Last modified: 14 Aug 2025 12:16
Through lectures and site visits delivered by academics and industry professionals, you will develop a general understanding of how geoscientists can support low carbon energies in the energy transition. This will include the role of fluid flow and heat transfer in different geothermal systems, and supporting renewable energy infrastructure placement. You will gain practical experience in reservoir modelling and sustainable reservoir management using industry standard computing software..
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
|
||
The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge and expertise to understand the geoscience aspects of ground modelling and fluid flow in the subsurface with a focus on heat transfer in different geothermal systems and subsurface modelling to support offshore wind. The content is delivered by both academics and industry professionals in the form of lectures, computer exercises, and field trips.
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Glasgow: £200 per student (£100 train travel, £50 accommodation for two nights, £50 subsistence) Peterhead: £250 minibus hire (total), £20 subsistence per student | 450.0000 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 33 | Feedback Weeks | 36 | |
| Feedback |
2-hour exam Students will answer questions related to the material covered in Part 2 of the course (fractures and induced seismicity) |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Explain the dynamics of fluid flow and heat transfer in geothermal systems |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate heat production in a geothermal system and manage it sustainably based on a simple numerical model |
| Conceptual | Understand | Distinguish different types of geothermal systems, including low-enthalpy aquifers and high-enthalpy deep/enhanced systems, and assess their risks and benefits |
| Factual | Understand | Explain the role of fractures for fluid flow properties and geothermal productivity |
| Factual | Understand | Describe the tools and techniques used for offshore ground modelling and cable burial risk assessment; |
| Procedural | Create | Build a simple model of a subsurface flow unit and test model parameters on observed flow |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Discuss the approaches employed in building qualitative and quantitative geological models of the subsurface, and the difficulties associated with doing this reliably |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate heat production in a geothermal system and manage it sustainably based on a simple numerical model |
| Conceptual | Understand | Distinguish different types of geothermal systems, including low-enthalpy aquifers and high-enthalpy deep/enhanced systems, and assess their risks and benefits |
| Factual | Understand | Explain the role of fractures for fluid flow properties and geothermal productivity |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Discuss the practicalities and workflows of offshore ground modelling |
| Conceptual | Apply | Scope and specify as well as QA/QC and integrate various geophysical (and geological datasets used in offshore renewable energy development |
| Factual | Understand | Describe the tools and techniques used for offshore ground modelling and cable burial risk assessment; |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Discuss the practicalities and workflows of offshore ground modelling |
| Conceptual | Apply | Scope and specify as well as QA/QC and integrate various geophysical (and geological datasets used in offshore renewable energy development |
| Conceptual | Apply | Explain the dynamics of fluid flow and heat transfer in geothermal systems |
| Conceptual | Understand | Distinguish different types of geothermal systems, including low-enthalpy aquifers and high-enthalpy deep/enhanced systems, and assess their risks and benefits |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate heat production in a geothermal system and manage it sustainably based on a simple numerical model |
| Factual | Understand | Explain the role of fractures for fluid flow properties and geothermal productivity |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Discuss the approaches employed in building qualitative and quantitative geological models of the subsurface, and the difficulties associated with doing this reliably |
| Factual | Understand | Describe the tools and techniques used for offshore ground modelling and cable burial risk assessment; |
| Procedural | Create | Build a simple model of a subsurface flow unit and test model parameters on observed flow |
We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.
