Subsurface Engineering for Underground Coal Gasification and Subsequent Carbon Capture & Storage

Fully Funded Industry Supported PhD Studentship

We are seeking application from a highly motivated candidate who has a first class or upper second (2.1) degree (or equivalent), or is expecting to get a first class or upper second degree by September 2012, in Engineering or Applied Sciences, with sound knowledge and background in some or all of engineering geology, geotechnics, hydraulics and/or thermofluids. Some knowledge and experience of numerical modelling (e.g. Computational Fluid Dynamics or finite difference modelling) would be an advantage. Good communication skills in English, both oral and written, are also essential, and the successful applicant is expected to conduct independent
research leading to original contributions to the PhD project, culminating in a PhD thesis.

Even at its fastest, the transition to a renewables-dominated energy economy is still going to take many decades, and interim minimal--carbon use of fossil fuels is likely to be required to ensure security of UK energy supply. Moreover, the increasing price of crude oil is already putting pressure on major refinery clusters, such as those at Grangemouth, Runcorn and Teesside, as they seek to maintain affordable feedstocks for the production of a wide range of commodities. Thanks to the advent of cost-effective directional drilling technologies, it would appear that coal reserves close to such demand centres can now be exploited using in situ gasification methods,
with the resultant voids becoming convenient storage zones for CO2 arising from the processing of the synthesis gas (syngas) produced. By inclusion of cross-subsidy mechanisms in the economic models for any new industry using this approach, underground coal gasification with carbon capture and storage (UCG-CCS) offers the potential to promote (rather than postpone) renewables deployment, as well as keeping UK industry viable in the long-term. Recent investigations have revealed some of the principal challenges in subsurface engineering which need to be resolved if a combined operation of this nature is to be brought into full-scale use. This PhD project would seek to develop the first rigorous, quantitative engineering process model addressing these challenges, providing a basis for planning of future on-site works and a platform for site-specific modelling.

Proposed workplan:
1. Review the literature on subsurface engineering for UCG-CCS processes, paying particular attention to borehole completion, oxidant injection, ignition and gasification control procedures.
2. Develop a model for rates of gasification and void growth, building on existing reactor models developed using standard chemical engineering combustion / pyrolysis / gasification simulation software, assessing stratal conditions and wellfield geometries proposed by the industrial sponsors.
3. Investigate the thermodynamic controls on the underground processes which can be expected to result in differing proportions of the valuable gases (H2, CO and CH4) in the resultant syngas mixture.
4. Assess the implications of void migration and stratal settling for the long-term longevity of borehole infrastructure, and the steps that will need to be taken to maintain / re-furbish boreholes for subsequent use for CO2 injection, subsurface containment and monitoring.
5. Work with industrial partners to develop a spreadsheet-based costing model for the subsurface engineering elements of the overall UCG-CCS process.

Supervisory Team:
The project will be led by Prof. Paul L. Younger FREng at the School of Engineering of Glasgow University and co-supervised by Dr Manosh C. Paul (Engineering, Glasgow) and Prof Harry Bradbury (Five-Quarter Energy Ltd ).

Scopes & Training:
The principal industrial sponsor and partner is Five-Quarter Energy Ltd, a young company drawing upon decades of expertise in deep mining, the environmental management of coalfields, and the operation of refineries and syngas-using industries. At Five-Quarter the principal contact will be Prof Harry Bradbury, a highly experienced energy sector entrepreneur with a very strong background in geosciences and engineering. In addition to working with the principal industrial sponsor, it is also intended that the student will interact with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL; Warrington), who have interests in developing high-specification simulation tools for
UCG-CCS, and with GeoLorn Ltd (based in Callander), who are experts in deep directional drilling technologies. The principal contact at NNL will be Dr Nick Smith, and he will organise ad hoc discussions with the student on relevant geoscience and process modelling topics. In addition to Dr Smith, Dr Divyesh Trivedi (geochemistry) and Dr Steve Graham (process modelling) will also be involved. At GeoLorn the principal contact will be the MD, Kevin Mallin, who is at the forefront of deep drilling technology globally, with decades of experience in the oil and gas industry support service sector.

Method of Application:
Application for this scholarship is made by using the online system at the following link for admission as a postgraduate research student to the Graduate School of the College of Science and Engineering:
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/scienceengineering/graduateschool/prospectivestudents/howtoapply/

Remember to include in Section 2 of the application form the title of the project together with the name of the prospective supervisors.

Initial informal enquiry about this studentship could also be made to Prof. Paul L. Younger ([Email Address Removed]) and/or Dr Manosh Paul ([Email Address Removed]) by sending detailed CV to them.

Deadline:
5pm, 11th June 2012