Geological Careers: Renewable Energy & Unconventional Oil and Gas. Dr Catherine Isherwood Senior Hydrogeologist RSKW, Stirling

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1 Geological Careers: Renewable Energy & Unconventional Oil and Gas Dr Catherine Isherwood Senior Hydrogeologist RSKW, Stirling

2 Quick Introduction Catherine Isherwood Senior Hydrogeologist, RSKW (Stirling) Previously: Dalgleish Associates (Geological Consultant) Mouchel (Environmental Consultant) Why become a geologist? Initially interested by minerals from old mine workings Developed a wider interest in earth processes Hydrogeology is complicated and fascinating I love fieldwork! Coniston Coppermines Valley Chalcopyrite (copper ore)

3 Renewable Energy: projects Windfarms from Shetland & the Western Isles to Ayrshire & Northern England Wave energy the Oyster project at Billia Croo, Orkney Tidal energy MeyGen tidal array, Inner Pentland Firth Hydro-electric micro- and meso-scale runof-river schemes in Scotland

4 Renewable Energy: Planning Feasibility & planning stage Baseline study including: Ground conditions Previous landuse mining, quarrying, industrial Walkover survey Constraints mapping steep slopes, boggy ground, springs, sink holes/peat pipes Boggy ground Springs Sink holes & peat pipes

5 Renewable Energy: Planning Feasibility & planning stage Site surveys: Ground-truthing of points of interest/concern Peat/soil depth surveys Water resources private water supplies, location & source type Watercourse crossing locations Peat depth surveys Peat depth probe Private water supply surveys Watercourse crossings location, design & practicality

6 Renewable Energy: Planning A key constraint: ground conditions & slope stability Natural & cut rock slopes Cross-slopes Slope failure mechanisms Peat slides

7 Aggregate sources & suitability Borrow pits Quarry design Renewable Energy: Planning

8 Renewable Energy: Construction Access tracks on good foundations Access tracks on peat Directional drilling and cable installation Turbine base excavation

9 Renewable Energy: Skills Required skills as a Geologist in the renewables industry: Field skills whatever the weather Good observational & recording skills Report writing Presentation to clients Presentation to the public stakeholder meetings & workshops Enthusiasm Ability to learn & develop Remember: nothing stands in isolation geology links with engineering, hydrology, ecology and other disciplines. Can you communicate geological information to a structural engineer? Or an ecologist? What do they need to know?

10 Unconventional Hydrocarbons The SHEER Project: SHale gas Exploration and Exploitation induced Risks EU Horizon 2020 funded project Consortium of project partners Italy, UK, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA Academic and private sector involvement Project aim: To develop a probabilistic procedure for assessing the short- and long-term risks associated with groundwater contamination, air pollution and induced seismicity from the exploration and exploitation of shale gas and oil.

11 The SHEER Project GW1 GW3 WYSIN GW4 GW2

12 Unconventional Hydrocarbons Main rig drilling for shale gas Small rig drilling monitoring boreholes seismic & groundwater Logging core

13 Unconventional Hydrocarbons Groundwater monitoring in practice Divers: continuous data Dip meter: GW level check Water samples Multi-parameter probe: physicochemical parameters Fieldwork in summer checking the multiparameter probe and in winter purging GW1

14 Unconventional Hydrocarbons Required skills as a Hydrogeologist: In addition to the Geologist skills Field chemistry Good numerical & analytical skills Confidence using spreadsheets & analytical software Computer modelling

15 Geological & hydrogeological models

16 Summary Geology is everywhere Always useful to have an understanding of the ground Communicating with others specialist & non-specialist Enjoy the fieldwork!