REPowerEU, the joint European Action for more affordable and sustainable energy, recommends a hydrogen accelerator that provides 10Mt of hydrogen production, and 10Mt of hydrogen import, in the EU by 2030. Underground storage of hydrogen (UHS) can provide the capacity for such a strategic hydrogen reserve. The behaviour of cyclic and seasonal storage of hydrogen in depleted gas reservoirs has recently been investigated by means of numerical modelling. While these studies generally conclude that seasonal and cyclic hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields is possible, they usually do not yet address the following issues related to hydrogen loss in porous media in a systematic way:

• Impact of geological structures such as faults and fracture corridors as leakage paths for H2.
• Impact of small-scale and unresolved geological heterogeneities on mixing and chemical reactions.
• Impact of (bio-)geochemical reactions that could have adverse effects such as the formation of H2S.
• Impact of well designs on cyclic and seasonal storage of H2.

The overarching aim of this project is to address these issues through a comprehensive simulation study, complemented by laboratory experiments carried out in a collaborative project, to characterise the key characteristics of depleted gas reservoirs that are suitable candidates for UHS. To achieve this aim, the successful candidate will be designing multi-scale reservoir modelling and simulation studies and utilise the results to develop dimensionless numbers that allow us to quantify the amount of back-produced hydrogen from depleted gas reservoirs while accounting for geological heterogeneity, mixing of cushion gas and hydrogen, geochemical reactions, and well designs.

This interdisciplinary project will be carried out in close collaboration with the industry partner Shell, and will be based at the Department of Geoscience and Engineering at TU Delft. There it will bridge across the research conducted at the reservoir engineering section and applied geology section, benefitting from the department's wider research activities in subsurface storage, the DARSim Research Group, and the Energi Simulation Centre for Geoenergy 

Essential skills:

• Background in geology and reservoir modelling.
• Programming in Python.
• Experience in reservoir simulation.

Desirable skills:

• Reservoir engineering experience.
• Experience in transport and mixing processes.
• Knowledge in geochemistry/microbiology.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology

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.

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Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences

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.