Project description: Downhole gasification offers a potential way to utilise difficult-to-extract and exhausted reservoirs in the North Sea by in-situ generation of hydrogen (and carbon oxides as displacement gas), which can then also be stored in the reservoir until needed. Seal rock, also called cap rock, is a crucial and sometimes overlooked factor in the evaluation of a potential hydrocarbon accumulation, and is critical in downhole gasification and storage of hydrogen. Seal rocks are geological formations with extremely low porosity and permeability overlying oil or gas reservoirs, which constitute a barrier against the volumetric flow of fluids into the upper layers. Although a seal rock can be considered as a seal to hydrocarbons, it is erroneous to regard it as a completely impermeable layer. The retention of different fluids by overlying seals is controlled by the capillary entry pressure, and/or the permeability and the extent of diffusive losses (molecular transport) through the fluid-saturated pore space. Cap rocks are formed in the process of sedimentary rock accumulation and so the physical and chemical parameters of these rocks change under the influence of lithogenic processes. In general, the microstructure of cap rocks is highly complex and anisotropic and contains very small-diameter pores (~angstroms). Also, in clastic rocks, like sandstones, pores are observed between compacted grains and in the form of micro- and mesoporosity, often attributed to the presence of clays. Furthermore, the presence of a wide range of pore sizes makes it difficult to obtain the complete pore size distribution with a single conventional technique. Therefore, cap rock morphology is difficult to characterize, making it necessary to use different methods that are complementary.

Applications are invited for a fully funded, 4 year NERC PhD studentship in the Fluid & Particle Process Group of the Faculty of Engineering. This award is available to UK/EU students only, due to funding restrictions.

The studentship will cover full PhD tuition fees and (for UK students) a tax-free stipend for four years.http://www.pet.hw.ac.uk/research/nerc-cdt-oil-gas-studentships.htm.  The studentship is expected to start in October 2015.

Funding Notes:

There is a deadline of 31st January 2015 for applications to the NERC CDT projects across all institutions. Interviews will be held in February - March 2015 and candidates who are offered a project must convey their decision regarding that offer to the relevant institution by 10 a.m. on Wednesday 18th March, 2015.

Details of eligibility for NERC studentships can be found in the Research Councils UK Training Grants Terms and Conditions document available at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/grantstcs/.

Students should have an excellent degree (at least 2.1 class) in an Engineering discipline, Chemistry, Physics, or an Earth Sciences discipline.  You should be enthusiastic, keen to learn and motivated.  Previous experience with the aforementioned Experimental Techniques (e.g. image analysis, data acquisition) would be an advantage.

Informal enquiries prior to making an application may be addressed to Dr Sean Rigby (sean.rigby@nottingham.ac.uk).

Application forms and notes of guidance can be obtained online, from:http://pgstudy.nottingham.ac.uk/apply-for-postgraduate-courses.aspx and select the “Engineering Faculty” in the online application system.