Engineering Solutions to Reduce the Environmental Impact of the Energy Sector - Salt Effects on Fluid Properties under Confinement

The energy and environmental sectors require to control the behaviour of fluids in the sub-surface. For example, the production of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs depends on enhancing the fluid transport through pore networks characterised by size in the nm range, while storing CO2 requires identifying strategies for immobilizing this volatile gas for long periods of time. It is now accepted that the fluid behaviour in nano-pores differs substantially from that observed in the bulk phase. The general aim of this project is to achieve fundamental knowledge that could help reduce the long-term environmental impact of the energy sector. The project will make extensive use of molecular simulations, which will be validated against detailed experimental characterisation data.
The specific aim of the project is to quantify how fluid properties such as density, transport, wettability, change when temperature, pressure, and fluid composition (in particular salinity) change. Of particular interest is the fluid behaviour when confined in nano-pores present in minerals (carbonates, clay, sandstone) commonly found in reservoirs to be used for CO2 storage.
The applications that will benefit from this project include the energy sector in general, the environmental sector, and the combination of the two (achieving enhanced oil recovery via carbon sequestration). The fundamental understanding of the behaviour of confined fluids is also relevant for the specialty chemicals sector, as well as for developing catalysts.

The production and processing of materials accounts for 15% of UK GDP and generates exports valued at £50bn annually, with UK materials related industries having a turnover of £197bn/year. It is, therefore, clear that the success of the UK economy is linked to the success of high value materials manufacturing, spanning a broad range of industrial sectors. In order to remain competitive and innovate in these sectors it is necessary to understand fundamental properties and critical processes at a range of length scales and dynamically and link these to the materials' performance. It is in this underpinning space that the CDT-ACM fits.

The impact of the CDT will be wide reaching, encompassing all organisations who research, manufacture or use advanced materials in sectors ranging from energy and transport to healthcare and the environment. Industry will benefit from the supply of highly skilled research scientists and engineers with the training necessary to advance materials development in all of these crucial areas. UK and international research facilities (Diamond, ISIS, ILL etc.) will benefit greatly from the supply of trained researchers who have both in-depth knowledge of advanced characterisation techniques and a broad understanding of materials and their properties. UK academia will benefit from a pipeline of researchers trained in state-of the art techniques in world leading research groups, who will be in prime positions to win prestigious fellowships and lectureships. From a broader perspective, society in general will benefit from the range of planned outreach activities, such as the Mary Rose Trust, the Royal Society Summer Exhibition and visits to schools. These activities will both inform the general public and inspire the next generation of scientists.

The cohort based training offered by the CDT-ACM will provide the next generation of research scientists and engineers who will pioneer new research techniques, design new multi-instrument workflows and advance our knowledge in diverse fields. We will produce 70 highly qualified and skilled researchers who will support the development of new technologies, in for instance the field of electric vehicles, an area of direct relevance to the UK industrial impact strategy.
In summary, the CDT will address a skills gap that has arisen through the rapid development of new characterisation techniques; therefore, it will have a positive impact on industry, research facilities and academia and, consequently, wider society by consolidating and strengthening UK leadership in this field.