Institute of Petroleum Engineering
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

PhD Studentships in the integration of seismic and reservoir engineering (4D Seismic analysis)

Starting between September 2013 and December 2013

There are vacancies for three PhD students to work within the industry-sponsored Edinburgh Time-Lapse Project (ETLP), based at the Heriot-Watt Institute of Petroleum Engineering in the UK. This consortium is now in its fifth three-year phase, which continues the development of quantitative interpretation of 4D seismic data via integration with reservoir engineering and geology. More details on our activities can be found on the project website www.pet.hw.ac.uk/research/etlp.

Applications should be made before our closing date of 23 September 2013.

The following studentships are on offer:

Studentship A1 - Gas saturation quantification

This project examines three phase saturation conditions for different mechanisms of production and recovery, and their consequent seismic and 4D seismic responses. Specific skills in the following areas are required: reservoir engineering - especially fluid flow simulation, rock and fluid physics, and seismic interpretation.

Studentship A2 - 4D seismic inversion

This work extends our methodology for 4D seismic inversion, by application to a number of industry datasets. The project also attempts to develop direct update and fast volumetric procedures for simulation model update. Specific skills in the following areas are required: seismic interpretation, software development, an understanding of reservoir engineering principles.

Studentship A3 - geomechanics and permanent reservoir monitoring

This work attempts to close the loops between the simulation and geomechanical model using information supplied from 4D seismic data. This is attempted in the context of frequent seismic surveys from a permanent reservoir monitoring system supplied by our industry sponsors. The work extends existing ETLP research in this exciting area. Specific skills in the following areas are required: geomechanical simulation, reservoir engineering, reservoir geophysics, and seismic interpretation.

Studentship A4 - history matching using frequently acquired 4D data

This work attempts to update the geological and simulation models using 4D seismic and well data. It will build on existing methods for history matching, with an emphasis on the geological modelling. Specific skills are required in: history matching, reservoir simulation, geomodelling.

*Note that all of the above projects are based on industry datasets donated by our sponsoring companies, and will therefore be strongly data orientated.

General qualifications required

An essential requirement of our PhDs is that you have an excellent undergraduate degree (first class or upper second at minimum) in Geoscience, Geology, Geophysics, Physics, Applied Mathematics or Petroleum Engineering, and preferably but not necessarily an MSc from a recognised high quality university. You should be self-motivated, enthusiastic, with good written and oral communication skills. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong computational skills. Several years of experience working in a relevant area inside the oil industry is desirable but not essential. Applicants not fulfilling these criteria will be rejected.

Our PhD studentships

A PhD degree in the UK is normally of three years duration. In IPE-HWU, students are expected to undertake a probationary MPhil in Year 1 and then progress onto their PhD in Years 2 and 3 should their work be of satisfactory quality. Training will be provided in Year 1 to underpin your skill base. The studentship pays for all tuition fees and the living allowance for these three years. In addition, funding is available to cover travel and expenses to conferences and meetings with sponsoring companies and some select major conferences. Students from any country are eligible for our studentships.

Application

Candidates should apply directly to Professor Colin MacBeth at the Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University (colin.macbeth@pet.hw.ac.uk), attaching a CV detailing experience and qualifications as indicated above, marks for all degrees, and at least three referees. Please quote the project code (A1, A2, A3, or A4) for the studentship for which you are applying. Our interview process is rigorous, so only apply if you satisfy the above criteria.