The NERC CDT Oil and Gas was awarded and established in 2013 with the aim of training the next generation of geoscientific and environmental researchers in oil and gas, providing them over their 4-year studentship period with a total of 20 weeks’ joint training delivered by academic, governmental and industry experts from the Earth, Environment and Applied Business sectors. Research is focused on four areas:
- Environmental Impact & Regulation
- Extending the Life of Mature Basins (e.g. North Sea)
- Exploration in Challenging Environments
- Unconventional Oil & Gas Resources
The Centre has created a highly skilled workforce with expertise that can be used across the wider energy and environmental sectors. It has successfully equipped industry with the skills needed to explore, sustain and reduce the environmental impact of oil and gas exploration and extraction at a time of economic challenge and focus on responsible environmental management.
129 students have graduated from the CDT and found employment in industry (55%), academia (35%) and government/regulatory agencies (10%). Our graduates continue to support the GeoNetZero CDT which followed on from the NERC Oil & Gas CDT with 3 entry cohorts in 2020, 2021 and 2022 funded by Neo Energy and the 12 participating UK universities (Aberdeen, Birmingham, Dundee, Durham, Exeter, Heriot-Watt, Keele, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Royal Holloway and Strathclyde). The research remit of this new CDT is focused specifically on the role of Geoscience and its applications to progressing the transition to a Low Carbon Energy Economy and addressing the challenges of achieving Net Zero Carbon. The unique model of research combined with a bespoke training programme to give our students a wider context and range of skills in addition to their PhD research also attracted further funding from NERC to support events that foster the continuance of collaborative discussions between industry, academia, Oil & Gas CDT graduates, government and regulatory authorities.