join Imperial College’s largest research project, secured through long-term industrial funding. The posts are funded through major long-term support from Qatar Petroleum and Shell International for the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre (QCCSRC). This Centre, established in 2008, is enabling Imperial College London to expand significantly its research into Clean Fossil Fuels - aimed in particular at improving the energy efficiency of oil and gas recovery, closely coupled with reducing greenhouse gas emissions through advanced carbon capture and storage technologies. The Centre is a collaboration between the Department of Earth Science and Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Applications are invited for 1 research studentship to study the underpinning science and engineering of carbon storage in carbonate reservoirs, leading to the award of a PhD degree. The post is supported by a bursary (£18,000 pa) and paid fees from October 2015 or sooner and is available for UK / EU or international candidates.

You will be an enthusiastic and self-motivated person who meets the academic requirements for enrolment for the PhD degree at Imperial College London. These are normally at least a 2:1 honours degree in applied mathematics, physical science or engineering and preferably an MSc with a good dissertation in a relevant subject. You will have an enquiring and rigorous approach to research together with a strong intellect and disciplined work habits. Good team-working, observational and communication skills are essential. Some international travel and work at industrial sponsors’ research facilities will be required.

The research project will be in the field of reactive fluid transport and phase behaviour in porous media, thus including carbonate reservoir rocks as well as tight microporous rocks where adsorption reactions may take place. Emphasis will be given to the experimental characterisation of such processes and to their relation with both single- and multi-phase flow properties in these complex porous systems. To this aim, state-of-the-art facilities are available in the new research laboratories in the department and include among others various non-invasive multi-scale imaging tools.

The successful applicant will work under the supervision of Dr Ronny Pini and be encouraged to collaborate with other QCCSRC team members and other academic staff members, to publish the research results in internationally recognised peer reviewed journals and present those at relevant national and international scientific and professional conferences, as well as industrial sponsor meetings. You will become a skilled communicator, comfortable in an international situation.

To find out more about QCCSRC and specific research projects within the centre, go tohttp://www3.imperial.ac.uk/qatarcarbonatesandcarbonstorage

For further enquiries contact the QCCSRC co-ordinator, Mrs Bhavna Patel, QCCSRC<στο>imperial.ac.uk+44(0) 20785942685. Interested applicants should send their curriculum vitae, a statement of their research interest and an electronic copy of their transcripts to Dr Ronny Pini at r.pini<στο>imperial.ac.uk.

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