Postdoc Research in Installation and Monitoring of Heat Storage Wells

Motivation

The EU aims to have a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) economy by 2050. At present, heating and cooling represent around 50% of the final energy use in Europe and are mainly supplied by fossil fuel derived energy. Because sustainable heat is mainly available in summer and demand is in winter, large scale seasonal heat storage is a key strategy to decarbonize heating in order to achieve EU ambitions. TU Delft leads a large European project that will showcase and develop full-scale application of heat storage (up to 90°C) in geothermal reservoirs using three different technologies: Aquifer, Borehole and Mine Thermal Energy Storage (ATES, BTES, MTES), at 6 different sites in Europe which together represent a relevant range of geological conditions across Europe. In this PD project you will contribute to the development, monitoring and testing ATES wells with a focus on high temperature (>60-100°C) levels. You will contribute to a demonstration site, where technology will be investigated at field scale.

New drilling and completion methods to reduce costs and risks

ATES systems use 2 or more wells for the injection and extraction of water to carry heat to and from reservoirs or aquifers. Drilling is typically undertaken using (reverse circulation) rotary drilling with diameters of between ~300mm and ~1000mm for ATES systems. Depths for ATES wells are typically down to 200m, sometimes deeper. While for low temperature (<25°C) ATES systems design criteria already have been developed, these are only in part transferable to high temperature (HT)-ATES wells due to e.g. the impact of higher temperatures on material suitability and on the reservoir and well flow dynamics. Therefore, in this research, you will help develop key advances for such wells by lab and field experimentation using various casing materials (vacuum, Glass-fibre Re-enforced Epoxy (GRE), stainless steel), different well designs (regular and expanded diameter (>2m)). In the HT-ATES demonstration site at Delft, two of the hot wells are intended to be equipped with new GRE casing and 1 with a vacuum casing to test/verify heat radiation reduction in penetrating layers. Two of the warm wells will be made with an expanded diameter gravel well (EDGW) to allow for higher flow rates and longer lifetime. Monitoring of well performance will provide crucial insights on optimal well design and completion for low cost and robust HT-ATES wells for future HT-ATES projects.

Activities

In this PD you will contribute in various ways to monitoring, testing, development and demonstration of various drilling and completion methods for installing ATES wells:

• Help with coordination and organisation of the activities at the Delft site; finalise designs of wells in conjunction with monitoring and research objectives, coordinate drilling activities and preparation, execution and analysis of push-pull test.
• The EDGW is based on a new drilling technique that allows to significantly expand borehole diameters at depth and is one of the key well technologies you will develop further in co-supervising the PhD candidate working on this.
• As co-supervisor of/Together with a PhD candidate, you will evaluate the benefits of different types of materials for casing of ATES wells: vacuum, GRE, stainless steel.
• Investigate the performance of the wells, including the mechanical stability, flow performance and ability to monitor pump performance and heat distribution.

We are looking for an excellent candidate with the following qualifications, knowledge and skills:

• A master and PhD degree in applied earth science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering or another degree with a substantial fluid flow, mechanics/dynamics and/or geophysics content.
• A team player who thrives working with people in different organisations with different skillsets.
• A curiosity inspired and creative researcher who is able to plan, execute, deliver and communicate research.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Dutch companies are involved in the testing and piloting, it is an advantage if you could speak Dutch.

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 we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.

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 depletion, urbanisation and the availability of clean water, conducted  in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced that Open Science helps to achieve our goals 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.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Martin Bloemendal, [email protected] or Phil Vardon, [email protected] .

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 15 October 2022 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

• Please include in your motivation letter a brief proposal of the research activities that could be undertaken as part of this position.
• 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.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Motivation

The EU aims to have a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) economy by 2050. At present, heating and cooling represent around 50% of the final energy use in Europe and are mainly supplied by fossil fuel derived energy. Because sustainable heat is mainly available in summer and demand is in winter, large scale seasonal heat storage is a key strategy to decarbonize heating in order to achieve EU ambitions. TU Delft leads a large European project that will showcase and develop full-scale application of heat storage (up to 90°C) in geothermal reservoirs using three different technologies: Aquifer, Borehole and Mine Thermal Energy Storage (ATES, BTES, MTES), at 6 different sites in Europe which together represent a relevant range of geological conditions across Europe. In this PD project you will contribute to the development, monitoring and testing ATES wells with a focus on high temperature (>60-100°C) levels. You will contribute to a demonstration site, where technology will be investigated at field scale.

New drilling and completion methods to reduce costs and risks

ATES systems use 2 or more wells for the injection and extraction of water to carry heat to and from reservoirs or aquifers. Drilling is typically undertaken using (reverse circulation) rotary drilling with diameters of between ~300mm and ~1000mm for ATES systems. Depths for ATES wells are typically down to 200m, sometimes deeper. While for low temperature (<25°C) ATES systems design criteria already have been developed, these are only in part transferable to high temperature (HT)-ATES wells due to e.g. the impact of higher temperatures on material suitability and on the reservoir and well flow dynamics. Therefore, in this research, you will help develop key advances for such wells by lab and field experimentation using various casing materials (vacuum, Glass-fibre Re-enforced Epoxy (GRE), stainless steel), different well designs (regular and expanded diameter (>2m)). In the HT-ATES demonstration site at Delft, two of the hot wells are intended to be equipped with new GRE casing and 1 with a vacuum casing to test/verify heat radiation reduction in penetrating layers. Two of the warm wells will be made with an expanded diameter gravel well (EDGW) to allow for higher flow rates and longer lifetime. Monitoring of well performance will provide crucial insights on optimal well design and completion for low cost and robust HT-ATES wells for future HT-ATES projects.

Activities

In this PD you will contribute in various ways to monitoring, testing, development and demonstration of various drilling and completion methods for installing ATES wells:

• Help with coordination and organisation of the activities at the Delft site; finalise designs of wells in conjunction with monitoring and research objectives, coordinate drilling activities and preparation, execution and analysis of push-pull test.
• The EDGW is based on a new drilling technique that allows to significantly expand borehole diameters at depth and is one of the key well technologies you will develop further in co-supervising the PhD candidate working on this.
• As co-supervisor of/Together with a PhD candidate, you will evaluate the benefits of different types of materials for casing of ATES wells: vacuum, GRE, stainless steel.
• Investigate the performance of the wells, including the mechanical stability, flow performance and ability to monitor pump performance and heat distribution.

We are looking for an excellent candidate with the following qualifications, knowledge and skills:

• A master and PhD degree in applied earth science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering or another degree with a substantial fluid flow, mechanics/dynamics and/or geophysics content.
• A team player who thrives working with people in different organisations with different skillsets.
• A curiosity inspired and creative researcher who is able to plan, execute, deliver and communicate research.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Dutch companies are involved in the testing and piloting, it is an advantage if you could speak Dutch.

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 we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.

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 depletion, urbanisation and the availability of clean water, conducted  in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced that Open Science helps to achieve our goals 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.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Martin Bloemendal, [email protected] or Phil Vardon, [email protected] .

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 15 October 2022 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

• Please include in your motivation letter a brief proposal of the research activities that could be undertaken as part of this position.
• 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.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.