Course description

Introducing GeoEnergy

GeoEnergy is a broad and rapidly evolving field incorporating a spectrum of traditional and innovative geologically focused energy generation and storage strategies as well as the provision of carbon mitigation technologies to the wider energy sector.

The field of GeoEnergy includes both conventional energy generation technologies, such as hydrocarbons, as well as new and developing strategies including geothermal resources and hydrogen exploration and production.

GeoEnergy also encompasses other energy provision technologies, including the subsurface storage of natural gas and hydrogen and Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) systems.

GeoEnergy practitioners are key to the adoption of carbon mitigation technologies including Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), enhanced weathering and radioactive waste storage.

The safe efficient adoption of these technologies requires a detailed understanding of the subsurface geological environment – such understanding can only be provisioned by geoscientists.

Be prepared for the Global Energy Transition

This innovative course has been designed to produce world-class graduates with the transferable skills to actively contribute to the global energy transition, have the ability to address climate change and the expertise to integrate emerging and conventional technologies. You will consider a variety of energy sources, with your main focus being on how to responsibly obtain energy from the Earth and how we employ geological resources to mitigate global warming.

The course studies all aspects of the GeoEnergy sector including energy exploration and production, environmental impact assessment, and protecting the climate while powering the economy and providing for society. The course is taught by our research-active teaching team as well as by industry experts bringing you the latest practises and developments from the GeoEnergy sector.

On the course, you will:

• Study a programme which is recognised for high professional standards: our MSc is accredited by The Geological Society
• Gain knowledge of the broad GeoEnergy sector
• Achieve an understanding of locating and evaluating subsurface geoenergy sources
• Apply your knowledge of related energy options to prepare for the carbon-neutral transition, such as geothermal energy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage
• Acquire experience in the use of a wide range of industry software in the fields of: seismic interpretation, GIS, petrophysics, gravity & magnetics, reservoir/fluid modelling
• Gain practical skills (such as core logging and wireline log interpretation) that enhance employability
• Learn to communicate effectively to peers, managers and the public in order to disseminate accurate information and thereby enable informed dialogues during the integrated energy transition
• Collaborate on live projects with UK Geoenergy Observatories to put your skills into practice
• Be able to provide solutions which carefully balance providing affordable and sustainable energy with enhancing social, economic, and environmental prosperity
• Study content aligned to the priorities of global initiatives, such as the UK Net Zero strategy, and United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
• Work with our research-active teaching team who have a wealth of experience in renewable energy, climate change, and conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons

Demand for new energy

Energy is vital to our everyday lives, but how we obtain it is changing. Many parts of the world are stepping up to the energy challenge, with governments in Germany, Denmark and Kenya actively pursuing new geothermal district heating schemes, and petroleum companies already running CO2 injection projects in Algeria, Norway and further proposed sites. Local and UK governmental authorities are starting to consider energy needs of the population and CO2 impact of choices in deciding future energy resources.

The UK 25 Year Environment Plan identifies 'mitigating and adapting to climate change' as a key goal. In addition, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals seek to build a platform for the future, in particular the goals below:

• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• Goals 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Geoscientists play a crucial role in this transition as their specialist skills include being able to help not only secure future energy, but also ensure that solutions are implemented in an environmentally-sensitive manner.

Our course prepares students to produce a range of energy-producing techniques that can be applied in the UK and globally.

Prime location

Our campus is situated in the heart of England, with easy access to a wealth of world-class geological localities, as well as the British Geological Survey offices and several major geo-technical companies for off-site visits. During the course, you will participate in residential and non-residential field trips to a fabulous range of geological localities spanning much of the geological record.

How you will learn

Learning and teaching methods will vary between modules. The course is delivered face-to-face, by University lecturers and industry experts, and learning materials can be accessed online. Your transferable skills will be assessed on written reports and essays, oral presentations, independent and group assessments practical exercises, including mastery of industry-standard software suites.

Technical specialist skills include:

• Seismic interpretation and processing (using Schlumberger, Petrel and IHS Kingdom software)
• Gravity analysis of basins (using FastGray software)
• Interpretation of basin Heat Flow results (using Sirius Exploration Geochemistry Novva software)
• Sedimentological and stratigraphical logging and interpretation of core and outcrops to industry-standards
• Reservoir modelling for fluid connectivity (Petrel)
• Computational analysis (reservoir, seal and volume assessment based on wireline, fluid and sediment data)
• Commercial decision-making (viable drilling plan, energy production vs cost, appropriate energy source, prospect risking)

Parts of some modules are taught by industry experts, ensuring that you stay up-to-date with the latest developments and techniques within the GeoEnergy sector.

An expert, research-active teaching team

This course sits within the School of Environmental Sciences, home to a broad range of research-active specialists, currently studying topics such as the implications of renewable energy for urban communities, climate change, the potential of biofuels, and fluid flow in carbonate host rocks. The programme team for this course includes:

• Dr Dorothy Satterfield: (Programme Leader). After completing her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Georgia State University, Dorothy studied for her doctorate at the University of Oxford. Her professional interests include sedimentology, seismic interpretation, thin section petrology, and basin anaylsis. Dorothy is a member of several professional bodies: UK Onshore Geophysical Library trustee, and a member of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain, the London Petrophysical Society, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, and the GSA.
• Dr Stephen Lokier: Stephen has more than 20 years of practical applied experience in the fields of sedimentary geology, reservoir characterisation, palaeontology, sequence stratigraphy and environmental geology, working with academia, industry, local government and NGO’s. He has carried out a range of research but a particular focus of his research has been the study of carbonate deposition in stressed environments including settings under the influence of volcanic activity and arid high-salinity settings such as those found in the Arabian Gulf. He is also a member of a range of professional bodies including the Geological Society of London, International Association of Sedimentologists, and Palaeontological Association