PhD Project in Deploying Nanotechnology for Oil and Gas Flow Assurance, UK

‘Flow assurance’ is a key concern in the oil and gas industry, and refers to the need to guarantee the flow of oil/gas from reservoirs to processing plants in the face of a number of engineering challenges. Current research shows that nanotechnology has an important role to play. Crucial to the deployment of nanotechnology in a difficult and remote environment such as an offshore oil well is an understanding of how nanoparticles are transported through porous media such as rock.

The School of Mechanical Engineering is seeking a talented PhD candidate to explore this phenomenon using a combination of model experimental systems and novel computational simulations of multiphase flow in porous structures. Key aspects to be understood include the penetration of nanoparticles into rock saturated with various oil/water ratios, adsorption/desorption rates, agglomeration/dispersion behaviour, spatial distributions and residence times.

The School has excellent experimental and computational facilities to support the project, and an international reputation for its research. It has consistently achieved the highest possible rating in the UK government Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), with 75% of staff rated as internationally excellent or world leading. The School’s vibrant and diverse postgraduate community is well supported in training and development by the dedicated Faculty of Engineering Graduate School.

Application deadline: 31 July 2010

Contact Professor : Anne Neville, e: a.neville@leeds.ac.uk or Dr Mark Wilson, e: m.wilson@leeds.ac.uk.

Web Link

http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/pg/studentships/wilson.shtml