MSc in Subsurface Energy Systems

Program Overview

The MSc in Subsurface Energy Systems equips students with the knowledge and skills to unlock energy resources with a low carbon footprint. It covers key concepts in subsurface energy, including gas storage, transitional gas, geothermal energy, and reservoir characterization. The program integrates geological, engineering, political, and societal aspects, preparing graduates for careers in the energy sector's transition to cleaner alternatives.

Program Outline

Degree Overview

Overview:

The MSc in Subsurface Energy Systems (SES) is a new program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to unlock energy resources with a low carbon footprint. This program is ideal for individuals seeking careers in industry, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or academia related to the energy sector's transition to cleaner alternatives.

Objectives:

• Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of key concepts in subsurface energy and CO2 storage, geothermal energy, and transitional gas.
• Integrate geoscience, engineering, political, and societal aspects of these energy systems.
• Prepare students for professional careers in managing subsurface reservoirs for the transition from fossil fuels to a decarbonized economy.
It covers various aspects, including:
• Transitional Gas: Learning the principles of petroleum systems, petrophysics, reservoir engineering, and geochemical processes in conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
• Reservoir Characterisation: Comprehending geological controls on reservoir properties, assessing key reservoir parameters, and understanding how geological reservoirs develop in a basin setting.
• Fluid Mechanics, Reactive Transport and Heat Flow: Understanding the movement of fluids in the subsurface, interaction between fluids and rock, and heat transfer processes.
• Reservoir Geophysics and Monitoring: Introduction to Geophysical methods for reservoir exploration and production, focusing on reflection seismic methods and reservoir monitoring tools.

Outline

Year 1:

The MSc in Subsurface Energy Systems comprises lectures and project work encompassing a wide range of subsurface geoscience and engineering fundamentals relevant to the current petroleum, subsurface storage, and geothermal industry. Project work allows students to apply the concepts and methods learned through lectures and tutorials to real field evaluation and development design problems.

Semester 1:

• Subsurface Gas Storage
• Transitional Gas
• Reservoir Characterisation
• Geothermal Energy

Semester 2:

• Reservoir Geomechanics
• Fluid Mechanics, Reactive Transport and Heat Flow
• Economics, Policy and Risks
• Reservoir Geophysics and Monitoring

Semester 3:

• Individual Project
• Group Project

Group Project:

Groups of approximately 10 students analyze real data from a field (CO2/energy storage, geothermal energy, or natural gas production) to assess the reservoir and design an appropriate production or storage strategy. This project teaches students how to use imperfect data, integrate various program components, and handle group interactions. It also facilitates discussions on the regulatory, economic, and societal challenges related to these technologies, while teaching transferable skills such as teamwork, presentation, and negotiation.

Individual Project:

Students conduct a detailed investigation on a topic related to subsurface geoscience or engineering. Projects offered by the Institute and industry provide a wide choice of experimental research, computer modelling, and real-world problems.

Careers

Career opportunities:

• Traditional oil and gas sector
• Emerging geothermal industry
• Wider energy sector
• Government agencies and regulating bodies
• Non-government organizations (NGOs)
• General technical consultancies
• Academia

Other

Program Highlights:

• Addresses the urgent need for decarbonization and sustainable energy solutions.
• Provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of subsurface energy systems.
• Integrates geological, engineering, political, and societal aspects.
• Offers a combination of lectures, project work, and real-world case studies.
• Includes a group project and an individual research project.
• New courses address important aspects related to geothermal energy, energy storage, and CCS.
• Students benefit from excellent links with industry and research activities through the Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering and The Lyell Centre.

Nature-based Solutions:

• Episode 1 of the "A Future Made" podcast discusses nature-based solutions for climate change and flooding.

Tuition fees Status [footnote 1] Full-time UK £15,112 Overseas [footnote 2] £29,960