PhD Reservoir Simulation of Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) in Depleted Hydrocarbon Fields

Challenge: Describe and model the reserivoir for underground hydrogen storage.
Change: Protocols for safe and relieable UHS.
Impact: Reliable and society-accepted energy transition.

The Dutch government has funded the HyTROS consortium to investigate and enable Hydrogen Transport, Offshore and Storage in the Netherlands. The consortium consists of 11 universities, 2 research institutes, 2 universities of applied sciences, and 19 industrial partners. As part of the Task "Large-scale hydrogen storage" of HyTROS consortium, the Department of Geoscience and Engineering at TU Delft is seeking to recruit a fully funded PhD position for 4 years. The PhD candidates will work on underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in depleted hydrocarbon fields, specifically on field-scale characterization, performance analyses and monitoring of UHS to enable its efficient and secure operation in a potential pilot site. The successful applicants will work in close cooperation with each other under the supervision of researchers from the sections and Reservoir Engineering and Applied Geology. The PhD project will concentrate on utilization of reservoir simulations for the quantification of the dynamic behaviour of cyclic storage of hydrogen in field-relevant scenarios with the aim to assess the purity and recoverability of hydrogen as well as reservoir containment.

Objectives:

•  Design ensembles of reservoir models for UHS that capture the different scales of heterogeneity and their associated geological and conceptual uncertainties.
•  Designing reliable dynamic simulation systems, by including appropriate UHS-relevant parameters, functions, and constitutive laws. 
•  Perform dynamic reservoir simulations (incl. Geomechanics and chemical reactions) to provide probabilistic assessments of cyclic UHS and identify the key geological uncertainties as well as the multi-scale geological characteristics that are first-order controls on the reservoir behaviour during cyclic UHS. 
•  Perform a value-of-information analysis to investigate how improved geophysical monitoring could help constrain uncertainties in reservoir characterisation and the associated dynamic behaviour, and ultimately optimise the operation of UHS. 
•  Develop operational protocols for safe and optimal cyclic storage and withdrawal which are based on the improved understanding of the impact of reservoir uncertainties and geological heterogeneities on reservoir (in cooperation with other project team members). 
•  Provide pathways to develop a computational framework for real-time data integration in simulation models to guide decision-making for storage safety and performance optimization (in cooperation with other project team members).

To achieve the objectives stated above we foresee the following activities:

•  Review and identify the relevant geological, petrophysical, geomechanical, and chemical data for UHS projects in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs offshore and onshore Netherlands. 
•  Familiarization with advanced, multi-scale reservoir model design to build meaningful ensembles of reservoir models for UHS.
•  Further development and utilisation of in-house open-source codes to simulate the dynamic behaviour of cyclic UHS considering geomechanical and chemical effects. 
•  Application and advancement of robust uncertainty and value-of-information analysis to investigate how better seismic monitoring reduces uncertainties and improves the safe and efficient operation of UHS. 
•  Development of data integration approaches that link static and dynamic reservoir simulators.

• The successful applicant will hold a relevant MSc degree in applied geoscience and engineering, with background on geology and reservoir simulation.
• Applications from MSc holders of related engineering domains will be certainly welcomed too.
• Having strong numerical and programming skills for forward and/or inverse problems are advantageous.
• Communication and interpersonal skills are essential to conduct the project successfully.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core  values and we actively  engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Click  here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € €2901 per month in the first year to € 3707 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Coming to Delft ServiceDual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

13 April 2025

• CV
• Motivational letter

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.


Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
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