Pore-Scale Modelling

Course content

We conduct research to develop pore-scale models that are widely considered to be the most advanced of their type, particularly for the physics of wetting films and layers (which assist in the drainage of oil) and unsteady-state ganglion dynamics. Depressurisation pore-scale physics has been extensively studied and 3D network models have been developed for analysing pressure depletion in light and heavy oil systems, the first to explicitly couple non-equilibrium PVT behaviour, gravitational migration of discontinuous gas structures and viscous forces.

Our research also explores the application of pore-scale models to a wide range of enhanced oil recovery techniques, including: low salinity waterflooding, surfactant injection, and polymer flooding. Many of these modelling approaches have been informed by a powerful, rapid reconstruction methodology (PAM: Pore Architecture Modelling), that facilitates the creation of multi-scale 3-D in silico porous media from a range of 2-D cross-sectional data. Our numSCAL software allows reconstructed media to be used as numerical rock surrogates for a variety of EOR studies.

In addition, a framework for the classification of digital rocks by machine learning is currently being constructed to produce reliable and robust predictions of micro-to-macro relationships – it is underpinned by recent advances in support vector machine learning. Additionally, a number of new, highly efficient lattice Boltzmann simulation techniques have been developed at the Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering for examining flow through low-porosity rocks and multi-scale interconnected pore systems.

Finally, we continue our innovative research in applying network modelling techniques to examine flow in biological systems (flow in vascular beds, tumours, bone implants, and retinae) and have highlighted a number of important new targets for therapeutic intervention.

Entry requirements

Please contact the institute to discuss.

Fees

Fees for this course can be found on the tuition fees page.

Additional scholarship information

We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.

View our full range of scholarships.

Industrial sponsorship

Many of our past students have gained funding from industry sources, both those companies involved in oil exploration and production in their home countries or larger international companies that offer scholarship programs. For example:

• Nigerian Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF)
• Bolahak, Kazakhstan
• Commonwealth Scholarships
• Chevening scholarships
• BP
• Chevron
• Shell
• ExxonMobil

There are also a number of Industrial sponsorships available every year to UK and EU students. All eligible applicants (generally EU/UK students) automatically have their CVs or applications sent to participating petroleum companies, who offer a limited number of sponsorships each year to our students, across all three courses. The number of sponsorships offered will vary depending on the companies’ needs and situations, and the quality of the student applicants and are given our after an interview event that takes place during the summer before the course starts.