Background
Natural hydrogen is a clean, natural source of energy that could help to fuel the energy transition. It is generated and stored in the Earth’s crust but the mechanisms by which it forms and migrates is still not well understood. There is also significant risk associated with the trapping and storage of hydrogen in natural subsurface reservoirs. This project aims to understand how natural hydrogen is generated and how it migrates and is stored in subsurface rocks. It combines high-pressure/high-temperature fluid–rock interaction experiments with multi-scale imaging and analysis of reservoir and cap-rock analogues to quantify hydrogen production rates, gas compositions, pore–fracture evolution and migration pathways in key reactive systems such as serpentinising ultramafic rocks. The project is funded by Shell Research Limited.
The post will be based in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Manchester, within a multidisciplinary team working at the interface of geoscience, chemical engineering and energy research. The project will also require close collaboration with colleagues in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science, working in particular with a parallel project into microbial consumption of hydrogen in the subsurface. Both departments are part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at The University of Manchester, which hosts world-leading facilities for multi-scale characterisation of rocks and fluids, including X-ray tomography, advanced scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and state-of-the-art facilities for the geochemical characterisation of rocks, minerals and fluids.
Overall purpose of the job
The purpose of the role is to lead experimental and analytical research that resolves the fundamental mechanisms controlling natural hydrogen generation, migration and storage in the subsurface. The postholder will design and carry out high-pressure, high-temperature fluid–rock interaction experiments on representative rock samples, apply advanced multi-scale characterisation techniques (XRD, transmitted light petrography, SEM/EDS, X-ray tomography, FIB-SEM/TEM, petrophysical measurements, gas chromatography and fluid chemistry analysis), and integrate these datasets. Working closely with the academic investigators and industrial partners, the postholder will be responsible for delivering the project’s research objectives and milestones, coordinating correspondence with sponsors, contributing to reports and publications, and helping to translate the findings into workflows that can be used to assess and screen high-potential natural hydrogen sites.
What will you get in return:
- Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers
The school is committed to Athena SWAN principles to promote women in science; the School's website documenting activity in this area can be found at: http://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/about-us/athena-swan/.
Our university is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.
Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.
Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:
Name: Dr Lin Ma
Email: lin.ma@manchester.ac.uk
General enquiries:
Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk
Technical support:
https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home
This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.
Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.
