GLOBAL geoscience firm Ikon Science is funding a lectureship at Durham University which aims to provide added insight into oil and gas exploration.
The lectureship in computational geomechanics is being taken up by Dr Will Coombs, a first-class MEng graduate from Durham, who will use “advanced stress analysis and fracture mechanics research” to form an idea of the characteristics and potential of a reservoir. Professor Roger Crouch, head of the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, said: “This is an excellent partnership, as the school has attracted a team of world-class computational engineering academics and Ikon Science has a fine record of delivering superb software and analysis to the oil and gas industry.
“The combination of industrial expertise and engineering mechanics know-how will allow us to deliver new solutions to some of the most pressing problems in petroleum engineering and rock mechanics.”
Ikon’s interest in the oil and gas industry is focused on “understanding the science of rocks, fluids and pressures”, which it believes gives it the insight necessary to maximise and correctly gauge production from reservoirs. It is already working with Durham University as a co-sponsor of the UK’s first Chair in Carbon Capture and Storage, alongside DONG (UK) Energy. They also fund a number of PhD students in geopressure-related research. Lectureship holder Coombs is to work with Professor Richard Swarbrick in Ikon Science’s GeoPressure division on the university’s campus, and the link-up will also tap into Durham’s expertise in high performance computing.
Ikon's CEO Martyn Millwood Hargrave said: “We are pleased to further our partnership with Durham University and to foster multidisciplinary applied research into the new challenges in reservoir characterisation and reservoir monitoring, particularly those related to shales, carbonates, tight sand reservoirs and reservoir based Carbon storage.
“I am confident this developing partnership will help create sustainable advantage for Ikon Science’s global business and clients.”
